Purple Haze

“Wally! I didn’t expect to see you down here!” screamed Gary the Panda. He came running up to the well, almost skipping. Wally the Rhinoceros pulled the bucket up from the well and turned to greet his friend.1

“I just thought I’d come down to town square here and get some water from this here well,” Wally explained.2

“Water? From a well?” Gary asked, with a puzzled look on his face. “That’s odd, I never knew water came from wells!”3

“Then what did you think wells were for?” asked Wally.4

“Well actually, I don’t even know what a well is!”5

“You don’t know what a well is? It’s a big hole in the ground where you get water,” Wally explained.6

“Water? That’s preposterous! There’s no water down there!”7

“Indeed there is!”8

“You lie! I’ll go take a look.” Gary walked up to the well and peered down into its depths. “See! No water down here!” his voice echoed.9

“Look deeper.”10

Gary leaned forward even more down into the hole. “Nope, no waAAAAAAAA!!!” A big splash echoed from the bottom of the well. Gary had fallen in.11

“Gary!!!!! Are you okay?” Wally screamed into the pit. There was no answer. “Are you hurt?” Still no answer. “Should I go get help?” The well was silent. Wally turned and shouted out into the crowded streets. “Help! My friend just fell into the well!”12

“A well? Ridiculous! We have no wells here!” said Oliver the Octopus. “What are you playing at, boy?”13

“What? Of course we have wells! There’s one right over there!” Wally pointed to the well his friend had just previously descended down.14

“Is this a joke? That’s not a well!”15

“Not a well? Then what is it?”16

“Anyone can clearly see that that is in fact a tree.” Oliver said smugly.17

“A tree? It doesn’t look like a tree!”18

“Well it is one, and you’d be smart to respect the trees in this town.”19

“But it’s a big hole in the ground! I was just getting water from it a minute ago!”20

“You were stealing water from a tree?” Horror fell upon the octopus’s face. “You’re a thief!”21

“No!”22

“A dirty little rotten, no good, beaver bashing thief!”23

“I swear, it’s a well!”24

“I ought to report you to the proper authorities! Police! Police! We have a thief! A thief!”25

“Stop!” Wally burst into tears.26

With several loud neighs, two police galloped up to the well.27

“What seems to be the problem here?” asked Officer Horse.28

“I though I heard someone yell ‘thief’” said Officer Zebra.29

“This man was stealing water from a tree!”30

Officer Horse turned to Wally. “Is this true?”31

“But it’s not a tree!” Wally pleaded. He pointed at the well.32

Officer Zebra examined the well, then turned to Officer Horse. “He’s right, this does not appear to be a tree.”33

Wally fell to his knees at the officers’ feet. “Thank you! Thank you!”34

“Indeed,” said Officer Horse. “You sir, are being charged with stealing water from this here cow!”35

“A cow?” Wally’s eyes were filled with terror. “But that’s not a cow, it’s a well!”36

“A well?” said Officer Zebra. “That’s preposterous!”37

“A cow? How could I have been so blind? It is clearly a cow!” cried Oliver. “Forgive me officer!”38

Wally sighed. “What am I being charged with?”39

“Just a slap on the wrist. As this appears to be your first offense, I say we could let you off for two cups of tea,” said Officer Zebra.40

“Thank you for being so kind! I will gladly make all of us tea. Come hither!” So Officer Zebra, Officer Horse, and Oliver the Octopus followed Wally the Rhinoceros down the cobblestone road to his cottage.41

“Wally!” Gary came skipping up. He smiled at all four of them.42

“Gary! I thought you fell down the well!” screamed Wally in surprise.43

A puzzled look fell upon Gary’s face. “A well? Why would I have fallen down a well?”44

“Huh?”45

“I never fell down any well!”46

“But I saw you fall down the well! I saw you with my own eyes!”47

“No! I just finished my lunch a couple minutes ago.” He smiled.48

Wally sighed. “Would you like a cup of tea?”49

Gary smiled again. “Indeed!”50

They all got back to Wally’s house and had a cup of tea, and there was much rejoicing.51

THE END52