the animals

by nick nelson

they made it safely through the night and over the mountain. they were the first people named eddie and doreen to make it over the mountains with a truck full of animals. they were so proud of themselves. eddie had the paperwork all ready and he took it over to the dispatch office while doreen went into the cafe and got a booth and ordered coffee for both of them. the sun was coming up. the inspector looked at eddie’s paperwork. everything is here, sir, eddie said. the elephant is going to the ygr corporation, the ostrich to mr magee, the leopard to the church of good faith, and the koala bear to the fair tax party headquarters. <> yes, it all looks in good order, the inspector agreed. he finished off his cup of coffee he got up from behind his desk. let’s go take a look at the animals, the inspector said. they went outside and eddie led the way to the truck. eddie opened the back of the truck. it was empty! what is this nonsense? the inspector thundered. what kind of flim-flam are you con artists trying to put over? i am sorry, sir, eddie managed to say. i am as surprised as you are. i do not know how such a thing could have happened. but i know what is going to happen, the inspector replied. you are going to be made an example of, make no mistake about it. there has been entirely too much of this chicanery and it has got to stop. after a speedy trial in the old barn behind the dispatch office, eddie and doreen were sentenced to hard labor in the andromeda galaxy, and never heard from again.