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Fred and his Flea Family
By Bridgette Jochem
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Fred was a creature who sucked blood. It was a rather gruesome way of life but one that is perfectly normal for a flea.
Fred and his flea family of mother, father, brothers, sisters,
uncles, aunties, grandmas and grandads lived on a tortishell cat
called Fluffy. Fluffy was a very good host. She provided them
with an ample food supply of sweet, warm blood and a warm comfortable
place to sleep. She also provided cheap, enj0oyable entertainment
for the flea family.
Fluffy took the fleas with her, wherever she went and so the fleas
had a good view of the neighbourhood. When Fluffy sat down and
watched TV so did the fleas. When Fluffy chased mice in the garage
so did the fleas. And when Fluffy went on her midnight prowl along
the fence, over the gate, across the road and down the hill to
the beach where she somet8imes found some fish heads to chew on
you guessed it. The fleas went too.
One day it occurred to Fred that perhaps the polite thing to do
would be to go and introduce himself and his family to their very
gracious host. So after a meal of sweet, warm blood. The fleas,
with Fred in the lead headed from Fluffy's soft warm belly (which
was their favourite place to breakfast), up the steep hill to
the top of her back, along the ridge to her head and then down
between her ears and eyes to meet in a group on the end of Fluffy's
wet, pink nose.
There they jumped up and down and waved their hands in the air.
"Hi cat, it's us your very own friendly, bloodsucking fleas.
We've come to say hello and ask when you are taking us to the
beach next?'
Fluffy was not actually very pleased to see her very own friendly,
bloodsucking fleas as you can imagine. "So its you lot that
been leaving you're dirt in my fur, sucking my blood and making
me itch!" She screeched.
"It's not our fault that we are bloodsucking creatures you
know," said Fred, his feelings hurt.
"Well don't you go and try Patch the dogs blood for a change?
His blood is even sweeter and more delicious than mine."
Fred thought about this for a minute. He and his family had a
very easy, comfortable life where they were, but a change of scenery
did sound appealing and maybe patch would take them to the beach
more often. "Okay," said Fred. "How do we get there?"
Fluffy was pleased; having fleas would do patch good. "Just
jump off my nose and run across the carpet towards the fire and
there he is. It should be easy for you to run up his tail and
find a nice warm place to live."
The fleas were very excited about their adventure and they wet
off immediately.
Patch was a tired, old dog and he barely noticed the arrival of
his unannounced guests. That was until the fleas decided they
wanted some lunch. Then, pool old Patch knew all about them. They
made him itch and scratch like crazy.
Fred and his family however thought it was great. There were new
places to hide, new places to eat, new places to sleep and Patch
did take them down to the beach more often.
One day Fred thought it would be the decent thing to do, to take
himself and his family to meet Patch and thank him for his hospitality.
So Fred and all his relations traipsed up Patch's hind leg, walked
along the long ridge of his back, over his scruffy head, between
his ears, and eyes and then reassembled on patch's black, wet
nose where some of the younger fleas complained of cold sticky
feet. Fred jumped up and down and waved his arms to get patch's
attention.
"Hi dog, it's us your very own friendly, bloodsucking fleas
come to say hello.'
"So its you lot that's been making my fur dirty and making
me itch. You'v3 got a nerve to show yourself!"
Fred was quite taken aback. It didn't know why they always got
such unfriendly hosts. "It's not our fault that we are bloodsucking
creatures, you know. We didn't ask to be fleas."
"I guess you're right, Patch had to admit. But wouldn't you
like to try eating something else other than blood. Like some
of my dog roll for example. It is delicious."
"Well we haven't actually tried eating anything else,' said
Fred.
"Well, you should,' said Patch. "In fact, I've got a
good idea, why don't you stay where you are while I walk to my
food bowl and then you could all jump off my nose, into my bowl
and try some of my delicious dog roll and milk? When you have
had enough to eat, you can jump back onto my nose.'
Fred and his family discussed patch's idea. "Why not?' Fred
said eventually. "It could be fun."
So the flea family poised themselves on the edge of Patch's nose
as he walked to his food bowl.
'Okay my flea friends, get ready, get steady, go!"
And they did. In they all dived one after another. Uncles, aunts,
cousins, mothers, fathers, grandmas and grandads, the lot. Splash,
splash, splash into the milky dog roll mixture.
"Great!" Thought Patch as he ate up his dinner fleas
and all. Who said you couldn't teach an old Dog new tricks?
END
