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Part TWO of the Lemur trilogy
[make sure you read part
one first!] |
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(Continuing the amazing and almost unbelievable
story of the Madagascar lemurs Skessfardee and Skrillywoo)
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Prologue
(When last we left the lemur crew
(And Skessfardee and Skrillywoo)
They just escaped the grocery store
And entered in the limo door...
Skessfardee and Skrillywoo
and all the fifty lemurs too,
Left the grocery store-cum-fort
And headed for the big airport!
They knew that in a few more hours
They'd smell the Madagascar flowers
And scamper deep into the wood
- And how the thought does lemurs good!
The limousine arrived in time.
They didn't have to stand in line.
At Customs paper work was brief
(They saw they all had claws and teeth).
The Madagascar Charge-de-Fair
Showed all the jolly lemurs where
All animals begin their flight.
- Why are the lemurs now in fright?!
Back when they all were at the zoo
And planned their twenty-three skidoo,
They said goodbye to locks and pen
- But here are cages once again!!!
Their kindly Madagascar friend
Got on all-fours and did begin,
"I know these cages aren't First Class
But it's the only way they'll let you pass."
"It's only for a little while
And then a Madagascar smile
On every lemur we will seeà
The cage doors open - then you're free!"
Skessfardee and Skrillywoo
And all the other lemurs knew
The only way out now - was in
So caged, their travels did begin.
In fact, the room was wall-to-wall
With cages that were large and small
But most were not for any zoo.
Where could they be going to?
Rats in cages by the crate.
Rabbits of uncertain fate.
Monkeys in their cages zoom.
And lemurs all in the same room.
The airport baggage handler came.
Farley Fumbles was his name.
He barely passed his Baggage Test.
The reading questions? He just guessed.
Perhaps you would like to inquire -
Just why was Farley Fumbles hired?
You see, if some bags aren't abused
Then airplane riders are confused.
Farley Fumbles had addresses
And made one of his best guesses.
The Rats were labelled" Madagascar".
And lemurs "Laboratory: FASTER".
Soon a van pulled up outside.
The lemurs' crates stowed for the ride.
Not to their island home, frenetic
But to a testing lab, cosmetic!
At the Laboratory dock
A kindly lab tech had a shock.
She thought this rat facsimile
Was something that her boss should see.
When he arrived he wasn't happy.
"What IS your problem? Make it snappy!"
She whimpered, "Sir, look if you please."
"I've never seen rats quite like these!"
He gruffly said that, "I don't care
If they have wings with bluish hair.
Don't get personal with rats.
Just send them on and that is that."
In a moment fifty lemurs rolled
On conveyor belts to fears untold
Through doors that read 'EXPERIMENT'.
Had this been what her boss had meant?
Meanwhile in Madagascar, fair
A box came to the Charge-de-fair.
Thus ended all the rats repose
Who now danced on their little toes.
The ambassador was quickly called
Where were all the lemurs hauled?
He dialled the RED PHONE urgently.
"Get the airport NOW for me!"
Back at the lab the lemurs neared
Those scary doors that they most feared
And in a moment they rolled inà
The experiment would now begin!
Too late the woman realised
That she recalled that those sad eyes
Were not some kind of big rat guest...
But its too late to stop the test!
"Lemurs! Lemurs! Long-tailed lemurs!"
"Madagascar jungle screamers!"
She ran down to recovery.
What would this kindly woman see?
In about an hour groggy lemurs
Were mostly in the land of dreamers.
They don't seem hurtà but just look quick!
They all are wearing red lipstick!
Her boss would threaten every day,
"Do what you're told and get your pay."
She always feared his reprimand-
But this was more than she could stand.
Gazing on their lips of red
Anger welled up in her head.
Her boss's threat was now a blur.
Besides the shade clashed with their fur.
Her shift at work was nearly past.
"I've got to have to have a plan -and fast!"
She knew that she would lose her job
But she must help this lemur mob.
As the lemurs finally came around
Another friend had now been found.
She whispered plans to all the lemurs.
They now would all be equal schemers.
The cage was opened - happy faces!
All the lemurs took their places.
When your options all seem very few
You DO do what you have to do!
As Tendra left, the lab did quote:
"Oh, what a beautiful fur coat!"
"The price of that coat must be high."
She said, "It is.", and gave a sigh.
"What to do now, where to go?",
She said, with lemurs head-to-toe.
Outside the lab, "It won't be long
Until they find out something's wrong!"
Down the sidewalk, walking fast
Afraid of everyone they past
She realised that she'd been "tailed"!
Have all her careful plans now failed?
Cornered in an alley, dark
She turned to face the mob's remark.
A crowd with cans of red spray- paint
Said, "Wearing fur is our complaint!"
They called her things that we won't name
But told her, "You should be ashamed."
She didn't think they had a chance
The mob was making their advance!
Skessfardee and Skrillywoo
Knew what they would have to do.
"Pass the word to all - uncurl!"
The coat became massive whirl!
In a flash before their eyes
The fur coat metamorphorized!
The fur coat they sought to disgrace
Was now a monster in their face!
With legs and arms and fearsome muzzle,
A giant lemur jig-saw puzzle!
