Hetti chewed through a bulging trash bag in front of Grime’s dump. "Turnips and tomatoes," she quibbled. "How do humans expect a growing sewer rat to live on only turnips and tomatoes?"

Spag, Hetti’s younger brother, scurried in and out of the garbage bag. Finally, settled into a squishy cabbage leaf and bit into his rotten lunch. His cheeks puffed, and turnip pieces flew from his mouth as he spoke.“But, Hetti, you know Mama always told us never to complain with a full belly. So, I’m not complaining.”

 

Hetti groaned as she plucked Spag’s chewed turnip pieces out of her fur. “Disgusting, Spag, and when was the last time Mama scolded you for talking with a mouth full of food?”

 

Spag stopped eating and thought for a moment. “Hmm, I think it was last year when she took me to the county fair, and I ate that gooey piece of smelly cheese.”

 

Hetti plopped beside her brother and gave her skinny tail a couple of long wet licks and a few quick scratches. “Well, you enjoy it." She sighed. "But I’m telling you right now; I’ll never eat another turnip or tomato as long as I live!”

“Suit yourself,” Spag muttered and took another bite from his mushy lunch. Then, he sat up straight as an arrow, his eyes widened, and his cheeks began to push out, first on the left side and then on the right side, and then, “Ka–yuck!” Spag coughed out a long, green wiggly worm.

 

The worm faced Spag and raised himself on his belly. “Ka–yuck to you too.” He sputtered angrily and wiggled his way back into the turnip.

 

Spag gently placed the half-eaten turnip down and looked at Hetti.

 

“Ha! I’ll bet you didn’t see that coming did you, Spag?”

 

“Oh, that’s real funny, Hetti.” Spag repeatedly wiped his tongue on a cabbage leaf and then quivered.“Okay, no more turnips and tomatoes for me, either. So, what’s your plan?”

 

Then, Hetti’s ears perked up as old Mr. Twitch’s squeaky wagon wheels echoed from atop Grime’s coned-shaped garbage pile.

 

“Do you hear that? There’s our answer!” Hetti picked Spag up and spun with him in a circle. Her loud laughing and singing rang in his ears.

 

“Hetti—Heeetiiii…”

 

“What?”

 

“Stop spinning and put me down!”

 

“Oh, sorry, Spag.”

 

Spag staggered around dizzily and wiggled a paw finger in his ringing ear. “Don’t ever do that again, Hetti.”

 

“But, you don’t understand. It’s old, Mr. Twitch!”

 

“Soo—”

 

“Old Mr. Twitch is the oldest sewer rat in Grime’s dump.”

 

“Soo–”

 

“So, he’s famous for finding tasty treats to fill his wagon.”

 

“Ohh–”

 

“Yes, the plan is we’ll ask him for a treat.”

 

There was no warning before old Mr. Twitch’s wagon slipped off the narrow path and tumbled to the bottom of the garbage pile directly in front of Spag and Hetti.

 

"Hello," Mr. Twitch yelled. "Is anyone down there?”

 

“We…”

 

Spag put his paw over Hetti’s mouth. “I thought you didn’t want to eat turnips and tomatoes anymore,” he whispered.

 

“I don’t, But…”

 

“But, nothing, Hetti–-we’re going to eat everything in this wagon, and no one will know.”

 

Twitch yelled again. “Is there anyone down there to help an old man reload his wagon?"

 

“Spag, I can’t do this. Don’t you remember what I read to you from that human book we found last week? If it doesn’t feel right, don’t do it.”

 

“Hetti, we’re sewer rats! The last time I checked, I didn’t have a human bone in my body. And if I remember right, that was the only sentence you read before you tore it to shreds and stuffed it in your mattress.”

 

“You do have a point–but…”

 

“Nope, no more buts– here’s the plan. First, you’re going to run home and grab one of Mama’s napkins to wipe our whiskers. Otherwise, everyone will know we've been munching on old man Twitch’s scraps.”

 

“Okay, and what will you do while I’m running around like some kind of starving rodent?”

 

“Hetti! You are a starving rodent.”

 

She thought for a moment. “Another good point.”

 

Spag stared at Hetti for a few seconds. “Anyway–I’ll be busy putting everything back in the wagon while I wait for you. Now, hurry, Hetti, I’m starving!”

 

“Me too.” She turned and gave Spag a suspicious stare as she was about to leave. “Promise me you won’t eat anything before I get back, Spag.”

 

“Well, I hadn’t thought about that before you said it, but I promise–I guess.”

