"Chipper the Chipmunk" (by Luba Brezhnev)

Chipper sat in his favorite chair, crying salty tears. No one wanted to play with him.

He was so plump he could barely squeeze through his own front door. The young chipmunk dried

his tears and thought silently. "If it goes on like this, I won't be able to fit into

my own house. And I have enough food for five years here."

To ease his mind, he decided to take a stroll through his well-stocked pantry. Examining

his vast stores was his favorite pastime. He heaved a deep sigh. Then he set about counting

the shelves, with their even rows of boxes, jars, and packages -- all filled with good

things to eat. There were so many shelves that the young chipmunk soon tired of the

sport. Chipper returned to his beloved recliner and reflected. He felt low, even though he

had everything his heart desired -- and then some... He thought and thought. He couldn't

figure out why... So he waddled off to bed.

"I hope you all have great fun playing without me," he grumbled under his breath. He was

thinking about what had happened earlier in the day, when the other chipmunk boys had

refused to let him join the soccer team.

Chipper fell asleep and slept soundly, his paws clinging the pillow tightly.

Suddenly came the sound of something stirring in the room. Chipper woke up and listened

intently. "That mouse must have gotten into my cornmeal again," he thought. He was just

about ready to jump out of bed to chase away the thief, when he suddenly saw a strange

chipmunk. The stranger was chuckling, seated in a corner of the room in Chipper's recliner.

"Who are you?" asked Chipper, thoroughly befuddled. How had the intruder entered the room?

"I am Old Man Chipmunk."

"What are you doing here?" asked the young chipmunk in a stern voice. After all, he was

the rightful owner of the room and vast contents of his pantry!

"What I am doing is -- sitting in your favorite chair!" said the stranger, continuing to chuckle

as he spoke.

"But how did you get in the room?"

"Very simple. I came through the wall."

"There's no way you could have come in through the wall," said Chipper. He was sure he was

right about that. "That's a thick, strong wall, and no one can break through it."

"No one else can, but I can."

Seeing the visitor's fur-lined boots, he asked, "Why are you dressed so warmly? It's still

September, you know."

"I just flew in from way up north in Greenland. It's already chilly there!"

"Are you Santa Claus, by any chance?"

"No, I'm not Santa Claus, though I'm able to do many things. But don't you start making

wishes now!"

The young chipmunk was a bit disappointed: "Well, I did want to ask one favor."

"No use. I haven't the slightest intention of doing you any favors. I don't like you.

You are greedy and boring. I don't like that kind of boy."

"What kind of boy do you like?"

"A kind and happy boy."

"I am happy," said Chipper. But his voice wavered

"So who was sitting in this very same recliner two hours ago, sniveling and whining? No one

wants to play with you, and it serves you right."

Chipper was amazed: "How did you know all that?"

"My young friend, I know everything. You can't hide anything from me, no matter where you

try to go."

Chipper tried to argue, but his voice was uncertain: "I have a storage room. No one

can find me there..."

"No one else can, but I can."

"Why are you always boasting? Pride comes before a fall, you know."

"That's no boast. I really and truly can find you, even if you hide at the bottom of the

ocean," said the old chipmunk, laughing.

The young chipmunk shivered: "I don't want to go to the bottom of the ocean. It's cold

down there."

"You don't have to go there. We can have a talk right here, just as well."

"What's there to talk about?" asked Chipper. "You know what, it's my bedtime anyway."

"We do have things to talk about, and you'll have time later to get a good night's sleep.

What you need to do now is go over and make me a cup of tea."

"Wow," thought the proud owner of the well-stocked pantry. "First he asks for tea, and then he'll

want to eat, even though I hardly have enough for myself..."

"But I don't have any tea," Chipper said, as his face turned red.

"Don't you remember that I can see and hear everything? I even know what shelf the tea

is hidden on..."

"Oh, all right then, I'll serve you some tea, but there's nothing else.'

"What are you talking about? Your shelves are weighed down with food!" said Old Man

Chipmunk in an indignant voice. "What if you visited me and I put you on a starvation diet.

Would you like that?'

"I don't want to be anyone's guest. If you visit someone, then you have to invite them

back. It's what they call a -- what's the word? -- a return visit..."

"Now you see what I mean. When you come to me on a return visit, you'll get no food from

me, only a dirty look."

Chipper was agitated: "But I don't even have enough for myself. I only have enough food

here for five years. Then what will I do? Do you want me to starve?"

Chipper felt so sorry for himself that tears even came to his eyes.

Old Man Chipmunk was relentless: "Go ahead and eat all you want. But first figure out

exactly how much to eat each day for the next five years." Suddenly the old chipmunk raised

his voice to a yell. "So, light up that tea kettle before I spank you."

Chipper was so shocked that his mouth hung open. The old chipmunk stood up, went to the

young chipmunk, and helped him close his mouth.

"Now that's better," he said, sitting at the table and setting out the tea cups. "I just

came in from the cold, you know. I nearly froze! Tea is the only thing that will warm

me up."

Chipper stood up and grudgingly dragged himself to the kitchen to light the tea kettle. Then

he remembered that tea is usually served with sugar or jam. "I'll put the sweets as far

away from view as I can," he decided. He walked toward the pantry, when suddenly Old Man Chipmunk

called out from the living room: "What are you up to in there? Trying to hide the sugar?

You took the jam into the pantry... I already said you can't hide anything from me."

Chipper quivered and dropped a jar of jam onto the floor.

Chipper cried out, "Now look there! All that's left of a perfectly good jar of jam is a purple

puddle on the floor. And it's all your fault!"

