Back to the Amusement Park

"Hey, Booker-T!" called Midge as she ran to the back door at his house. "Where are you?"

"Hi Midge," said Booker-T as he entered the kitchen. "What are you doing?"

"Lets go to Jake's house," said Midge. "I want to go ride the big wheel that goes way up in the air."

"What big wheel?" asked Booker-T.

"That big wheel at the musement park," said Midge.

"You mean the amusement park," said Booker-T.

"Wonder why it is called an amusement park," said Midge.

"I think Jake said amusement was having fun," suggested Booker-T. "Remember?" 

"That's right," said Midge. "I remember now. I want to go be amused."

"You want to have fun?" asked Booker-T.

"Don't you want to have fun?" asked Midge.

"I don't think they will let us ride the big wheel," said Booker-T.

"But I want to ride that big wheel," said Midge. "We can try to sneak on it with someone who is riding."

"Why do you want to ride the big wheel?" asked Booker-T.

"What are you two talking about?" asked Gabby as he flew down from the trees and landed on the ground in front of Midge.

"Hi Gabby," greeted Booker-T. "Midge wants to go ride the big wheel at the amusement park."

"How are you going to get on it?" asked Gabby. "They watch the ride real close when it is loading and unloading people."

"I can sneak on with someone who is going to ride," said Midge. "I will hurry before he sees me."

"I don't think it will work, Midge," said Gabby.

"Will you help me sneak on?" asked Midge.

"What can I do to help?" asked Gabby.

"Wrong thing to say," said Booker-T.

"Why?" asked Gabby.

"Because she will get you to help," said Booker-T.

"Why do you want to ride the big wheel at the park?" asked Gabby.

"I want to go way up in the sky," said Midge

"Why?" asked Gabby.

"It will be fun," said Midge. "The wheel is really big."

"Maybe Jake don't want to go to the amusement park," suggested Booker-T. "Maybe we can do something else today."

"What?" asked Midge.

"We can go play on the trampoline at Jake's neighbor's house," said Booker-T.

"That would be fun," said Gabby. "Today is a work day and no one will be there."

"Hi you guys," said Jake as he joined them in the yard. "What are you guys doing?"

"We are coming to your house," said Booker-T.

"But you aren't there," said Jake. "That's why I am here."

"We started to come that way," said Midge. "But we were trying to decide what to do today."

"Midge wants to go to the fun park and ride the big wheel," said Gabby. "We tried to talk her into something else."

"You tried to ride the big wheel before," said Jake. "And they kicked you off. Remember?"

"Oh yeah," said Midge. "But maybe we can sneak on when the guy isn't looking."

"He is always looking," laughed Gabby. "I don't think that guy blinks his eyes."

"Why?" asked Midge.

"Because you tried to sneak on past him and his boss told him to keep his eyes open," said Gabby.

"He got in trouble because of me?" asked Midge.

"Yes," said Gabby.

"I don't want anyone to get in trouble," said Midge. "I just want to ride the big wheel."

"Animals aren't suppose to ride the human rides," said Jake.

"Why?" asked Midge. "I like to do fun things too."

"We have to do doggie fun things," said Jake.

"Can I do doggie fun things?" asked Booker-T. "I'm just a cat."

"I think your fun things are like our fun things," said Midge.

"You do some things that humans do too," said Gabby.

"Like what?" asked Midge.

"You go to the petting zoo," said Gabby.

"But we don't pet the animals," said Midge. "We just talk to them and they talk to us."

"They don't even talk to the humans," said Gabby.

"We can do things that humans can't do," said Jake.

"Do they ever want to do the things we do?" asked Booker-T.

"I don't know," said Jake.

"You chase a ball," said Gabby. "And they chase a ball when they play football or baseball."

"I like chasing a ball," said Midge. "But I want to do the fun stuff like roller skating, riding a bike or jumping rope."

"You tried them," said Jake. "I laughed so hard when you tried to do the roller skates. Your feet went different directions and you fell flat on your face."

"I was funny," said Midge. "It was hard to stand up with wheels on my feet. Can you do it?"

"No," said Booker-T. "My feet aren't made to have wheels on them. I'm just a cat."

"I thought you looked funny when you rode the sled down the snowy hill," laughed Gabby.

"It was fun until I went head first into the snow bank," said Midge. "and I was standing on my head down inside the snow."

"We were scared you got hurt when you went head first into the snow," said Jake.

"Can we go back to the amusement park today?" asked Midge.

"Lets go jump on the trampoline," suggested Booker-T.

"That will be fun," said Jake. "Come on Midge lets go."

"Oh, okay," said Midge. "I really wanted to ride the big wheel, but I will go jump on the trampoline with you."

They hurried out the gate and ran to Jake's house. Across the street, the people were not home and their big trampoline was in the back yard. They ran to the back of the house and Midge hurried up the steps to the trampoline. She ran out to the middle of it.

"Jump up and down Midge," said Jake.

Midge tried to jump up and down but couldn't get started. "Why is it not bouncing?"

"Maybe you are too light to make it work," said Jake. "I'll come up and try to make it work."

Suddenly from above, Booker-T jumped out of the tree and landed in the middle of the trampoline and Midge went flying through the air and landed on the chair next to the trampoline.

Gabby was sitting on the back of the chair and was laughing so hard.

"Ouch!" called Midge. "That hurt landing in the chair. It sure isn't comfortable. But wow. I flew through the air Jake. That was fun. Can you do that again Booker-T and I'll get back on the trampoline."

Booker-T ran back into the tree and when Midge got back on the trampoline, Booker-T jumped and landed in the middle of it again. And again Midge went flying through the air and this time she landed in the pool.

"Midge!" screamed Jake. "Midge! Are you okay?"

Midge swam to the edge of the pool and climbed out of the water. She stood there and shook the water off. "That was fun," said Midge. "Lets do it again."

After about four more times, Booker-T laid down near the pool "I'm tired Midge. Lets go home."