Midge the Singer?

"Hey, hey, hey," sang Midge as she strolled out the front yard gate and along the sidewalk to Booker-T's house on her way to Jake's house. "Hey, hey, hey, strolling along. Strolling along to Booker-T's house."

Booker-T came walking around the house from the back yard. "Hi Midge," said Booker-T as Midge came strolling through the gate singing her song. "What are you doing?"

"I'm singing and strolling," sang Midge.

"Why are you singing?" asked Booker-T. "And what are you singing?"

"I'm just making it up as I stroll along," smiled Midge. "Do you like my song?"

"Hmmm," said Booker-T. "I don't know. Sing and let me hear it all."

"I don't know it all yet," said Midge. "Hey, hey, hey. I'm strolling along the sidewalk. The sky is blue and the sun is shining bright and makes me feel happy. Going to get Booker-T and Jake and have fun at the park today."

"That's your song?" asked Booker-T.

"You like it?" asked Midge.

"Well, it's different," said Booker-T. "Why are you singing it?"

"Do you know what I want to be?" asked Midge.

"You are a dog," said Booker-T. "And I am a cat."

"I know that," said Midge as she rolled her eyes at him."

"Are you wanting to be a human again?" asked Booker-T.

"That would be nice," said Midge. "But I know I can't be a human unless I can find a Genie in a bottle who will change me."

"I don't think that is going to happen," laughed Booker-T. "So if you don't want to be a human this time, what do you want to be?"

"I am going to be a famous song writer," said Midge.

Booker-T stood there a minute and rolled his eyes and stared up at the sky. He held his teeth tight so he didn't burst out laughing.

"Say something Booker-T," said Midge.

"You want to be a what?' asked Booker-T.

"A song writer," said Midge. "Don't you think my song is good?"

"Well," said Booker-T as he blinked his eyes.

"You don't like my song?" asked Midge.

"I didn't say that," said Booker-T.

"Hey you two!" said Gabby as he flew down and landed next to Midge. "What are you two doing this morning?"

"Midge wants to be a famous song writer," said Booker-T.

Gabby looked at Midge and turned his head from side to side, walked around her and then rolled over on the ground laughing.

"Why are you laughing?" asked Midge. "I can be a song writer."

"Sing him your song," suggested Booker-T.

"Yes, sing me your song, Midge," laughed Gabby.

"Hey, hey, hey," sang Midge. "Hey, hey, hey, I'm strolling along the sidewalk. The sky is blue and the sun is shining bright and it makes me happy. I'm going to get Booker-T and Jake and go have fun at the park."

"That's your song?" asked Gabby.

"That is all I have made up right now," said Midge. "Don't you like it?"

"Well, I guess for you it is good," said Gabby.

"You like it?" asked Booker-T.

"Why do you want to be a song writer?" asked Gabby. "Why not just be a singer?"

"Gabby," whispered Booker-T. "Shhhh."

"Who can I sing to?" asked Midge. "Humans can't hear us when we talk. I can only sing to animals."

"Maybe the animals at the zoo would like to hear you sing," said Gabby.

"Maybe I should be a singer, Booker-T," smiled Midge.

"Singing might be a better idea," said Booker-T. "The zoo animals will listen to you."

"That's right," said Gabby. "Being a song writer would be hard to do. How would you sell the song to anyone since the humans can't understand what you say."

"Gabby has a point," said Booker-T.

"Hi you guy," said Jake as he walked through the gate and joined the other three in the yard. "What point do you have Booker-T? Did I miss something?"

"You did," smiled Booker-T.

"Midge was wanting to be a song writer and we just talked her into being a singer instead," said Gabby.

"You talked her into being a singer," said Jake as he started to laugh as he sat down on the ground. "You, a singer?"

"Sure," said Midge. "I will work hard and become a good singer. Stop laughing Jake.

Before long, Gabby and Booker-T started laughing too.

"Why are you laughing at me?" asked Midge. "I can sing."

"Who are you going to sing to?" asked Jake. "Humans can't hear you. We like you as you are."

"You don't like my singing?" asked Midge.

"It's okay," said Gabby.

"You said I can sing for the zoo animals," sighed Midge. "Let's go to the little zoo building and I will try it out."

"Okay," said Jake. "Let's go see how good Midge performs."

The three walked through the gate as Gabby flew above them. They hurried along the sidewalk where the zoo building was. There were many people walking around at the petting zoo behind the building. A few kids were inside checking out the animals inside. Jake walked to the middle of the room and looked around at the 5 cages. He saw two monkeys in one cage, a giraffe in one, a big anteater in one, an elephant in one and the 5th cage he saw 6 little meercats. Jake started to call out to them. "Hello everyone!" said Jake. "I'm Jake and these are my friends, Booker-T, Midge and Gabby."

"Hello Jake," said one of the monkeys. "Did you come to play?"

"My friend Midge wants to be a singer," said Jake. "She came to sing for you."

"You are a singer?" asked the elephant. "I thought you looked like a dog. I've seen dogs before in the circus."

"I am a singing dog," said Midge.

The two monkeys were rolling around on the floor and laughing and scratching their heads.

"Go ahead and sing," said the giraffe. "I want to hear what you can sing."

"Thank you Mr. Giraffe," smiled Midge. "Hey, hey, hey. I'm strolling on the sidewalk to see my friends Jake and Booker-T. The sky is blue and the sun is shining bright. We are going to the park today to play."

"That's it?" asked the anteater. "I sing better than that, but I want to eat ants. I like eating ants better than singing."

"That is all I have made up right now," said Midge. "I just started writing my song."

"I think you would do better being a dog," said the elephant. "May be you could be a dancer. Dogs are good at dancing. I had two friends at the circus who were dogs and they danced really good. Can you dance?"

"I can dance," said Midge. "But I really wanted to write songs but my friend, Booker-T said I should be a singer."

"I think you should be a dancer," said the elephant.

"Jake," said Midge. "What do you think?"

"I think the elephant is right," said Jake. "You do dance good."

"Okay," said Midge. "I will be a famous dancer."

"You need to do a lot of practicing," said Gabby. "No more going out and having fun with Jake and Booker-T. You will need to practice every day so you can get really good at the dancing."

"But I want to have fun and play too," sighed Midge.

"Oh no," said Jake. "Gabby is right. To be a famous dancer, you will need to practice every day and no more time to play."

"They are right," said the elephant. "My two dog friends at the circus were practicing with their trainers every day for hours."

"But I like playing with my friends," said Midge.

"I guess you have to decide how much you want to be a dancer," said Booker-T.

Midge sat down and looked around the zoo and at her friends. "I think I want to have fun with my friends," said Midge. "It sounds like it will be too lonely having to practice all the time to be a famous dancer."

"Lets go play at the park," said Jake.

"Thanks for listening you guys," said Midge talking to the zoo animals. "Thanks Mr. Elephant for letting me know about all the practicing I would have to do. I think I like just being a regular dog."

"Bye everyone," said Gabby as he flew out of the building above Jake, Midge and Booker-T as they walked along the sidewalk to the park.