"Don't get upset," said the visitor and hugged Chipper's shoulders. "Let's go to the kitchen,

my friend, and put the kettle on. After that, I'll tell you a story."

"What about the jam?" asked the young chipmunk, wiping away his tears.

"Forget about the jam, I'll cook up as much of that kind of jam as you want."

"Really?" said Chipper. He smiled: "And what else can you do for me?"

"Whatever you like, but I do have some conditions. First you have to meet those conditions. Then

you can make requests."

"I'll do what you say," said the young chipmunk uncertainly. He regretted his words at once.

What if the visitor asked for all his food? He would never be able to agree to that! Well,

maybe, but only if the older chipmunk promised to give him even more in return. That would

be a different story...

"What's going on here? Not getting ideas in your head about haggling, are you?" the visitor

inquired sternly. "I'm the one giving the orders around here, and you're the one who's

going to follow them!"

"Fine, I agree," said the young chipmunk.

"Well, since you agree, let's go heat up the kettle. And don't forget to serve plenty of

sweets along with the tea. We old folks like our treats, you know!"

Chipper said nothing and went to the kitchen to start the tea kettle. He also fetched cookies,

an unopened jar of jam, and crackers down from the shelves.

"What about the sugar?" asked the visitor.

"There's already enough sweet stuff on the table," said Chipper.

"I wouldn't know about that. Bring the sugar here!"

Chipper had no alternative but to fetch the sugar.

"You're certainly a big eater," said Chipper.

"I won't deny it. I have a healthy appetite, and I adore sweets!"

Chipper grumbled: "Everyone loves helping themselves to free stuff that actually belongs

to someone else!"

"Now there, don't get hurt feelings," said Old Man Chipmunk in a conciliatory tone. "Remember,

you and I already made an agreement. Your job is to listen and obey."

"Uh huh, but what do I get in return?"

Old Man Chipmunk chuckled: "You certainly think small, my boy! I offer you friendship

and then you turn around and forget what friendship is all about."

Chipper persisted: "What do I get out of friendship?"

The old visitor seemed surprised: "So you think friendship can be converted into money

or something?"

"I still want to know what I'm supposed to get!"

"Don't you know how to act without expecting any reward?" said the visitor.

"No," said Chipper, sighing.

"So you don't like to give, but you're a great one for taking, eh?"

"I guess that's the way it is. But I could end up giving away everything I have. Then

what would be left for me?"

"Don't worry about that. Give and you will receive twice as much back."

"Well... One of my neighbors is always giving things away, and he always has company, with

dances and happy times. But his house is empty, with nothing stored up in it. I can't be like

him."

"On the other hand, he doesn't spend his evenings weeping and moaning. Instead he hangs out

with his friends and laughs."

"I was crying earlier because I wasn't chosen for the soccer team."

"You really think it only has to do with soccer? How many friends does your neighbor have -- too

many to count! And what about you? Not a single friend in the whole forest. Suppose something

happens to you -- then what? Who will come help you? No one. So let's try to figure out

who is happier -- you with your well-stocked pantry or your neighbor, who finds fresh joy

in living every day?"

"Isn't there some way I could keep all the food in my pantry and also find some friends?"

"First you have to figure out what friendship is."

Chipper asked uncertainly, "Friendship is playing together on the same soccer team,

right?"

"Not just that. You can play soccer with anyone, but friendship is when two people are there

for each other. Think back to when your neighbor's shack caught fire, and folks came from all

around the forest to help. But if your fine, sturdy house were to catch fire, no one would

come to help put it out. Not only that, you can barely squeeze through the front door.

Pretty soon you won't even be able to go out of your house at all."

"But how can I lose weight if I have to sit home, eating up all my supplies?"

"That's your predicament. If you eat everything, then you won't be able to get through the

door. The house will have to be broken open."

"I don't want this house to be broken open," said Chipper, getting nervous. "It cost a

lot of money."

"Well then, you will have to go hungry. Your supplies will run out."

The owner of the pantry reflected. He didn't want to have to go hungry. He had been busily

storing food up all summer long, and going hungry was no part of his plans.

He thought for a long time. Meanwhile, Old Man Chipmunk drank his tea, ate sweets and

chuckled.

"So what do I do?" asked the young chipmunk.

"Now that's a different matter entirely," said the older chipmunk, brushing off his

whiskers with a napkin. "That is where our conversation should have started. Now, listen

carefully. Once upon a time I was a young lad just like you. Of course, that was a long

time ago, but it feels like yesterday." He paused and reflected.

Chipper was incredulous: "What are you telling me, that I will be old like you some day?"

The visitor smiled: "How could it be otherwise? All little boys grow up and become old. The

only thing that matters is how they lived their life. You, for example, are a miser

and you plan to remain one for the rest of your life. But what will you have at the end

of the road? Have you thought about that?"

"No," said Chipper softly. "I've never thought about old age. I thought I would always be

young."

"Well you'd better watch out!" said the uninvited guest, laughing. "Everyone wants to remain

young forever, but no one gets to. I advise the young to look at their grandparents more

often and imagine themselves that way."

"I never met my grandfather," sighed Chipper. "Mom says he was very frugal."

"What you really mean was that he was greedy. He shared with no one and had no friends.

At night he was miserable and all alone."

The younger chipmunk confirmed the old chipmunk's words: "They tell me that the last years of

his life, he never left the house. He couldn't fit through the door... So what should I do

to be healthy and happy?"

"Well, my young friend, that's a pretty big question. Some find the answer easily, but

others like you have to work real hard to figure it out."

"I agree..."

The visitor clapped his paws: "You do? Now there's a good lad! Let's hear it for Chipper...