The Strange Tube

The friends were on their way home from the park and saw an eagle and remembered watching one in the bird show. . They hurried along the sidewalk.

“Wasn't it a good show when we went?” asked Gabby. “I sure liked all the birds and those eagles are so amazing.”

“It was good show and some of the birds were really big,” said Midge. “I think some of them could have picked me up off the ground.”

“Maybe even me,” laughed Jake.

“I don't think so,” said Susie. “You are too big for them to pick up.”

“Maybe,” said Jake. “I don't think I want them to try it.”

“Hey, look over there guys,” said Booker-T. “What is she doing?”

“I don't know,” said Susie. “She looks funny. What is that tube going around her? I never saw a human with a tube around her before.”

“I don't know either,” said Midge. “Lets go watch her and she what she is doing.”

“Gabby, do you know what that is?” asked Jake.

“It looks like what they call a hula hoop,” said Gabby. “I saw it on a poster before. But it has been long time since I saw the picture of it.”

“A hula what?” asked Midge.

“A hula hoop,” said Gabby. “I think they put it around them and try to make it go round and round and not fall down.”

“Why?” asked Jake. “It seems strange standing there making some tube spin around and around you.”

“What purpose is it for?” asked Susie.

“I think it is some kind of toy they have,” said Gabby.

“That is a strange toy,” said Jake. “Is that all it does?”

“I think so,” said Gabby.

“Doesn't seem like much fun,” said Booker-T.

“Maybe I can try that,” said Midge.

“That tube is bigger than you are Midge,” laughed Gabby. “I don't think you could spin it like she is doing.”

“Do they make tubes smaller than that one?” asked Midge. “You know, for smaller kids.”

“I think they are all the same size,” said Gabby.

“Oh look,” said Jake. “She is walking across the yard and it is still spinning.”

“She is good at making it go round and round her,” said Susie.

“I want to try it,” said Midge. “How can I get one?”

“I don't know where you can get one,” said Gabby. “But that is too big for you to spin.”

“Maybe we could use the tube for something else,” suggested Booker-T.

“What would we do with it?” asked Jake. “Doesn't look like it is too good for doing very much with it.”

“We could have our own circus and that could be the ring,” said Susie.

“Ha ha,” said Jake. “That is about all it would be good for, laying on the ground and doing tricks inside the ring.”

“I think we need to find a better toy for us,” said Booker-T. “That one not good for us to play with. I like to play with balls stuffed with catnip.”

“I like to chase a ball too,” agreed Midge. “Guess I won't be spinning this hula hoop thing. Looks a little strange.”

“It don't look like much fun standing there spinning a tube,” said Jake.

“I don't think so either,” said Booker-T.

“Even walking with it don't look like much fun,” said Susie. “I think chasing a ball is more fun.”

“What do you like to play with Gabby?” asked Midge.

“I don't have any toys,” said Gabby. “I don't have a human who buys toys for me.”

“I don't think Snappy has any toys either,” said Midge. “He just swims in the little pond in his tank and climbs on the small tree branch that is in there.”

“And he eats,” laughed Jake.

“I think that is mostly what I do,” said Gabby. “Fly around and eat. I wonder if those birds at the show play with toys?”

“Chatter does,” said Midge. “My owner took me to her friend's house and Chatter had all kinds of toys he plays with. Mostly he chews up the wood ones.”

“He likes chewing wood?” asked Susie.

“I think so,” said Midge. “All his wood toys had bite marks all over them.”

“Maybe you can play with one of my balls in the back yard,” suggested Midge.

“What would I do with it,” asked Gabby. “I can't pick it up and run with it.”

“I guess it would be too big for you to pick up,” said Midge. “Maybe a smaller ball you could play with.”

“I'll just watch you play,” said Gabby. “I like flying around and seeing things in different places. That is fun for me.”

“I wish I could fly too,” said Midge. “You remember I tried once.”

“And you fell flat on your head,” laughed Jake.

“It wasn't funny,” said Midge. “I had a headache for two days.”

“You are lucky you didn't break your neck that day,” said Gabby. “Only birds fly.”

“I know,” said Midge. “It sure would be nice if I could though.”

“It is fun being up there in the air and being able to get to places faster and see all the things from the air. I love it up there.”

“See Gabby,” said Midge. “You can fly and we can't. We play with toys and you don't. I guess we each have something different about each other.”

“That is what makes us all unique,” said Gabby. “We each are different colors and we all are different somehow.”

“Yes,” said Midge. “Booker-T and Susie are cats, but one is a boy cat and one is a girl cat and Jake and I are dogs. He is a boy dog and I'm a girl dog. We are all different sizes too. And then you are a bird.”

“We are a unique group of friends,” said Jake. “And don't forget Snappy, who is a little green turtle.”

“That's right,” said Midge. “He is the smallest of us all.”

“I want to come say hello to Snappy tomorrow,” said Gabby. “Now am going to fly off and go see my friend.”

“Okay Gabby,” said Booker-T. “Bye. It was fun today.”

“Thanks for getting us into the tent Midge and Jake,” said Gabby as he flew off across the sky.

“Maybe he will bring her with him one day so we can meet his friend,” said Midge.

“We can ask him,” suggested Jake.

“We can,” agreed Booker-T. “Maybe tomorrow when he comes to visit Snappy.”

They finished their walk to Midge's house where they curled up on the bench in the back yard and took a nap.