 

 Hetti returned quickly with the napkin, but before she reached Spag, a turning wind pulled it up, sending it directly into Mr. Crow's hideaway high in a giant oak.

 

“Aww! Now you’ve done it, Hetti.” Spag scratched behind his head.

 

“I didn’t do anything, Spag. I do remember telling you this was a bad idea, though.”

 

“Okay, okay–let's not fight. Let's think. Who do we know that can climb a giant oak tree?”

 

 “Don’t look at me, Spag. I’m afraid of heights.”

 

“Yeah, yeah, me too.”

 

 "Es–sss! mis amigos.”

 

Spag peered up through the crisscrossed branches.“Oh, hey, Snake.” 

 

  "S–si, hola, Spag and Hetti?" Snake’s skinny tongue slipped in and out.  "I saw the breeze sweep your silky napkin into Crow's house. I’m sure that means you need a skilled climber. Yes– s-skilled indeed.”

 

“Yes, that's who we’re looking for,” Spag blurted excitedly. “Do you think you can help us, Snake?”

 

Snake cleared his throat. “Certainly, but slithering up to your silky napkin would take me, at best, until springtime.”

 

Hetti blocked her eyes from the sun and peered into the branches.“We don’t have until springtime, Snake. We’re hungry now!”

 

Snake hung from a branch above the wagon and carefully inspected all the treats inside. “However, rewarding my services with this goose egg may speed me up considerably. Yes, considerably, indeed,” he said as he licked the goose egg with his forked tongue.

 

Spag and Hetti rolled their eyes at the same time. “Alright, Snake, enough licking already,” Hetti ordered and gave him the goose egg. “Now, please hurry, Snake, we’re so hungry.” 

 

Snake did as he promised and slithered into Crow's house, high in the giant oak. A short time passed, and Snake returned. "So sorry, amigo’s, it's too dark in Crow's house – couldn't see a second beyond my slithering tongue.”

 

Spag leaned toward Hetti and whispered in her ear. “Aren’t snakes supposed to see well in the dark?”

 

Snake perked up and gave Spag a sneered stare. Then, he raised his nose with a “Hmph!” Before he slithered away into the tall grass.

 

Spag glanced at Hetti. “What was that all about?”

 

“Well, not to take Snake’s side, Spag, but you were a little loud with the seeing-in-the-dark comment. You know he's always been a bit sensitive.”

 

“Oh, so this is my fault?”

 

“I’m simply pointing out…”

 

But before Hetti could finish her sentence, something fat, warm and furry pushed between them.

 

"Bonjourrrrrrrrr, mes amis."

 

Spag sighed. "Oh–hey, Cat."

 

Cat sharpened her nails on the trunk of the giant oak. “Why are you two so pouty?”

 

“You wouldn’t understand,” Spag muttered.

 

“Oh? Well, perhaps you should explain your pouty faces or let me get on with my positively perfect day. I’m missing the procession of ducks paddling in the pond at the park's edge, and the peacocks are preening their feathers while the pigeons peck and purr. And…"

 

"Okay, okay, we get it, Cat," Spag interrupted. “You like bird watching!” Spags turned away from Cat and then looked at her with a curious grin. “Wait! Do Cats climb trees?”

 

“We do, and quite proficiently. I’d have to profess.”

 

Spag whispered to Hetti. “Maybe this isn’t going to be such a bad day after all. Cat, would you do us a favor?”

 

“Why, Of Course.”

 

"Our napkin has blown into Crow's house; without it, I’m afraid we can’t eat a morsel of these snacks.”

 

Cat peered into the wagon and then up the giant trunk of the oak tree. "You do have a problem, don’t you? I'm positive I can paw a path up that oak and pluck your napkin down, providing those perfect fish bones are mine before the pursuit.” After Cat ate, she licked her paws clean and made her way up the oak. Hours had passed before Cat returned.

 

"Did you find our napkin?" Hetti asked.

 

"No," said Cat, "but I did have a positively pleasant visit with Crow. We caught up on all the proceedings around town. You know he has a perfect view of everything and everyone when he’s in flight, and what a perfect gentleman. Yes, a perfect gentleman and a perfect addition to my perfect day."

 

“Wait! Mr. Crow is home?”

 

“Well, Of course. If you had simply yelled at Crow, he’d have answered you. Well, au revoir, Spag and Hetti.”

 

“Yes, Goodbye to you, Cat.” Spag sighed and put his head between his knees.

