Got Seeds?

We have spent years training out human neighbors to feed us sunflower seeds. It was working so well that our best scientists believed we had genetically imprinted this behavior on to them. When we returned from Paradise Island, we anticipated things would go back to “normal.” I am afraid we were in for a big surprise. In just a short few months, the humans had completely forgotten all of their training. How humans have survived as a species is beyond comprehension. Without us critters to constantly refresh their memories they forget everything. We had to spend the past few weeks scrounging for seeds like primitive cave-munks. 

Things get worse. The humans have developed an “attitude problem.” They think they are “liberated”!!!! My dear fellow critters, I am not making any of this up. These human have become delusional. If you have a cure for this human disease please contact us immediately.

The mayor of the Woodpile declared a state of emergency. The Woodpile Council convened to consider our options. After many hours of debate and discussion, we decided to send a chipmunk representative (me) to talk to the human representative Mom. I have a lot of experience as a negotiator, I promised to get things back to normal in no time at all. Since Mom was no longer coming out to feed us three square meals a day, I had to go to her place.

 

These human doors look very intimidating when you are this close to them.

“Hello, anyone home? Its Chippy, we need to talk.

I can hear someone walking around inside, but. they are not coming to the door.

I forget, humans have this strange social custom called “knocking on the door.”
I will give it a try with my nose.

 
How did the negotiations go? Things started off well. Mom served up some sunflower seeds. But, then she proceeded to “lay down the law” so to speak. Mom said from here on out, no more “free lunches.” That’s a human expression which translates as no more free seeds. I tried to explain that is not how things work around here. She said things are going to change. Us chipmunks would have to “earn” our sunflower seeds, as in like having a job.

I owed her two hours work for all the seeds I just ate during our negotiations. My first project was to clean up the sunflower seed shells under the yellow flowers.

Wow, I never realized how much of a litter bug us critters had become. There were shells everyplace. It took an hour just to clean everything up.

I spent another hour weeding Mom’s pansy garden bed.

 

One perk of the job, Mom provides free snack breaks.

 

What am I going to tell the Woodpile Council? The negotiations didn’t work out in our favor? Well let’s see, I can announce the Woodpile has one pet to adore and serve us: it’s a pet rock.