The Big Swing

Midge and Booker-T walked along the sidewalk going to Jake's house.

“What are we going to do today?” asked Booker-T.

“Do you want to go to the little zoo building today?” asked Midge.

“Lets ask Jake what he wants to do,” said Booker-T.

They hurried through the gate at Jake's house, but Jake wasn't on the porch where he was usually napping.

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

“Hey Jake!” yelled Booker-T. “We are here to see you, but we can't see you anywhere.”

“Come out, come out wherever you are,” said Midge. “Lets go peek in the house through the doggie door. Maybe he went inside for some water or maybe he is in the back yard.”

They ran to the back yard and when they started to go to the doggie door Midge stopped suddenly.

“What happened?” asked Booker-T.

“Look over there,” said Midge. “Do you see that thing between the trees?”

“What is it?” asked Booker-T.

“Looks like a really big swing,” said Midge. “Lets go try it out.”

“We maybe shouldn't get on it,” said Booker-T. “I never saw a swing like that before.”

“We can get on,” said Midge. “Come on. Jake won't care if we do.”

Midge ran and leaped onto the big swing and it flipped over and Midge and Jake both fell to the ground with a loud thud.

“Hi there Jake,” smiled Midge as she sat up on the ground and was looking into Jake's face.

“What are you doing?' asked Jake. “You woke me up.”

“Wow,” said Midge. “That is a dangerous swing you have there.”

“It's not a swing,” said Jake.

“What is it?” asked Booker-T standing on his hind legs trying to see on top of the swing.”

“My owner calls it a hammock,” said Jake.

“It is not a big swing?” asked Midge.

“No,' said Jake. “You can swing on it, but that's not what it is for. They lay on it and take naps or just rest in the yard.”

“Wow,” said Booker-T. “Can I get on it?”

“Sure,” said Jake.

Booker-T leaped up and came down on the edge of the hammock and it flipped him to the ground.

“How do you get into it, Jake?” asked Midge.

“I think you have to get into the center of it,” said Jake. “I was sleeping good until you tried to jump in Midge.”

“I”m sorry Jake. I didn't mean to.” said Midge. “I didn't see you in it until I landed in it and then we fell on the ground. Is it comfortable for sleeping?”

“It's nice,” smiled Jake. “My owner's brother put it up yesterday because my owner likes to lay outside in the shade of the trees. You are just hanging there between two trees.”

“Can she get in it without falling on the ground?” asked Booker-T.

“She can now,” said Jake. “She was funny when she tried the first couple of times. She tried to sit on it and it moved and down she went to the ground. Her brother laughed at her. She was funny sitting on the ground laughing. I was laughing so hard.”

“Can I try again/” asked Midge.

“Okay,” said Jake. “Don't jump too hard and try to get in the middle of it.”

She sat staring at the hammock and started to jump and then sat back down.

“Go ahead Midge,” said Booker-T. “You can do it.”

“Okay,” said Midge. “Here I go now. One, two, two and a half.”

“Midge,” said Jake. “Are you being funny?”

“I'm thinking real hard,” said Midge.

“Thinking about what?' asked Booker-T.

“Thinking about landing in the middle,” said Midge. “And I'm getting ready to jump. I'm concentrating.”

“Do it already,” laughed Jake. “Don't think about it.”

“Okay, here I go Jake,” smiled Midge as she wiggled her back end. “One, two and three.”

Midge jumped fast, but once again didn't make it to the middle and the hammock flipped and Midge landed on the ground again. She got up and shook herself off.

“Okay,” said Midge. “Here I go again. Okay Mr. Hammock, be nice and let me on now.”

Midge stepped back and did a short run and leaped into the hammock. This time she was able to stay on top.
“Hey Jake,” said Midge. “This is really cool. Come on up.”

Jake leaped into the middle and laid down. “Come on up Booker-T,” said Jake. “You can do it.”

Booker-T leaped for the hammock and hit the edge and was hanging on to the edge by his front paws. He tried to get his back paws onto the hammock so he could pull himself up into it. He finally had to let go and fell to the ground.

“Okay,” whispered Booker-T. “I will get up there.”

Booker-T walked over to the tree that the hammock was tied to and started to climb up. He went across a lower limb until he was above the hammock and jumped off the limb into the middle of the hammock.

“Booker-T!” yelled Midge.

“I made it,” said Booker-T.

“That was sneaky,” said Jake.

“Now that we are all up here,” said Midge. “Do you want to go to the zoo? I heard there is something there called a sloth. I think that is what it is.”

“Lets take a short nap first,” said Jake.

“Okay,” said Midge.

 After their short nap, they decided it was time to go to the little zoo holding building.  They leaped out of the hammock and ran to the front yard where they ran through the gate and started their walk to the zoo.