The mob all screamed as they all trotted,
"Small Foot! Small Foot has been spotted!"
The lemurs dropped to reassemble
Into the coat they did resemble
They hurried off and were they glad
When they got back to Tendra's pad!
At Tendra's flat they had a snack.
She pondered how to get them back.
"Oh, Madagascar is so far-
And I don't even have a car!"
She looked at all her jungle fairies
With lips now red as reddest cherries.
She must act soon and fight back panic.
(Besides her cat was going manic).
She gazed down to the street below.
Teens dressed and strutted there for show.
With sloppy clothes and dopey smirk-
An impersonation might just work!
A quick trip to the thrift store found
Old baggy clothes down to the ground.
A little coaching in blank gazing-
The transformation was amazing!
The "Head of Rats" lab boss now said,
"My non-smear lipstick test has fled!"
But he knew how to play the game.
If you're the boss, just pass the blame!
He quickly wrote a news release
He said, " A traitor broke our peace.
A mad lab tech is all to blame
And Tendra is the culprit's name!"
"We gladly will pay you for tips
If you see rats with ruby lips.
Don't take chances with these guys-
Don't ask questions-euthanize!"
The Madagascar Zepplin, meanwhile,
Approached the coast to reconcile
The fact that lemurs had been lost -
Who must be found at any cost!
The Ambassador was very glum.
But he would not to doubt succumb.
For he knew in the Zepplin's hold
A secret weapon would unfold.
"Prepare the search lights! Stow your gear.
Unpack the gadget! The time is near!
Adjust the dials for greatest blare.
Those lemurs could be anywhere!"
A dozen scientists and crew
Did what they had been trained to do.
They all gazed down upon the city-
The lemur's rescuing committee!
Tendra was now well aware
(Counting change found in the chair),
When the lemurs had all left
She would then be quite bereft.
"But right is right, so take you places!
Lemurs, put on your teen faces.
If I can get you on a plane
It will be worth all the pain."
She packed her last fruit in a pouch.
The lemurs did their best to slouch.
So, off they went in their disguise
Beneath a city's searching eyes.
Getting on the city bus
No one noticed, no big fuss.
This need not seem strange anymore-
- They all had seen a teen before.
They snuck up to the airport gate.
And to their shock they saw too late-
Guard dogs on a strange new scent!
They all knew well what this now meant.
The dogs were trained to sniff out drugs,
Atomic bombs or tiny bugs
But nothing in their schooling text
Prepared them for what happened next.
The dogs weren't sure about the smell.
The guards weren't sure and couldn't tell
If Tendra's "friend" had contraband
Or smelled like he should be trash-canned.
Before the smell could be resolved
The "friend" had suddenly dissolved!
And every piece that they could see
Was running to the nearest tree!
Tendra tried her best to race
Across the yard at lemur pace.
The dogs and guards could not decide:
Could people really subdivide?
When Tendra climbed the airport fences
Security came to their senses
And chased them to the piny wood.
- I tell you things aren't looking good.
The sun had now begun to set.
The Zepplin searched the state and yet,
With searchlights trained on every tree
- Not one lemur did they see.
As their strange craft hung near the ground,
Shining eerie lights around,
UFO groups chased en masse.
This time no one could say "marsh gas"?
The pilot said, "Not to sound cruel,
But we are running low on fuel.
Ambassador, we must abort
And find the nearest large airport."
There was no choice. He acquiesced
The ambassador was sooo depressed.
But as they neared the airport space
They saw below the strangest case.
Air traffic said they should beware.
"Strange things were going on down there."
"Please hold position, if you please,
While we find out what's in the trees!"
" The trees? THE TREES! There in the trees!"
The ambassador said, "They're all ninnies!"
"Put the searchlights over there.
We'll spot them if it's just one hair!"
The lights were aimed down by the score.
They slid back wide the Zepplin door.
The secret 'Lemuvox' was aimed.
Things would soon not be the same!
Down on the ground pure chaos reigned
And every eye to sky was trained.
Should they stay or run for cover?
And still they saw the strange sight hover!
Each one proffered explanations
With all the countless variations.
Had space and time begun to slip?
Was this an Alien Mother Ship?
The UFO club felt like dance.
(That is, the ones not in a trance)
"We told you so, we told you so!
A great big giant UFO!"
The only UFO's around
Were Unhappy Furry Objects found
Hiding way up in the trees
With Tendra swinging in the breeze!
Clairvoyants stood with hands to head.
Preachers came and smugly said,
'This sign shows sinners all should fear.
Repent and sign your check right here!"
And as the crowd began to fight
Over who was in the right,
The melee stopped when they all heard
The strangest sound that then occurred.
A-WOO-kazooka! Ooh-Wee-Ooooo-
The Lemuvox moaned low and slow.
A pre-recorded lemur call
That's known to lemurs large and small.
A hundred little ears now turned
Toward the sky and how they burned!
Fifty lemur's then let go-
A-WOO-kazooka! Ooh-Wee-Ooooo-
To be continued....
( back in Madagascar Tendra will receive a medal struck
in her honour for heroism. I bet you can guess what they
name it.)
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by a brother in California, USA 4/98 |
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