The New Year is Here

 

"Hey Midge!" called Jake as he and Booker-T walked to the front porch and found Midge sitting in one of the chairs.

"Happy New Year Jake and Booker-T," smiled Midge. "Wow, can you believe another year is beginning today and the old year is gone now into the days of the past."

"We have another year to do fun things," said Booker-T.

"I like having fun," said Midge.

"We do too," agreed Jake. "What do you want to do today?"

"I don't know," said Midge. "I think we have done every thing there is to do. what do you want to do, guys?"

"We don't know either," said Booker-T.

"I want to do some things that the humans do," said Midge.

"Are you going to try that again?" asked Jake.

"Sure," said Midge. "They have so much fun things to do."

"Like what?" asked Booker-T.

"Well," said Midge. "They can drive a car."

"You can't drive a car," laughed Booker-T as he fell over on the floor. Thoughts of Midge driving a car went through Booker-T's head.

"Maybe I can learn," said Midge.

"No you can't," said Jake.

"I can try," assured Midge.

"There is no way you can learn," said Jake. "You feet are too short to reach the pedals in the car."

"Oh," said Midge. "I forgot about that. You can push on the pedals for me,"

"I don't think that will work," said Booker-T. "What else do you want to do?"

"Maybe I can ride a motorcycle," suggested Midge.

"Same problem Midge," said Jake. "Your legs are too short."

"How about some stilts?" asked Midge. "They would make my legs longer."

"A dog on stilts," laughed Jake. "That would be funny. I don't think you can stand up on Stilts."

"Where can I get some stilts?" asked Midge.

"I think our neighbor has some," said Booker-T. "Lets go look in their back yard. The little boy keeps them by the garage."

The three walked over to the house and found the stilts laying on the ground near the garage. Jake grabbed one of them and Midge grabbed the other.. they dragged the stilts to Midge's house.

"Do you know how to use them?" asked Booker-T.

"No," sighed Midge.

"How are you going to use them?" asked Jake. "If you don't know how."

"You can help me," said Midge.

"I don't know how to use them," said Jake.

"I think you put one foot on the one and the other foot on the other stilt," said Gabby as he flew down from the trees.

"What are you doing?" asked Midge.

"I was listening to all of you up in the trees," smiled Gabby. "What are you going to do with the stilts?"

"Midge is going to walk on them," said Jake.

"How are you going to do that?" laughed Gabby. "You are joking, right?"

"No," said Midge. "I'm not joking. I want to walk on them so I can ride a motorcycle."

"Why do you want to ride a motorcycle?" asked Gabby as he sat there laughing. "Your legs are too short."

"That is why she wants to use the stilts," said Booker-T.

"But all your legs are too short," laughed Gabby. "How are you going to reach the handlebars?"

"How can I reach the handlebars, Jake?" asked Midge. "Can you sit in front and I will sit behind you? You legs are longer than mine."

"I can't ride a motorcycle," said Jake. "I think we need to find something else to do."

"They have those little motorcycles at the carnival she can ride," suggested Booker-T.

"Do you want to go see the carnival?" asked Jake.

"It's not open now," said Gabby. "There is snow on the ground."

"Maybe we can do something in the snow," said Jake. "We should celebrate the new year."

"What can we do to celebrate?" asked Midge. "It is 2021 now. Do you have any ideas?"

"Something we animals can do," said Booker-T.

"How do animals celebrate the new year?' asked Midge.

"Maybe with something to eat," suggested Jake.

"What do you want to eat?" asked Midge.

"I have some treats I got for Christmas," suggested Booker-T. "I will go get some and we can eat a treat to celebrate."

"We can get some water in the house too," smiled Midge.

"Hurry back Booker-T," said Jake.

Booker-T ran next door to his house to get the treats he got for Christmas and Midge went inside to get the ones she had in the house. Jake and Gabby sat on the porch and waited. In a few minutes, Booker-T came back carrying 3 bags of treats and set them on the table that sat on the front porch. Midge came around the house carrying two bags of treats and dragging a bottle.

"Midge," said Jake. "What are you doing with the bottle?"

"My owner and her friends celebrating New Years last night with this bottle," said Midge. "So I brought it out here for us. Maybe we can celebrate with it."

Jake read the label on the bottle. "We can't drink this stuff," said Jake.

"Why?" asked Booker-T.

"It is champagne on the bottle," said Jake.

"Why can't we drink Champagne?" asked Midge.

"It is alcohol," said Jake. "We can get drunk."

"That stuff will change us?" asked Booker-T. "What is drunk?"

"Drunk is not a good thing," said Jake. "I don't think we should be drinking alcohol. It is bad for animals."

"If Alcohol is bad," said Midge. "Why do humans drink it?"

"I don't know," said Jake.

"Are you sure it is bad?" asked Booker-T. "Can we try a little?"

"No," said Jake. "My owner's friend got drunk at the house one time. I heard my owner say she was too drunk to drive home so she let her sleep in the guest room til morning."

"Was she okay?" asked Booker-T.

"She was good in the morning," said Jake.

"Can we just taste it?" asked Midge with a big smile. "Just a little taste."

"Can we Jake?" asked Booker-T.

"Well, maybe just a little," said Jake as they pulled the cork out of the bottle.

They each took a little sip and made a face.

"That is bad," said Midge. "Yuck, Yuck. I need some water."

"Me too," said Booker-T. "I don't like it."

"Lets go get some water," said Jake as they started to the back door to get some water.

"We better not try that again," said Booker-T.

"Lets just celebrate the new year with water and our treats," said Midge.

"Okay," said Jake. "Happy New Year you guys."

"Happy New Year," said Midge and Booker-T.