Dance Party

 

The three friends walked to the gym after visiting with the animals at the Zoo center where they will be taken to the big zoo across town where they will have their new home. Above them, flew Gabby, When they arrived at the gym, they saw a very big sign on the side of the building.

"What does it say, Jake?" asked Booker-T.

"It says that there is a dance party here at the gym this afternoon," read Jake. "They are inviting everyone to come and dance and join the fun."

"We are everyone," smiled Midge. "They said everyone can come."

"I don't think they mean animals can come," said Jake.

"Why not?' asked Booker-T. "Midge is right. We are everyone too."

"Does the sign say that no animals are allowed?" asked Midge.

"I don't see anything on the sign that says we can't come," said Jake.

"I want to go," said Midge. "I like to dance around and you know I am good."

"I know," said Jake. "I saw you dance around before and they chased us out of the gym when you did."

"I know," sighed Midge. "Maybe if there are lot of people dancing, they won't see us come in and dance with them."

"Maybe you are right," said Booker-T. "It will be fun to dance too. Do you think I can dance too?"

"Why not?" asked Midge. "I think we all can. Do you want to dance too, Gabby?"

"Oh," laughed Gabby. "I can't dance. If I get on the floor to dance, they will step on me."

"Then the newspaper will read," sighed Jake. "Bird gets trampled on the dance floor."

"Can you stand on my head when I dance?" asked Midge.

"I would fall off," said Gabby. "I will stay out of the way."

"Good idea," said Booker-T. "I don't think I want a flat Gabby."

"Me too," said Gabby. "I don't think I would look good flat."

"What time if the dance?" asked Midge.

"The sign says it starts at 1:00 this afternoon," said Jake.

"What time is it now?" asked Booker-T.

"I don't know," said Jake. "I don't wear a watch."

"Do they have a clock in the gym?" asked Midge as she walked toward the open door of the gym and looked inside.

"I think so," said Jake.

"Go peek in the door and see what time it is," said Booker-T. "I can't tell time."

"The clock has the big hand on the 9 and the little hand between the 12 and the 1," said Midge. "What time is it Jake?"

"I'm not sure," said Jake. "It isn't 1:00. it will be 1:00 when that big hand is on the 12."

"Do we have to wait a long time?" asked Booker-T.

"I don't think so," said Jake turning to look behind him. "Look here Midge. People are walking to the gym now. Maybe it is almost 1:00 now."

"Oooh, I'm so excited," said Midge. "I can't wait to dance with them. This is going to be fun."

"You just want to be like the humans," laughed Jake.

"Don't you wish you were human sometimes?" asked Midge.

"Not really," said Jake.

"I don't either," said Booker-T.

"Why?" asked Midge. "Humans get to have lot of fun."

"I don't think it is only fun that they do," said Jake. "What does your owner do that is fun?"

"My owner watches TV," said Booker-T. "Sometimes she goes to ball games with her brother and nephew."

"My owner watches TV too," said Jake. "On Saturday she does something she calls bowling."

"What is bowling?" asked Midge.

"I don't know," said Jake. "She has a big heavy ball but it's broken. It has 3 holes in it. I tried to pick it up but it was too big for my mouth to fit around it."

"What does she do with a big ball?" asked Midge. "Does she use it to play ball with her family?"

"No," said Jake. "She keeps it in a bag in the closet."

"But what is the thing called bowling?" asked Booker-T.

"I don't know," said Jake. "When she says she is going bowling, she carries the ball bag with her."

"What does your owner do for fun, Midge?" asked Booker-T.

"Well," said Midge. "She likes to watch TV too. I curl up beside her on the sofa and watch the TV with her. "

"What else does she do?" asked Jake.

"She works a lot," said Midge. "She works at the office she goes to and she works at home sometimes too."

"Maybe her work is her fun," suggested Booker-T.

"But that's not fun," said Midge. "I thought humans always had fun."

"No," said Jake. "Humans do have fun, but they work too. I don't want to work."

"I don't want to work either," said Booker-T. "I like sleeping late and having fun"

"But I want to have some human fun," said Midge. "I want to dance with them."

"Hey, listen," said Booker-T. "They are playing music in the gym now."

"Lets go Jake," said Midge as she started walking to the gym door.

Jake and Booker-T followed her to the door. The three stood at the door and watched people walking around inside.

"Why aren't they dancing?" asked Midge. "They are just walking around."

"They just got here," said Jake. "Maybe they will soon."

In a few minutes, someone walked up on the stage at the end of the gym. "Good afternoon everyone," said the young man. Welcome to the first dance of the year. We here at the gym are planning a dance every Saturday afternoon with snacks and drinks for everyone who likes to dance. Have fun and enjoy yourselves."

As he left the stage, the music started again and people started dancing around the floor. Midge hurried inside and stood on two legs and danced around the floor with them.

"Come on Jake and Booker-T," called Midge. "Come on and dance with me."

Jake and Booker-T hurried out onto the floor to dance with Midge.

"This is fun," laughed Midge.

They danced to about three songs before the man who was on stage saw them and ran them out of the building. "Go home," he said.

The three stood there and looked at him and then walked away.

"Why don't they let us dance?" asked Midge.

"I don't know," said Jake. "They said everyone, but I don't think everyone includes us."

"Lets go home, Jake," said Midge.