I was enjoying a quiet conversation with Hoppy the other day – he’s the rabbit who likes to sit next to the television – when little Snerky came running frantically toward us. The poor boy was almost completely out of breath – and he was very upset.
“What in heaven’s name is the matter?” I asked, and as Snerky tried to catch his breath old Hoppy looked on with disdain, and said “children today, stuff and nonsense,” before shuffling off to speak to Auntie Celine.
“They’re selling the garage!” Snerky breathed, “They’re selling the garage! It’s true – they’re selling the garage. I heard them, just now – in the kitchen. They were talking about it. They were talking about it as if it was a small thing! But how can they do that, Uncy Sidney?” he begged. “Where will Frieda and Candy park? I mean, they’ll get cold if they’re left outside – won’t they?””Now calm down,” I said, “and tell me exactly what they said.” I couldn’t help but think that little Snerky had gotten hold of the wrong end of the stick again, as he quite often did. “Tell me everything, exactly as you heard it.”
An Explanation
“Well,” he hesitated. I suspect he was wondering himself if he hadn’t got it wrong. “They were sitting there, watching the news and then they started talking about what they were going to do this week, and the weekend, and then UJ said “We need to get ready for the sale of the garage.”
“‘The sale of the garage?'” I wondered.
“Uh-huh,” he said.
“Are you sure he didn’t say ‘the garage sale’?”
“They sound very similar…” he replied, trailing off completely as though conscious that he may have made a mistake. I looked at him: he was so small and young; fiery as all get-out, of course, but there was so much love in him. I just couldn’t bear to see his embarrassment.
“Well, Snerky,” I said as I placed a paw on his shoulder. “I wasn’t there, but I am pretty sure you heard them say ‘garage sale’.”
“But what’s that, if it’s not selling the garage?” He almost whined.
“That’s where they gather up all the little things around the house that they don’t need any more and they put them in the garage so they can try to sell some of them. It’s a thing humans do every once in a while to try to clean house and maybe make a little pocket money for something they want.”
“That’s it?”
“Yup, that’s it,” I smiled. “That’s all there is to it.”
“But why was UJ saying he was going to have to pull Frieda out of the garage on Friday night?”
“Well, probably so he could set up the tables and lay everything out so people can see it properly,” I replied. “It’s a lot of work, you know.”
“Oh,” he said. “I guess I misunderstood.” He looked a little concerned, then brightened considerably: “Hey, do you think if I help him he’ll make a donation to the Society?”
“I don’t know,” I replied, “but it never hurts to ask.”
SPCSA - Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Stuffed Animals 