Madfly
07 March 2008, 03:02 AM
Mike, Mikey, and Michael
Bang! The iron door of the train closed. Mike thought about where he was going. His owner, Michael, talked of a place called “Orlando.” He talked of the warm weather, the beautiful sun sets, and the nice clear water. Mike thought it sounded like a great place. He was glad that his owner was taking them there on a “vaykayshun”, whatever that was.
The loud engines of the train started up. To Mike, it seemed like an earthquake hit when they started moving. Mike’s cage was on a shelf near a window. He could see the forests, and rivers, and the towns they passed on the way to Floorduh. Mike had never been anywhere besides the pet shop and Michael’s house, but his owner showed him pictures in books and talked about things to him as if he could understand. But, Mike could understand. He knew what Michael was saying, but Michael didn’t think he could.
It went like that for a while, down twisting and turning paths through forests, passing towns left and right. Mike slid along the woodchips of his cage every time the train turned. Then, they went over one particularly large bump that made the door of the cage fly open! Mike slid out the door before he could find something to hang on to. He slid along the floor of the train car, passing luggage and other animals in cages as he slid along. He tried effortlessly to find something to hang on to, but his attempts were futile. Apparently, the conductor did not close the door of his car all the way, as it flew open at another large bump. Without realizing what was happening at the moment, Mike flew out of the door and onto the tracks. Luckily, he landed on a tuft of grass that poking between the ties.
Mike was in a town now, of which he did not know the name. All he knew was that he needed to get back to the train. He ran into town to try to find help. He searched alleyways and the streets for someone to talk to. The mice he found would just withdraw back into their homes when Mike tried to talk to them. Until in one of the alleys, he found a cat.
“Hi. Do you know how to get to Orlando?” Mike asked him.
Mike studied that cat, and saw that he had no back legs! All he had was a little cart that held up his backside so he could walk easily with his front legs. He was all gray, with white paws. Another thing he saw was that the cat wore a hat! It was a black baseball cap, with the word “MIKEY” on it. Mike guessed that the cat’s name Mikey.
“Florida is just south of here. What are you doing here? I’ve never seen a mouse like you before.” Mikey replied.
“Actually, I’m a hamster, and I fell off a train that was going to Florida. I need help getting back to my owner. Can you take me there?"
"Well there hamster, I’d be glad to help you. I haven’t much life left to live, and I want to leave on a good note. I’ll help you find your owner.”
“Wow, thanks! Is your name Mikey? That’s what your hat says.”
“Indeed it is. What might your name be?”
“Mike.”
“Well Mike, before we leave, we should stock up on food. I can pull a little cart with me, so we should be able to carry enough food. You don’t eat much, do you?”
“I only eat a couple pellets a day, so not much.”
“Good. Help me look for food.”
For some reason, Mike did not think that he could trust the cat. The cat did not seem very believable, but it looked like it was his last hope. It was either trust him, or just try to find Michael by himself, probably getting lost or killed. Mike decided it was worth a shot to trust him. He didn’t think he had much of a choice.
All day they looked through dumpsters looking for food. They found several bags of hamster food that still had some pellets left. For Mikey, they found some fish and beef. They also found several containers of water. They set off the next day.
They decided that they would follow the tracks to the train station, then ask around to see if they can find Mike’s owner. Occasionally, a train would come, so they had to rush off the tracks so they would not get run over. They slept in the bushes, and ate a noon. By the end of the first day they were both exhausted. They slept for a long time, waking up way past the sunrise, which was at 7:00 AM. They walked the whole next day, past several more small towns. They ran out of water, and stopped at a cool, blue stream to refill their water containers.
By the third day, they had reached Orlando. It was not as long as they expected. Mike asked the local alley cats if they had seen a short, blonde human that wore a green and yellow Packers jersey. A few cats had seen him, but did not know where he was heading. Until one cat told him that he had seen him go inside one of the buildings! It was a hotel, and its name was the same as the hotel Michael told him about! Mike’s plan was to stay outside until they leave, then have Mikey get their attention so they would notice little Mike.
They didn’t need to wait long, as only 20 minutes later the family walked out the door. Michael did not look very happy. Mikey jumped up and meowed just as Mike told him to. Michael looked over at the cat, and saw Mike right next to him!
“Mike!! You’re alive!!” Michael exclaimed. He picked up Mike happily. “How did you find us little guy? Did this cat help you? Mom, can we keep the cat? It helped Mike get back home to us.”
“I guess, since he did save Mike’s life, we can keep him.” His mom said.