 

“I suppose you didn’t see that one coming, did you, Spag?”

 

Spag lifted his head. “How did I know Crow was home? I never said I was a smart sewer rat, Hetti, and you know as well as I do my only lesson learned in school was never to try to steal the teacher's apple off her desk unless you want your tail smacked with a twelve-inch ruler.”

 

Spag put his head back between his knees, and Hetti put her arm around his shoulder. “Yeah, you should have paid better attention to the teacher, and you wouldn’t have gotten your tail smacked, but that’s all behind you now, Spag,” Hetti giggled.

 

Spag moaned. “Is that your way of trying to cheer me up, Hetti? Because it isn’t working. All I can think about is my grumbly belly.”

 

“Me too, little brother, me too, but grumbly bellies will be the least of our problems if Mama finds out what we’ve done. So, we need that napkin.”

 

 Then, a sound came from high in the oak.

 

“Caw–Cacaw–Caw!”

 

Spag and Hetti looked up excitedly. "Crow! Our napkin. Will you drop it to us?" yelled Spag.

 

"Ahh, ciao–ciao, Spag and Hetti!” 

 

"Yes, hello to you, Crow!”

 

“Si, Bongiorno amigos!”

 

“Yes, bongiorno–good morning to you too, Crow–-and all that stuff! But you have our napkin. Will you give it to us? We need it to wipe our whiskers."

 

"Ahh, si. Should you both consider giving me that crusty loaf of Italian bread in your wagon? I’ll see what I can do."

 

On a count of three, Spag and Hetti tossed the giant loaf of bread up to Crow without as much as a glance in the wagon, and Crow gladly dropped the napkin from his home high in the oak. “Grazie, Spag and Hetti, Grazie!”

 

“Oh, you’re welcome, Crow!” Hetti picked up Spag and danced in circles. "Our napkin, we have our napkin,” she sang loudly.

 

“Hetti– Heeetiii! Put me down! What did I tell you about spinning me around like that?” Spag sat dizzied.

 

“Oh, right, sorry, I’m just so excited, Spag.”

 

 “Yeah, well, try to control yourself, he said and twisted his paw finger in his ringing ear.”

 

After Spag recovered from his dizziness, he tore the napkin and gave one half to Hetti. They both rubbed their paws together and stared into the wagon.

 

Hetti put her hand on her hip and pointed to the empty wagon with the other. “And I suppose you didn’t see this coming either, did you, Spag?"

 

“You already used that sentence, Hetti. You can’t keep saying that, and when will any of this be your fault?”

 

Hetti scuffed her paw in the dirt. “I don’t know about you, but this has been the worst day of my life.”

 

"Let's go home," Spag said bitterly. “Maybe something good will be waiting for us there.”

 

When they arrived, their mother was waiting for them in the doorway. “Spag and Hetti," she said. "How was your day?”

 

Spag spoke up. “It’s been the worst…” Hetti secretly slapped Spag on the back of his head with her tail. “Best day ever, Mama,” he finished.

 

Mother grinned. “Oh, by the way, Old Mr. Twitch stopped by. He was bringing us some scraps for our supper, but it seems his wagon turned over and tumbled to the bottom of the garbage pile.”

 

“Oh?” Spag blurted nervously.

 

“No way?” Hetti said quickly.

 

“Yes, poor old soul. He said ‘everything was gone by the time he reached the bottom.’ But, of course, you both wouldn’t happen to know anything about that. Would you?”

 

“No!” Spag said nervously.

 

“No way,” Hetti said quickly.

 

“Well, that’s good to hear. Anyway, I’ve decided to cook a special supper for you both.”

 

Hetti scurried over and hugged her mother. “Oh, mama, you shouldn’t have troubled yourself for us.”

 

“Oh, Hetti, it was no trouble at all. An open trash bag was in front of Grimes's dump, bulging with goodies. So, I plucked out your favorite meal.”

 

With that, she placed a big bowl of turnips and tomatoes in the middle of the table. Mother dug in and plopped a heaping portion on Spag and Hetti’s plates. “Remember what I taught you, kids, eat until every morsel of food is gone.”

 

Spag leaned in close to Hetti and whispered. “I thought you were never going to eat another turnip or tomato as long as you lived?”

 

“Hush, Spag, just eat! So we can go to bed and end this horrible day.”

 

Spag leaned in and whispered again.“Hetti?”

 

“What now, Spag,” she said with a gagging mouthful.

 

“I’ll bet you didn’t see this coming. Did you?”