Riddler: Aug 19, 2007

Chapter 16

Visitor

There is an open door policy in this wonderful fictitious dreamland, called

Furwaggle. That means anyone can come and go as they please. There is no need for a passport, visa, or any kind of paper work to visit this make believe haven. This is a place where you can dream and let your imagination run free.
Today starts very early in the morning when Wiggles is woken out of a deep sleep with a start by Fluffy yelling in Wiggles ear. “What’s going on, and stop yelling in my ear. My eyesight is bad not my hearing”, yelled back Wiggles. “Oh, I forget which one is good, the seeing or the hearing”, replied Fluffy. Then he went on with, “Hurry, come see what I got”. Cautiously Wiggles ask, “Is it catching? Maybe you should go see the Doctor Chicken”. Fluffy went on to explain, “I don’t need a doctor, and there’s no bur in my paw. What I got is a grease monkey. With a grin Wiggles thought to himself, “This boy has to stop eating onions for breakfast”. With that in mind Wiggles follows Fluffy off toward the outer barnyard.
“Isn’t it kinda early for an exercise walk”, asked Wiggles. He didn't think of it as an exercise session so much as his war with gravity. But still it was very early in the morning, and he hadn’t had his cup of coffee yet. After about 10 minutes of walking and with Wiggles grumbling all the way until suddenly they came to a halt. That is Fluffy stopped, Wiggles stop was more abrupt, because he tripped on something in his path and fell down rutting his nose in the dirt. There was an instant squeal, followed by a squeaky voice saying, “Hay, don’t be stepping on my tail”.

Fluffy joyfully began jumping up and down, and now and then making a small circle snapping at his own tail. All the time saying, “See, I told you, I told you”. At the same time Wiggles got to his feet, and began to huff and puff. The squeaky voice asks, “Is that a snorting warthog making all that noise”? With a snicker Fluffy said, “He isn’t no kinda hog. He is Wiggles and I’m Fluffy.” With a sneeze Wiggles added, “I’m trying to get the dirt out of my nose.” Then with a final wheeze, and a mighty snort, Wiggles cleared his nose up and could breathe freely. “Now that’s much better. Ok, Mr. Squeaky just what is the idea of tripping me so that I did a nose landing”, Wiggles demanded. The squeaky voice came back with, “Sorry about the tripping thing, but you shouldn’t have step on me tail. And don’t call me Squeaky I hate that. If you’re going to call me anything call me by my name, Zorba”. Then Fluffy butted in with, “Yea, he’s a grease monkey”. Zorba snapped back with, “I’m no grease anything, I’m a primate from Greece and don’t you forget it”. Fluffy came back with, “Yes, a grease thing …..”. Wiggles stepped in with, “Ok you two, this could go on forever. Lets just leave the names at Zorba, Fluffy, and Wiggles. That way we can all be friends and not have a quarrel”. Zorba agreed with, “That’s ok by me”. And Fluffy added, “What ever”.
Then Wiggles asked, “Tell me Zorba just what are you doing in our make believe world?” Zorba explained, “You see I’m a traveler. Been with the circus for the last four years. Performed for the heads of state, kings and queens of many countries. And when I got word of this dreamland, called Furwaggle I just had to see it for myself.” Fluffy just had to ask, “Have you ever performed for Bugger King?” It was almost too much for Wiggles. He was able to hold back a big laugh but he did have a big grin on his face. With a puzzled look Zorba replied, “Nope don’t think I’ve ever been to Bugger Land.” Zorba went on with, “Now, if you boys will just take me to your king I will do a little performance for him.” Now it was time for Fluffy to shine, “We don’t got one.” Zorba was again puzzled and asked, “You don’t have a king, well who is the head of state here?” Fluffy was on a roll, he loved it when he could tell someone something, “We don’t have a king, or a queen, or a head of anything.” This was more than Zorba could take; he just sat down with a dejected look on his face and said, “This is a really strange place, there is nothing like this in the real world.” To try and cheer Zorba up Wiggles asked him, “Just what kind of an act do you do?” That did the trick, with a twinkle in his eye Zorba began with, “Well I whistle, sing, and tell snappy jokes. Then for a finish I do some acrobatics.” Fluffy just had to ask, “What kind of a bat do you do?” Wiggles said, “It’s acrobatics not bats.” “Here I will show you”, said Zorba. With a mighty jump Zorba sprung into the air and at the top of his leap he wrapped his tail around the limb of a near by tree. Zorba then began to swing back and forth, each swing was higher than one before. Then at the peak of his swing he released his tail and did a triple back somersault, and then landed gently on the ground. Fluffy and Wiggles broke into a loud applause and whistles. A near by butterfly joined in by flapped his wings and yelled “Bravo”.
Zorba bowed and said, “I never had a more excited group for its size, in fact I think I even hear a bell”. Fluffy knew what that was and he told Zorba, “Oh, that’s the second call to breakfast. Come on I think they may even have some bananas for you.” As the three started off toward the chuck house Zorba said, “I can’t eat bananas, they give me heartburn, do you think they might have some oatmeal with peppers?”
My tiny mind thinks that it’s a good thing to see no evil, hear no evil, and speak no evil.