The Three Friends Search for Food

As the three ran to the kitchen, Midge turned to see where Gabby was.

"Be careful Gabby," said Midge. "Don't fly into the wall above the door."

"Okay Midge," said Gabby. "I remember I am inside and not outside where I can fly high."

"Good," said Jake. "If you hit the wall, you really will be injured."

"This is true," laughed Gabby. "And I know it would hurt a lot."

"Are you sure it would hurt a lot?" asked Booker-T.

"Oh yes," smiled Gabby. "I ran into a window once. It hurt. I fell to the grass and think I saw stars that day."

"You don't want to do that again Gabby," said Jake.

"Where does your owner keep your food Midge?" asked Gabby.

"The bag is in that closet over there by the refrigerator," said Midge. "Sometimes she gives me some food she has in the cupboards but we can't open them. They are in cans."

"Is you bag of food open?" asked Booker-T. "She would not be happy with you if you opened the bag and she hasn't opened it yet."

"Oh, you are right Booker-T," agreed Midge. "I didn't think of that. I think she opened it yesterday. I know she gave me some food this morning before she went to work."

"I think she gave you the last of the bag Midge," said Gabby.

"How do you know?" asked Jake as he tried to turn the doorknob of the pantry closet. "Were you in the kitchen when she fed Midge?"

"No," said Gabby. "Isn't that the bag in that trash basket by the door?"

"Oh," said Midge as she walked to the basket and peaked inside. "Yes, that's my bag of food."

"Don't think we will find anything to eat here today," said Jake.

"It's okay Midge," said Booker-T. "We will all eat when we go home. We never eat anything when we go to the park anyway. We eat in the mornings before our owners go to work and again when they get home."

"Okay," said Midge. "It was worth a try to have a snack this afternoon. My water bowl is full if you want a drink of water."

"Thanks Midge," said Jake. "We better go outside for little while."

"Okay," said Midge.

The three pushed through the little door to the back yard. They hurried out into the yard and took care of business and hurried back inside where it was warm.

"Oh my goodness Midge," said Jake. "It is so cold out there today."

"I don't think the sun has warmed anything up today," said Booker-T.

"I don't think so either," said Midge. "My little feet are cold."

"Mine too," said Jake.

"Didn't you come outside Gabby?" asked Booker-T.

"Oh no," said Gabby. "It is too cold and I have paper in the bottom of the basket to go on. She changes it every morning."

"I know," said Midge. "You are lucky. Snappy is lucky too. He has a nice warm tank with warm water to swim in and a big log to sit on. And you two have lot of food to eat."

"I will share my nuts and fruit with you if you want," offered Gabby. "I don't mind if you want some."

"It's okay Gabby," said Midge. "Thank you. But we can wait til our owners get home and feed us again. We just thought maybe we could find a snack in the kitchen to eat."

"Your owner sure keeps the kitchen nice and clean Midge," said Jake. "My owner don't wash up the dishes or anything before she goes to work. She is always running late and just puts them in the sink and then washes everything at night after we eat our dinner."

"Mine does the same thing," said Booker-T. "I heard her tell someone that it is a waste of water and energy just to wash a few things. She said it was better to wash them all at the same time."

"Mine always washes things after every meal," said Midge.

"Mine does when there are people at the house to eat with us," said Jake. "Then she will wash up after all the meals."

"I guess we are lucky that we don't have to wash dishes," said Midge.

"I don't think I would like washing dishes every time I eat," said Booker-T. "It looks like hard work."

"It would be fun to play in the water though," said Jake.

"Oh you and your water," said Midge. "You always love to play in the water."

"Do you like to play in the water when your owner gives you a bath too?" asked Booker-T.

"She lets me play in the water all the time in the warm days," said Jake. "She will put a big plastic tub out in the yard and fill it with water for me. When I am done playing, she will come wash me and then I lay in the sun and dry off."

"My owner gives me my bath in the bathtub in the second bathroom. She fills the tub with water and shampoos me with her nice smelling shampoo."

"I know you always smell so nice on your bath day," said Jake.

"I like it," said Midge. "After my bath, she combs out my fur and then I can go lay in the sun on the front porch. If the day is too cold, she will light the fire and I lay in front of it to dry."

"My owner don't give me a bath," said Booker-T. "I give myself a bath with my tongue."

"Why?" asked Gabby. "Don't you like a bath?"

"I never had one," said Booker-T. "I think cats always keep themselves clean all the time."

"Does Susie clean herself off too?" asked Midge.

"We both lay in front of the fire and clean ourselves," said Booker-T. "Sometimes our owner will brush us a little with a small brush. It feels so good."

"I like to be brushed," said Midge. "It always feels so good when she uses the brush on me."

"Me too," smiled Jake.

"I do like to be brushed," said Booker-T. "And I know Susie likes it too. If Susie sees the brush laying on the sofa, she will get up there and rub herself on the brush. It feels so good."

"I think we all are lucky to have such nice owners," said Jake.

"I agree Jake," smiled Midge. "We are so lucky. And now Gabby and Snappy are lucky to be in a nice warm house with you Midge."

"I really like it here Midge," said Snappy. "Maybe I would like to stay here all the time now."

"You don't want to go back to the pond in he spring?" asked Midge.

"No," said Snappy. "I think I would like to stay with you all the time now."

"Okay," said Midge. "Maybe she will let you stay here in this nice tank. It is a good home for you Snappy."

"There goes the clock Midge," said Jake. "I think it is time for us to go home for the night. I really enjoyed our day here with you. Even if we didn't find something to eat."

Jake and Booker-T went to the back door after saying good-bye to Snappy and Gabby. Midge walked to the door with them. They said good-bye and Jake and Booker-T left the house to go home for the night.

"See you guys tomorrow," called Midge.