"That was close," said Jake, as they walked along the sidewalk on their way back to Jake's house. "I don't think those big guys like you going after their ball."
"I just wanted to get the ball for them," said Midge. "I like playing ball."
"Me too," agreed Booker-T.
"That baseball game is a funny game," said Midge. "The humans play funny games."
"I just like my owner to throw a ball so I can go run and get it and bring it back to her," said Jake.
"Me too, " smiled Midge. "I think that is fun."
"What are we going to do today?" asked Jake.
"I don't know," sighed Booker-T.
"We can go to the zoo building again and see what animals are there," suggested Midge.
Booker-T stopped and stood watching some human boys playing with a ball.
"What are they playing?" asked Booker-T. "They have a really big ball. You wouldn't be able to pick up that ball."
"Why is that boy trying to take the ball away from the other one?" asked Booker-T.
"I don't think he wants to share the ball," said Jake. "But the other one got the ball when it fell through that thing hanging on the wall."
"Was he trying to hide the ball up there?" asked Midge.
"I don't think they can hide the ball because it has a lot of holes in it," laughed Jake.
"And there is a really big hole in the bottom and the ball just feel through it," said Booker-T.
"What kind of ball are they playing?" asked Midge.
"I don't know," said Jake. "It's a really funny game," said Jake.
"Hey guys," said Gabby as he flew down from the trees nearby. "What are you guys doing?"
"We are watching those boys throwing that big ball into that thing hanging on the wall," said Midge. "Do you know what they are doing?"
"They are playing Basketball," said Gabby. "There are some boys near the school that play it all the time."
"What is a basket ball?" asked Booker-T.
"It's a big ball and they throw it into that thing that looks like a fishing net," said Gabby.
"Hey look Midge," said Booker-T. "Look, they are bouncing the ball up and down before he throws it into that thing."
"We can't play with that ball," said Midge.
"It is too big for us to pick up," said Jake.
"You should go to the school and watch them play basketball," said Gabby. "There are a lot of boys playing it."
"More than two?" asked Booker-T.
"Yes," said Gabby. "They have two teams and each team has about 5 or 6 boys playing."
"Like the baseball games?" asked Midge.
"A little like it," said Gabby.
"Humans have a lot of funny games they play with a ball," said Jake.
"They have one game they play with a funny shaped ball," said Gabby. "The ball don't bounce."
"A ball don't bounce?" asked Midge. "I thought all the balls bounced."
"No," said Gabby. "They have something they call a football and it's not a round ball."
"The humans have so much fun," sighed Midge. "I wish I was a human."
"I know you do, Midge," said Jake. "But we are only animals."
"What do you want to do today?" asked Booker-T. "Do you want to go see the animals at the zoo building?"
"Okay," said Midge as she walked away from where they were sitting and watching the boys playing ball.
They walked along the sidewalk and when they reached the zoo building, they saw a big truck sitting in front of the building.
"What are they doing?" asked Midge.
"I don't know," said Booker-T. "What does it say on the truck, Jake?"
"It says Midwestern Transport on the side of the truck," read Jake.
"What are they doing?" asked Booker-T.
"Maybe they are taking one of the animals to a big zoo," said Jake.
"Or maybe they are bringing a new one," said Midge. "Come on, lets go see."
They hurried to get closer to the truck. Two big humans came out of the building and opened the back of the truck. Midge, Jake and Booker-T got close to the wall of the building ad sat down to watch. The two men climbed into the truck and started to move a large crate out of the back.
"What is it?" asked Midge trying to see what was in the crate.
"I don't know," said Jake.
"What does it say on the side of the crate?" asked Booker-T.
Jake inched closer to the truck to try and read what is on it.
"What does it say, Jake?" asked Midge.
Suddenly a big roar came from the crate. The three jumped back and stared at each other.
"It is a Leopard," said Jake. "It says, One Adult Leopard."
"What is an adult leopard?" asked Booker-T.
"I think adult means it's a big one," said Jake.
"What is a leopard?" asked Midge.
"I think it is a big cat," said Jake.
"Is it orange and black?" smiled Booker-T. "I like orange and black."
"I don't know what they look like," said Jake. "We will have to wait til they put the leopard in
the cage."
The two big guys carried the crate into the building and went to the corner cage and set the crate in front of the cage door. They opened the crate door and a big cat ran into the cage and paced back and forth as they slammed the gate shut and locked it. They carried the crate back to the truck and drove the truck out of the parking lot.
Jake, Midge and Booker-T slowly entered the building and stood looking at the cat in the corner cage.
"It's black and orange," said Booker-T.
"But it has spots," said Midge. "And you have stripes."
"That's okay," said Booker-T. "I like spots too. Black and orange are good colors."
"Lets go back there and see the big cat," said Jake.
The three walked to the back cage and stood staring at the big cat as it paced back and forth in the cage.
No comments:
Post a Comment