Jake’s New Neighbor

 “Hey Jake!” called Midge and Booker-T as they entered the yard at Jake’s house.

“Hey you guys!” said Jake. “What are you two doing?”

“Do you want to go to the park today?” asked Midge.

“Do you think it is warm enough to go swimming today?” asked Booker-T.

“Maybe it will be a little warmer later in the morning,” said Jake. “I think it is a little cool right now.”

“Are you getting a new neighbor?” asked Midge when the big moving truck pulled into the driveway across the street.

“They started moving in yesterday afternoon,” said Jake.

“Do they have any pets?” asked Booker-T.

“I haven’t seen any yet,” said Jake.

“There is a cage for something,” said Booker-T.

“Do you think they keep a dog or cat in that cage?” asked Midge with a frown.

“I hope not,” said Jake. “Lets go see what is in the cage.”

“What if they see us?” asked Booker-T.

“We will be careful,” said Jake. I want to see what they have in the cage.

The three walked across the street and stood behind the truck watching the men unload the truck. When they made their next trip into the house with a large sofa, the three hurried to the cage.

“Look Jake,” said Midge. “It is a bunny.”

“Hi,” said the little brown bunny. “What are you guys doing?”

“We are on our way to the park to go swimming,” said Jake. “Would you like to go with us?”

“I can’t get out of the cage to go anywhere,” said the little bunny. “Can you open my cage?”

“Maybe your owner wouldn’t like it if we opened your cage,” said Jake.

“What is your name?” asked Midge.

“They call me Snowball,” said the little bunny.

“Why do they call you Snowball?” asked Jake. “You are brown.”

Snowball stood up and turned around. “I have a fluffy white tail so everyone calls me Snowball.”

“Oh, wow!” smiled Booker-T. “Nice name.”

“How cute,” said Midge. “That is a good name for you. You have a cute little snowball tail.”

“Quick, hide!” said Jake. “Someone is coming.”

The three ran behind the truck when the two men came out of the house for another load of stuff. They entered the truck and carried out a couple of chairs that matched the sofa. When they entered the house again, the three ran back to the cage.

“Do you always have to stay in the cage?” asked Midge.

“No,” said Snowball. “Sometimes they let me run around the house, but at night I have to sleep in the cage.”

“I think that is sad,” sighed Midge.

“Do you stay in a cage at night?” asked Snowball.
“No,” said Jake. “We don’t stay in a cage at all.”

“Why?” asked Snowball.

“I don’t know,” said Booker-T, glancing at Midge. “I thought cages were for wild animals.”

“But I’m not wild,” said Snowball. “I’m just a quiet little bunny.”

“Maybe they keep you in the cage at night so you are safe,” said Jake.

“Are you house broken?” asked Midge.

“I don’t know,” said Snowball. “What does house broken mean?”

“We are house broken,” said Midge.

“It means we don’t do our business in the house,” said Jake. “We go outside.”

“What kind of business do you do?” asked Snowball. “Do you work hard at your business?”

“Oh no,” laughed Jake. “It’s not that kind of business.”

“What kind of business is it?” asked Snowball. “Can I do your business with you?”

“Our business is going to the bathroom,” said Booker-T. “Midge and Jake go outside to do their bathroom business and I do mine in a box.”

“I have a box too,” said Snowball.

“You have a box too?” asked Midge.

“Yes,” smiled Snowball.

“Wow. I wish I had a box too, but they don’t make boxes for dogs,” said Midge.

“Maybe you can get a bunny box,” said Snowball.

The two men came walking to the truck and the three ran behind the truck again.

“Are you afraid of them?” asked Snowball.

“Not really afraid,” said Midge. “They might not like us bothering you.”

“My owners are really nice,” said Snowball. “Those men are only the movers. They don’t care if you are talking to me. Sometimes my owners put me on the back porch in my cage and I talk to the birds and sometimes a cat or dog would come and visit with me.”

“Do you have to stay in the cage when you are outside?” asked Jake.

“Yes,” sighed Snowball. “I heard them say they were afraid I might run away so when I am outside, I have to stay in a cage. But my outside cage is bigger so I can run around in it.”

“Do you like it in the cage?” asked Booker-T.

“Oh sure,” said Snowball. “I feel safe in it and I can still talk to others when they come to see me. Will you come to visit me when I am outside? I would like that.”

“Sure,” said Midge. “We will come and see you every time Booker-T and I are at Jake’s house. He can come see you when you are outside too.”

“Maybe we can open your cage so you can come outside to play with us in your backyard,” said Booker-T.

“I would like that,” smiled Snowball. “I promise I won’t run away. ”

“It’s nice to meet you Snowball,” smiled Jake. “I live over there in that house across the street.”

“Booker-T and I live on a different street,” said Midge. “We come to Jake’s house and sometimes he comes to my house.”

“That’s nice,” smiled Snowball. “You are all friends?”

“Yes,” said Jake. “We would like you to be our new friend.”

“I would like that,” smiled Snowball. “It is nice talking to you. I am happy to be your new friend.”

“We will see you later Snowball,” said Midge. “Now we are going to the park for a swim.”

“Okay,” said Snowball. “Good-bye my new friends. I will see you later.”

The three said good-bye to their new little friend and ran along the sidewalk to the park.