The Living Teddy Bear

 

    “Look at the teddy bear,” said Lucy as she walked toward the back cage. “Isn't he cute.  My owner's little girl has a teddy bear that looks like this.”

    “He's a living teddy bear” laughed Midge.  “I think he is sleeping.”

    “The paper on the cage door says he is a Koala bear,” read Jake.

   “I think he looks like a teddy bear,” said Lucy.  “I think my owner's little girl would like to have a living teddy bear.”

   “I think the little humans like teddy bears,” said Midge.  “My owner's niece has one she carries with her all the time.  Her little teddy bear is brown.”

   “My owner's niece has one too,” said Jake.  "Her teddy bear is black and white. I think my owner called it a panda bear."

   “Why do they always have teddy bears?” asked Lucy. “Why not a nice doggy?”

   “I think that is a good question” said Midge.  “Do you know why Jake?”

    “I don't know,” said Jake.  “I think the humans always buy teddy bears.”

   “That's kind of sad,” said Midge.  “I never thought about that.  Lets go check out that big hippo.  The Koala bear is still sleeping. He must be really tired.”

    “Okay,” said Jake as he walked toward the corner cage with the pond in it.

   “Wow!” said Lucy. “That is a very big animal.  What is it?”

   “It' a hippo,” said Midge.  “They are really big, but the elephants are bigger.”

   “Hi big animal” greeted Lucy as they walked up to the cage.  “Do you have a name?”

   “Yes” said the hippo.  “Do you?”

   “Yes,” said Lucy.  “They call me Lucy. What do they call you?”

   “Is Lucy your real name?” asked the hippo.

   “Yes,” said Lucy. “Why would they call me Lucy if it wasn't my real name?”

   “Do you have a real name?” asked Midge.

    “I do,” said the hippo.

   “Is your name a secret?” asked Midge. 

   “No,” said the hippo shaking his head.  “Maybe I don't want to tell you what it is.”

    “Why not?” asked Booker-T. 

    “What is your name little tiger?” asked the hippo.

    “Oh,” smiled Booker-T.  “He thinks I'm a little tiger.”

    “He is a cat,” smiled Midge.  “He thinks he is a tiger sometimes.  Tigers are cats too.”

   “Do you have a name too?” asked the Hippo.

    “If you tell me your name, I will tell you my name,” said Midge. 

  “You are Bailey,” smiled Jake. 

   “How do you know?” asked the hippo.  “I didn't tell you what it is.”

   “Your name is on this paper that is attached to your cage,” said Jake.  It says your name is Bailey and you are 5 years old.  You are going to be living at the zoo on the other side of our town.”

    “Yes, my name is Bailey,” said the hippo.  “What is your name?”

    “I'm Jake and this is Midge and the cat is Booker-T,” said Jake.  “You already know Lucy's name.”

    “I'm a big hippo,” said Bailey.  “What kind of animals are you guys?  “I've never seen any animals like you before.  The little orange and black animal looks like a little tiger.”

   “I'm a cat,” said Booker-T.  "I like tigers.”

   “I'm a dog,” said Jake.  “Lucy and Midge are also dogs.”

   “Oh,” said Bailey.  “Three dogs and a cat. Do you all play together?”

   “Yes,” smiled Midge.  “Do you only  play with hippos?”

    “Yes,” said Bailey.

    “Why?” asked Midge.  “Don't you like other animals?”

    “A lot of animals are afraid of me because I am so big,” said Bailey.  “I never met another one at the zoo.  There were only three of us hippos in the area.  I could see some other animals, but wasn't close to them.”

    “That's sad,” said Booker-T.  “We are all friends and we like to meet other animals.  You have to learn to be gentle with little animals so you don't accidently step on them and  hurt them.”

    “But I'm in this cage,” sighed Bailey. “How can I meet another animal?”

    “Look over there, Bailey,” said Midge.   “What do you see?”

   “I see an animal that looks different than me,” said Bailey.

   “You could talk to him,” suggested Jake.  “His name is Sampson and I bet he would like to have a friend.”

  “Hey Sampson,” called Midge.  “Meet Bailey.  He is a hippo.”

  “Hi Bailey,” smiled Sanpson. 

   “Hi Sampson,” greeted Bailey.  “Maybe we can be friends.”

   “I'd like that,” said Sampson.  “Are you going to the zoo here?”

   “I think so,” said Bailey.  “But I don't know if I can see you at that zoo.  You might be in another area of the zoo.”

   “But when you get there,” said Jake.  “Look around you and make friends with ones who are close to you.  Don't be afraid to say hello.”

   “Thanks, Jake,” smiled Bailey.  “I will remember that.”

   “Okay,” said Midge.  “We are going over here to see who this animal is.  He looks different too.”