MR. THINGBOBBIN SQUIRREL

Old Head Nester had his gangs busy ripping out all the plastic that Thing’s crews had so carefully built into the nests.  As each nest was rebuilt it was re-assembled with less care than before.  Oh, a few of the men who had been trained personally by Thing, managed to show their skill at lacing, looping and weaving.  This caused some improvement over the old construction, but the materials they had to use were not top quality.

Finally, Thing wrangled an appointment with Little Buck and went in to see him. ”You haven’t asked for my advice, but you are going to get it anyway,” Thing stated.

“What’s on our mind, old friend?” Little Buck asked without looking up from the special reports he was reading.

“Surely you know what is going on down there with this remodeling program.  You do know don’t you that Head Nester is not giving the home owners their moneys worth the way he is slapping houses together?”

Little Buck became annoyed at Thing’s remarks.  He took a long time to reply and Thing fidgeted nervously through the silence.

“Certainly I know what’s going on.  Do you think I’m blind?  You taught me good construction.  I haven’t forgotten.  But what can I do” The deck is stacked against me.  You know how those Department Heads feel and how they all stick together,” Little Buck spoke with a loud nervous chatter.

“Then I’m going to do something” Thing stated.  “I’m going to go down there and look over a few jobs and tell some people just what old Head Nester is doing to them.”

“You’d better stay up here and not stir up trouble,” Little Buck warned

“What’s the matter with you?  You afraid you won’t win the election and get to keep this job?”

Little Buck frowned at his old friend and said, “Why don’t you just lay low until elections are over and we are firmly in the saddle?  Then maybe we can do something.”

“By then it will be too late.  Every house will be in sad shape and winter coming on.  No sir, I’m not going to hold still for it.”  And Thing stood up to leave.

“Just one thing, Thing,” Little Buck continued.  “I’ve warned you to stay away from down there. 

You don’t know what all you are getting into, and you sure don’t speak for me whatever you do.”

Thing didn’t reply.  He just walked out the door and down the tree.

As he strolled around the hill few squirrels spoke to him.  This hurt.  Thing had always been a popular squirrel when he was on his way up.  “Old Head Nester has probably spread some gossip about me,” he thought.

He passed the relief office where a couple of young fellows from one of his old gangs were standing in line for free nuts.  He started up to them to say hello, but stopped when one of them said to the other, “Look the other way.  Here comes the guy who did it to us.  Him and his plastic houses.”

Thing got an empty sick feeling in his stomach and walked on.  He came to a tree where a gang was stacking material getting ready to start a nest.

“How’s it going, fellows?” he asked.

Most of the gang ignored him, but one of the older guys walked over to him. “Not so good, Thing. 

Work we’ve got, but they’re pushing  us to slap them together and get to the next job.

“That pile of rubble you got there isn’t fit for a pig sty,” Thing said.

“I know it, but it’s better than some of the stuff we’ve used.  Oh, oh.  I’ve got to go.  Here comes the Super.  If he tells Head Nester I’ve been talking to you I’ll get fired.”