Jake and Midge

 

Midge and Booker-T walked along the sidewalk on their way to Jake's house.

"What is that?"asked Booker-T.

"What are you looking at?" asked Midge.

"Over there in the middle of the street," said Booker-T.

"I don't know," said Midge as she started to go into the street. "Come on let's go see what it is."

They hurried over to the object laying in the road and stood staring at it.

"What is it?" asked Midge.

"I asked you that question," laughed Booker-T.

"I don't know," said Midge. "Why don't you touch it."

"You touch it," said Booker-T.

"Do you think it is safe?" asked Midge.

"Maybe," said Booker-T.

"Here comes a car," said Midge as she hurried to the sidewalk.

After the car passed, they ran to the street. "Did the car hit it?" said Booker-T.

"I don't think so," said Midge.

"Is it a toy that a little human lost?" asked Booker-T.

"Maybe something to eat," suggested Midge.

"Does it have a smell?" asked Booker-T.

"No," said Midge as she leaned over it sniffing.

"We better hurry," said Booker-T. "Jake is waiting for us. Can you pick it up?"

"Maybe there is something to grab on to," suggested Midge as she walked around it.

"Push it," said Booker-T.

Midge took her paw and pushed it to roll it over. Booker-T and Midge suddenly jumped back when it moved.

"Oh Booker-T!" shouted Midge. "It moved!"

"What is it?" asked Booker-T.

Midge reached out with her paw and tapped it. "Hey you!" called Midge. "Wake up! Who are you?"

"Why are you sleeping in the street?" asked Booker-T.

"Where am I?" asked the little object looking up at Midge.

"You are in the middle of the street," said Midge. "Why are you in the street?"

"I don't know," said the little guy.

"Do you have a name?" asked Midge.

"Yes," said the little guy. "Yes I do. I'm Packy."

"Packy?" asked Booker-T. "I'm Booker-T and this is my friend, Midge."

"Yes, Packy," said Packy as he pushed out his feet. "Here are my feet."
Packy slowly stood up and stretched.

"How did you roll up in a ball like that?" asked Midge. "I can't hide my feet like that."

"I can't hide mine either," said Booker-T. "That is a cool trick."

"What kind of animal are you?" asked Midge.

"Am I an animal?" asked Packy. "I didn't know."

"Maybe you are a space alien," suggested Midge.

"What is a space alien?" asked Packy.

"Midge is always looking for space aliens," laughed Booker-T. "I think she was hoping you were one of them."

"They are out there somewhere," said Midge. "I just know they are."

"Have you ever seen one?" asked Packy.

"I don't think so," said Midge. "Maybe they look like we do so how would we know."

"Sometimes she thinks she has seen them, but she really didn't," said Booker-T.

"One of these days," said Midge. "A space alien will come and talk to me. I"m waiting."

"You don't know what kind of animal you are?" said Booker-T.

"No," sighed Packy.

"Maybe Jake will know," said Midge. "Or maybe Gabby will."

"Gabby goes all over the place," said Booker-T. "He might know."

"What is the last thing you remember?" asked Midge.

"I was in a box," said Packy.

"Here comes Jake," said Midge.

"Hey you guys!" called Jake as he walked up to Booker-T and Midge. "What are you two doing? I was waiting for you and you didn't come. Who is that?"

"We found him in the middle of the street," said Booker-T. "We didn't know what it was."

"He's an animal," laughed Jake. "You didn't know?"

"He was in a ball and didn't look like an animal," said Midge. "I rolled him over and he moved. He scared Booker-T and I."

"Do you know what kind of animal he is?" asked Booker-T.

"No," said Jake. "I don't know. Does he have a name?"

"I'm Packy," said the little guy.

"You don't know what kind of animal you are?" asked Jake.

"No," sighed Packy.

"Do you have an owner?" asked Midge.

"I don't think so," said Packy. "What is an owner?"

"We each have an owner who takes care of us," said Jake. "Our owners feed us and we live with them."

"Can I come live with you?" asked Packy.

"We need to ask Gabby what kind of animal Packy is," said Booker-T.

"Maybe our owners will know," suggested Midge.

"One of us can take him home," said Booker-T.

"Let's take him to your house, Jake," said Midge. "Your owner isn't afraid of anything."

"Can you walk?" asked Jake.

"I can walk," replied Packy. "Are we going to your house?"

"Come on," said Jake. "Lets go."

As they started walking along the sidewalk to Jake's house, Gabby flew down and landed on the sidewalk in front of them.

"Where are you going?" asked Gabby. "Who is your new friend?"

"Hi Gabby," smiled Midge. "This is Packy."

"Hi Packy," said Gabby. "You must be the little guy that the man at the zoo is looking for."

"Why is the man looking for him?" asked Midge.

"I was at the petting zoo and heard this man say he lost a little hedgehog," said Gabby. "I think Packy is a hedgehog. Where did you find him?"

"He was laying in the street and looked like a little ball," said Booker-T.

"Maybe we can take Packy to the petting zoo," suggested Midge. "The little humans can visit with him there."

"Come on Packy," said Booker-T. "We will take you to the little petting zoo."

"Is it a good place?" asked Packy.

"I think so," said Jake.

As they were walking along the sidewalk, a truck stopped near them. A tall human got out of

the truck and stepped onto the sidewalk. He was carrying what looked like a fishing net. Suddenly,

he tossed it on top of Packy and scooped him up and put him in a box. He walked back to the truck and placed the box inside on the seat.

"What does the truck say on the door, Jake?" asked Midge.

Jake read the side of the truck. "It says "Beaver's Petting Zoo", said Jake.

"Maybe the box that Packy said he remembered being in, fell out of the truck," suggested Midge. "Maybe it was from the petting zoo."

"I think Packy is now on the way home," said Jake.