“Yay!” Michael exclaimed.
Bang! The iron door of the train closed. Mike thought about where he was going. His owner, Michael, talked of a place called “Orlando.” He talked of the warm weather, the beautiful sun sets, and the nice clear water. Mike thought it sounded like a great place. He was glad that his owner was taking them there on a “vaykayshun”, whatever that was.
The loud engines of the train started up. To Mike, it seemed like an earthquake hit when they started moving. Mike’s cage was on a shelf near a window. He could see the forests, and rivers, and the towns they passed on the way to Floorduh. Mike had never been anywhere besides the pet shop and Michael’s house, but his owner showed him pictures in books and talked about things to him as if he could understand. But, Mike could understand. He knew what Michael was saying, but Michael didn’t think he could.
It went like that for a while, down twisting and turning paths through forests, passing towns left and right. Mike slid along the woodchips of his cage every time the train turned. Then, they went over one particularly large bump that made the door of the cage fly open! Mike slid out the door before he could find something to hang on to. He slid along the floor of the train car, passing luggage and other animals in cages as he slid along. He tried effortlessly to find something to hang on to, but his attempts were futile. Apparently, the conductor did not close the door of his car all the way, as it flew open at another large bump. Without realizing what was happening at the moment, Mike flew out of the door and onto the tracks. Luckily, he landed on a tuft of grass that poking between the ties.
Mike was in a town now, of which he did not know the name. All he knew was that he needed to get back to the train. He ran into town to try to find help. He searched alleyways and the streets for someone to talk to. The mice he found would just withdraw back into their homes when Mike tried to talk to them. Until in one of the alleys, he found a cat.
“Hi. Do you know how to get to Orlando?” Mike asked him.
Mike studied that cat, and saw that he had no back legs! All he had was a little cart that held up his backside so he could walk easily with his front legs. He was all gray, with white paws. Another thing he saw was that the cat wore a hat! It was a black baseball cap, with the word “MIKEY” on it. Mike guessed that the cat’s name Mikey.
“Florida is just south of here. What are you doing here? I’ve never seen a mouse like you before.” Mikey replied.
“Actually, I’m a hamster, and I fell off a train that was going to Florida. I need help getting back to my owner. Can you take me there?"
"Well there hamster, I’d be glad to help you. I haven’t much life left to live, and I want to leave on a good note. I’ll help you find your owner.”
“Wow, thanks! Is your name Mikey? That’s what your hat says.”
“Indeed it is. What might your name be?”
“Mike.”
“Well Mike, before we leave, we should stock up on food. I can pull a little cart with me, so we should be able to carry enough food. You don’t eat much, do you?”
“I only eat a couple pellets a day, so not much.”
“Good. Help me look for food.”
For some reason, Mike did not think that he could trust the cat. The cat did not seem very believable, but it looked like it was his last hope. It was either trust him, or just try to find Michael by himself, probably getting lost or killed. Mike decided it was worth a shot to trust him. He didn’t think he had much of a choice.
All day they looked through dumpsters looking for food. They found several bags of hamster food that still had some pellets left. For Mikey, they found some fish and beef. They also found several containers of water. They set off the next day.
They decided that they would follow the tracks to the train station, then ask around to see if they can find Mike’s owner. Occasionally, a train would come, so they had to rush off the tracks so they would not get run over. They slept in the bushes, and ate a noon. By the end of the first day they were both exhausted. They slept for a long time, waking up way past the sunrise, which was at 7:00 AM. They walked the whole next day, past several more small towns. They ran out of water, and stopped at a cool, blue stream to refill their water containers.
By the third day, they had reached Orlando. It was not as long as they expected. Mike asked the local alley cats if they had seen a short, blonde human that wore a green and yellow Packers jersey. A few cats had seen him, but did not know where he was heading. Until one cat told him that he had seen him go inside one of the buildings! It was a hotel, and its name was the same as the hotel Michael told him about! Mike’s plan was to stay outside until they leave, then have Mikey get their attention so they would notice little Mike.
They didn’t need to wait long, as only 20 minutes later the family walked out the door. Michael did not look very happy. Mikey jumped up and meowed just as Mike told him to. Michael looked over at the cat, and saw Mike right next to him!
“Mike!! You’re alive!!” Michael exclaimed. He picked up Mike happily. “How did you find us little guy? Did this cat help you? Mom, can we keep the cat? It helped Mike get back home to us.”
“I guess, since he did save Mike’s life, we can keep him.” His mom said.
“Yay!” Michael exclaimed.