Fun at the Pond

“Hey Midge!” called Jake as he entered the front yard at her house. “Where are you hiding? I don't see you.”

Jake stood in the front looking around and no Midge. “Hey Midge!” called Jake again. He walked to the back of the house and poked his head through the doggie door. “Hey Midge! Are you in there?”

Everything was quiet. He crawled into the house and hurried to the living room. “Hi Snappy,” said Jake.

“Hi Jake,” greeted Snappy. “What are you doing?”

“I was looking for Midge,” said Jake. “Where is she?”

“Our owner took her to the vet this morning,” said Snappy.

“Was Midge sick?” asked Jake.

“No,” said Snappy. “It is just her check up time. She left about 30 minutes ago. What are you doing?”

“It is hot outside and I wanted to go to the park for a swim in the pond,” said Jake. “Do you want to come along?”

“No,” said Snappy. “That's okay. I have a nice pond in here just right size for me. Did Midge know you are coming this morning?”

“I didn't tell her I would be here this morning,” said Jake. “I'm sure she will be home soon. I”m going to lay down on the front porch and wait for her.”

“You can stay in here and talk to me if you want,” said Snappy.

“I don't know if your owner would be happy coming home and finding me in the house,” said Jake. “I better wait outside. If your owner isn't going to work today, we won't be able to go play at the park.”

“I don't know if she is or not,” said Snappy. “Midge might know when she comes home.”

“Okay,” said Jake. “I will see you later. I”m going to the front porch.”

“Too late Jake,” said Snappy. “Look out the window. Here comes Midge and our owner.”

Jake looked out the window and saw the car pull up in front of the house. He hurried to the back door and crawled through the doggie door as they were coming into the house through the front door. He hurried to the end of the house and peeked around the corner. He didn't see anyone so he slowly walked to the front of the house. When he got to the front he called out for Midge.

“Hey Midge!” called Jake. “Where are you?”

In a couple minutes, Midge came walking around the corner of the house from the back yard. “Hi there Jake,” smiled Midge. “Snappy said you were here.”

“Do you want to go to the park and swim in the pond?” asked Jake. “It is going to be really hot outside today and the water will feel good.”

“That will be fun,” said Midge. “We can asked Booker-T if he wants to go.”

“We haven't been to the park in a long time,” said Jake. “I asked Snappy if he wants to go with us to the pond, but he said no.”

“I really would like to go to the water park and slide on the big slide into the water,” smiled Midge.

“We can't get into the water park,” said Jake.

“I know,” said Jake. “Is your owner going to work?”

“Yes,” said Midge.

They waited on the front porch for Midge's owner to leave. As she pulled away from the house and drove up the street, Midge and Jake hurried next door to get Booker-T.

“Hey Booker-T!” called Jake. “Booker-T! Where are you?”

Booker-T came running around the house. “Hi you guys.”

“We are going to the park to play in the pond,” said Midge. “Do you want to come with us?”

“Yes,” said Booker-T. “Lets go. The water will feel good.”

The three walked along the sidewalk, heading to the park. Gabby came swooping down from the trees and landed on Jake's head. “Hi you guys,” said Gabby. “Where are you going?”

“We are going to the park to play in the pond,” said Jake. “Do you want to come along with us?”

“Sure,” said Gabby. “Did you know they put in a slide at one end of the pond for the kids to play on?”

“Jake!” said Midge all excited. “That will be fun going down the slide. Lets hurry.”

They hurried along the sidewalk to the park. They looked both ways and crossed the road into the park. They ran through the park to the where the pond is. They stood there checking it all out.

“We haven't been here for long time,” said Jake. “It sure looks different here. Look, there are slides, a merry-go-round, monkey bars, picnic tables and the pond is bigger now.”

“It really looks different,” said Booker-T.

“Come on lets go,” said Midge. “I want to slide down that big slide into the water.”

Midge ran for the slide and started climbing the ladder to the top. At the top of the slide she looked around. “Hey guys!” called Midge. “Look at me! I'm ready to go splashing into the water.”

She stepped forward and laid down on her belly and let herself slide down the slide. She flew off the end of the slide and splashed into the water. “That was so much fun,” said Midge as she got to the edge of the pond where Jake and Booker-T stood and watched her come down.

“Don't you want to slide down the slide?” asked Midge. “Come on, lets go. It is fun.”

They all ran around to the slide and one by one, they climbed the ladder to the top and laid down on their bellies and slid down the slide, splashing into the water. “This is so much fun,” smiled Booker-T. “The water feels so good in this hot weather,” said Booker-T. “Is your owner going to put more water in the little pond in your backyard now that it is hot?”

“She will later, I think,” said Midge. “She drained it so she could clean it out.”

“But you don't have a slide into the water,” said Jake.

“But we can splash around in it when she puts the water in,” said Midge.

The ran around to the slide again and each one climbed the ladder to the top and laid down on their belly and slid into the water. “Hey guys,” said Gabby. “Here comes a lot of kids.”

“Maybe it is time for us to go home now,” said Midge. “The kids will want to play on the slide and we won't be able to.”

“Wait,” said Booker-T. “I want to do it one more time.”

Booker-T ran around the pond to the slide and climbed to the top. “Hey guys!” called Booker-T. “Look at me. Here I go!”

Booker-T leaped up and sat on his rear this time and came sliding fast down the slide and plopped into the water.

“That was cool Booker-T,” said Midge. “Here comes those kids. We better go home now.”

“Can't we play with them in the water?” asked Booker-T.

“Maybe another time,” said Jake. “Lets go home and get something to eat and lay down to rest a while.”

“Okay Jake,” agreed Midge. “I'm hungry too.”

They walked home for the day.