Coffee

 “Hey Midge!” called Jake as he poked his head through the doggie door in the back of her house. “What are you doing?”

“Hi Jake,” smiled Midge.

Jake squeezed through the door and entered the kitchen. “Hi Booker-T.”

“Hi Jake,” said Booker-T.

“What are you two doing?” asked Jake.

“My owner went to work and left her coffee cup on the table,” said Midge.

“We were tasting the coffee,” said Booker-T. “Have you ever tasted coffee?'

“No,” said Jake. “Can I try some?”

“Sure,” said Midge, pushing the cup across the table to Jake. “Try it.”

Jake stuck his tongue into the cup to taste the brown liquid inside.

“She puts milk and sugar in the coffee,” said Midge. “I like it.”

“Yum,” smiled Jake. “This is good.”

“Does she drink coffee every day?” asked Booker-T.

“Yes, “ said Midge. “But she usually puts her cup in the sink before she goes to work.”

“How did you get the cup out of the sink?” asked Jake.

“She forgot it on the table,” said Midge. “After she went out the door, I jumped up to see if there was anything in the cup.”

“My owner don't drink coffee,” said Booker-T. “She likes tea.”

“Did you taste the tea?” asked Midge.

“No,” said Booker-T. “She never leaves any in a cup on the table, but I can jump on the counter and check the sink.”

“Did you try?” asked Midge.

“I tried,” said Booker-T. “But she always washes her cup before she goes to work.”

“Mine does too,” sighed Jake. “She always washes dishes when she is finished eating or drinking something.”

“Mine does too,” said Midge. “But the phone rang this morning when she was drinking the coffee and she forgot to wash it this morning. She talked long time on the phone and when she hung up, she hurried out the door and forgot her cup on the table.”

“Do you like the coffee Booker-T?” asked Jake.

“It's good,” smiled Booker-T.

“Did you ever taste beer?” asked Jake.

“Beer?” asked Midge. “Did you taste it?”

“My owner don't drink it,” said Jake. “Remember my old neighbor, Jackson?”

“The big black lab?” asked Midge.

“Yes,” said Jake. “He used to drink beer all the time. When his owner was sitting in the back yard drinking beer, Jackson would sit up and beg for it.”

“His owner gave it to him?” asked Booker-T.

“Yes,” said Jake. “His owner would poor him some in his bowl.”

“Maybe you can beg for some coffee when your owner is drinking coffee,” said Jake.

“I can try,” said Midge. “I like it.”

“But will she know what you are begging for?” asked Booker-T.

“I don't know,” said Midge. “Maybe if she is drinking coffee only and I put my nose on the table, she will know.”

“Are you going to try tomorrow?” asked Jake.

“You know Midge,” said Booker-T. “She usually figures it out.”

“Okay,” said Jake. “Try and get some coffee from her.”

“I will try in the morning,” said Midge.

“Okay,” said Jake as he jumped to the floor from the chair. “Lets go say hi to Snappy.”

The three went to the living room where they found Snappy sitting on a rock in his tank.

“Hi Snappy,” said Booker-T as he jumped into the chair next to the tank.

“Hi buys,” said Snappy. “What are you doing?”

“We were drinking coffee in the kitchen,” said Jake.

“How did you get coffee?” asked Snappy. “Isn't that some kind of stuff that humans drink?”

“My owner left her cup on the table this morning,” said Midge. “I jumped into the chair and it smelled good. I tasted it.”

“Did you like it?” asked Snappy.

“It is kind of creamy tasting,” said Jake.

“We like it,” smiled Booker-T.

“Our owner puts milk and sugar in it,” said Midge. “So it tastes really good.”

“Can you drink human coffee?” asked Snappy.

“Oh,” said Midge. “I didn't think about that. Do you think we are okay, Jake?”

“Do you feel sick?” asked Jake. “I feel fine.”

“Me too,” said Booker-T. “I don't feel sick.”

“Maybe it's okay,” said Midge. “I don't feel sick either.”

“Can coffee be bad for us?” asked Booker-T. “We can't ask anyone. How can we find out?”

“I think we just have to wait and see if we get sick,” sighed Midge.

“If we don't get sick,” said Jake. “We will be okay.”

“Lets go drink some water,” said Midge. “Water is good and maybe it will help the coffee.”

They hurried to the kitchen and drank water from Midge's bowl.

“Do you feel good?” asked Midge as she sat down near the bowl.

“I'm still okay,” said Jake.

“Me too,” said Booker-T.

“Okay,” said Midge. “I think we are going to be fine. Do you want to go to the park and play?”

“Lets go,” said Jake, as he walked to the doggie door. “We can go see Melody. Maybe she wants to come to the park with us.”

Midge and Booker-T followed him out the door and the ran around the house to the front sidewalk. When they reached the gate, Gabby came swooping down from the tree.

“Hey guys!” said Gabby. “Where are you going?”

“We are going to Melody's house and then to the park,” said Midge. “What are you doing?”

“I was just flying around the city seeing what is going on,” said Gabby.

“What is going on?” asked Booker-T.

“Did you know that there is a new animal at the little zoo?” asked Gabby.

“What kind of animal?” asked Midge.

“They have a kangaroo,” said Gabby.

“Do you want to go to the zoo?” asked Midge. “I want to see the kangaroo.”

“Okay,” agreed Jake. “Do you want to go, Booker-T.”

“Sure,” said Booker-T. “Lets go.”

They ran along the sidewalk to Melody's house and then off to the zoo to see the new kangaroo.