Buzzy Joins the Petting Zoo

 

Midge and her friends walked Buzzy and his little friends from the park to the zoo building.

"Is that the petting zoo?" asked Buzzy. "That is really big place."

"No," said Jake. "That is a zoo building and the animals in there are going to another big zoo somewhere. Sometimes we go there to see what animals are in the building."

"I don't see a petting zoo," said Buzzy looking around.

"It is behind the building," said Midge.

Buzzy started to walk across the street and Jake stopped him.

"Wait Buzzy," said Jake. "We can't cross the street until the car goes past us."

"Wow," said Buzzy. "That thing is going fast."

"It is a car," said Booker-T. "The big humans drive those things."

"Do you animals drive them?" asked Buzzy.

"No," laughed Midge. "We don't know how to drive. Only big humans drive them."

"Is it good to be a human?" asked Buzzy.

"Midge is always wanting to do human things," laughed Jake.

"Do you drive a car?" asked Buzzy.

"No," said Midge.

"Did you try?" asked Buzzy.

"No," said Midge. "I can't reach the peddles on the floor of the car when I'm on the seat."

"You need longer legs," laughed Buzzy.

"Don't give her any ideas, Buzzy," said Booker-T. "She will try."

"Come on guys," said Jake. "It is safe to cross the street now."

They hurried across the street and walked to the big building and Jake peaked in the door.

"Come on," said Midge. "Lets go around the back of the building."

They could hear the baby animals making noises and little humans laughing as they petted the different animals in the fenced area.

"See all the baby animals in there," said Midge. "There is another turtle over there."

"Come on Buzzy," said Jake. "Lets go see the little turtle and maybe you can stay here with him."

They followed some humans through the gate and walked around the fence inside and went to the little pond that was set up at one end of the fenced in area.

"Hello," said Midge.

"Hello," said the turtle. "I have never seen you in here before."

"We are only visiting," said Midge. "This is Buzzy. Can he stay with you in here?"

"Sure," smiled the little brown turtle. "I will have a friend in here."

"You aren't friends with the other animals?" asked Booker-T.

"They don't talk to me very much," said the turtle.

"Why?" asked Jake.

"I don't know," said the turtle.

"What is your name?" asked Midge.

"I'm Jasper," said the brown turtle.

Midge walked around the petting zoo and asked each of the animals, "Hey," said Midge. "Why don't you talk to Jasper?"

One of the little baby pigs looked at Midge and asked, "Who is Jasper?"

"See over there, the little brown turtle," said Midge.

"I see," said the little pig.

"That is Jasper," said Midge. "He is lonely because no one will talk to him."

"Maybe because he is so small, we didn't see him," said the pig.

"Want to meet Jasper?" asked Midge.

"I see another little turtle with him," said the pig.

"That is Buzzy," said Midge. "He came to live with you all here at the petting zoo."

"Now he will have someone to talk to," smiled the pig.

"Don't you want to talk to him?" asked Midge. "You all live here at the zoo. You can all be friends."

"Is that okay?" asked the little pig.

"Sure," said Midge. "Come on with me."

"Okay," agreed the pig.

"What is your name?" asked Midge.

"My name is Ziggy," said the pig.

"Hi Ziggy," said Midge. "I"m Midge and these are my friends, Jake and Booker-T. That is Jasper and Buzzy."

"Hi everyone," smiled Ziggy.

"This is Ziggy," said Midge. "He will help you meet all the other little animals."

"Hi," said Buzzy. "Can I stay here with all of you?"

"I think it will be okay," laughed Jasper. "The owner of our little petting zoo will be surprised when he sees Buzzy."

"He counts all the animals every morning and every night," said Ziggy.

"Why?" asked Booker-T.

"I don't know," said Ziggy. "He walks around with some board and counts and writes something on the board."

"My owner counts things sometimes and types on the computer," said Jake. "I don't know what they do."

"I don't know either," said Midge. "My owner does the same thing. I think it is a human thing."

"Humans are funny," laughed Booker-T. "They do more than we do."

"Do you live in a petting zoo too?" asked Ziggy.

"No," said Midge shaking her head. "We live in a human house."

"You can come live with us," suggested Ziggy.

"I think our humans would be sad if we came to live here," said Jake. "We can come visit you sometimes."

"Can we come visit you in your human house?" asked Buzzy.

"I don't think the petting zoo owner would like that," said Midge.

"Maybe our human owners wouldn't like it too," said Booker-T.

"You will be safe here with all these baby animals," said Midge. "Ziggy will help you make friends with everyone. When we come to see the animals in the building, we will come see you too."

"Thank you for helping me," said Buzzy.