Set The Table

In the middle of the kitchen was an empty table. The table wasn’t supposed to be empty. It was supposed to be set. So as you can see, this is a problem.

What to do, what to do?

“You there, hedgehog! What are you up to right now?”

The hedgehog looked around to see if there could possibly be any other hedgehogs around that were being spoken to. She looked left and she looked right. She was the only hedgehog around.

“Yes, hedgehog, I’m talking to you. What’s your name?”

“It’s… Patty…” The hedgehog responded, hesitant.

“Patty, hello, nice to meet you. I am.”

Patty waited.

“I am… What?” Patty replied.

“That’s all you need to know for right now. I have a favor I have to ask you… Hang on, who’s this now?”

Patty’s friend, an iguana named Francis had just arrived. The two had planned on getting together to talk and chat. They were friends who hadn’t seen each other for a long time. Patty had arrived first.

“Who are you talking to?” Francis asked Patty.

“I don’t know,” Patty replied.

“What? Patty, that hurt. I thought we had gotten friendly over the last few minutes.”

“Um… What the heck?” Francis said, utterly bewildered.

“Her name is Francis, she’s my friend.” Patty offered.

“Hey don’t tell it my name! I don’t want it to know my…”

“Hi, Francis. Nice to meet you. I am.”

“I am, what?” Francis replied.

“That’s all you need to know for right now. Okay, now that the pleasantries are dispensed off I have a favor to ask and since there are two of you this could really go quickly. Do you two see that table over there?”

Patty and Francis looked over at the table that was right next to them. They couldn’t miss it even if they tried. They waited for further instructions.

“Well, can you see it!”

“Yeah of course we can see it?” Francis responded. “What favor do you want us to do?”

“I am having a dinner party later, the table was supposed to be set and, well as you can see, it hasn’t been. Would you two mind setting the table for me? You’d have my eternal gratitude.”

“And… what’s in it for us?” Francis asked.

“What’s in it for you? I just said, my eternal gratitude! What gratitude doesn’t mean anything anymore these days?”

Patty and Francis looked at each other and shrugged. They knew they held all the power in this situation so, they turned and started walking away.

“What! Are you two serious? Wow, this is unbelievable. Fine, fine. What do you two want?”

“Well, what are you first of all? Like what is theoretically in play for us to ask for? A wish? Some money? A boat?” Francis queried.

“You don’t need to know that right now but, fine. I can agree to that.”

“To what?” Patty asked.

“The boat. Set the table and I can give you a bo—“

Patty shot up in bed.

She turned off her alarm clock.

It was time to get ready for work.