p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"TaTa wandered slowly along the street. There were no people around for the heart shaped alien to converse with, so he entertained himself by studying the local environment. He noticed the bare trees that lined the path, absent of the thriving greenery they displayed just a month earlier. It made him feel a little sad, but Mang had explained it was just nature. In a few more months new shoots would bloom, and the cycle of life would begin again. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"There was still so much TaTa didn't understand about this strange planet. And he felt blessed everyday he learned something new. His eyes followed the path of some crispy, fallen leaves, eventually catching sight of the friend he'd set out to meet. The yellow hoodie Of Chimmy reflected brilliantly against the winter sun and TaTa, happily skipped across the road to meet him./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;""Where are the others?" Tata asked, watching the little dog rock slowly back and forth, on a creaky swing./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;" "I don't know, maybe they've forgotten" Chimmy replied a little forlorn. His cute floppy ears swaying, with every to-and -fro./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"TaTa frowned at that comment. He thought back to the previous week, when they all agreed to come and play on the swings. Cooky and Shooky seemed particularly excited about it. They had Immediately started arguing, as to who would swing the highest. It just seemed strange that no one else remembered. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;""Well I'm here Chimmy, so show me how to swing". TaTa stated, not really picking up on Chimmy's melancholy state./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"The multitude of emotions were still a bit of a mystery to the alien. Love and happiness were such good feelings, he just couldn't understand why anyone would want to spend time feeling anything else./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"But he put those thoughts aside and let Chimmy teach him how to gain altitude on the primitive form of fun. A little while later, TaTa had mastered the basics, pumping his spotty legs back and forth with vigor./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;""This is such fun. It makes my tummy feel funny" TaTa told his friend, beaming joyfully. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"Chimmy smiled and laughed along, giving him a playful push and sending the swing higher and higher./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"TaTa loved Chimmy's laugh. It had quickly become one of his favorite sounds in the universe, but he noted that today, it didn't sound quite right, and he really couldn't understand why that was./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"After a while, they switched over to the slide, TaTa raising his arms as he slid down the smooth length, then on to the merry-go-round, where he experienced a shift in gravity that made him fall over. Chimmy explained it was just him feeling dizzy, from spinning around so much./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"TaTa was really enjoying all the new experiences, but as time went by, it became increasing noticeable that Chimmy's sweet smiles were not of his usual standard. It gave the lovable alien a feeling, similar to the one he experienced, when gazing at those bare Winter trees. He was pretty sure it was sadness./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;""Thank you so much for playing with me TaTa, but I'm getting pretty cold now. I think it's time for me to go home" the yellow dog suddenly declared./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"They hugged each other and Chimmy waved goodbye, before turning slowly, walking down the street./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"TaTa stood there for a while, watching the yellow fluff ball, shuffle away, head dipped low and tail swishing droopily. It made him feel other emotions, that he'd only ever heard about. He wondered if the one he felt just then, was called anger./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"Why had no-one else come to the park after agreeing to do so? Everyone knew it was one of Chimmy's favorite things to do./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"TaTa declared he would seek out the others and discover just what had kept them so busy, that they couldn't spend time with their friend./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"He marched with conviction in the opposite direction to Chimmy, His blue and yellow spotted legs, first reaching RJ's house. The fleecy alpaca loved his food and upon reaching his home, TaTa glanced though the window of the large kitchen. The wooly creatures favorite room. But to his surprise, it was empty./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"Searching around the room, made TaTa recall the evening RJ cooked them all the best meal ever. But it had only been possible, after Chimmy had searched through seven different stores across the city, for the rare ingredients the recipe required. The little doggie wanted so much, for everything to be just right for RJ./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"With a disappointed sigh, TaTa moved on to the next destination on the list. Mang's dance studio. The small practice rooms sat on top of a hill, where music could often be heard half way down the street, but today it sounded silent. TaTa carried on up, remembering the time Mang had to practice a complex routine for the Summer Show. He worked so hard, and worried he wouldn't be able to learn it in time. The heart shaped alien, also recalled Chimmy getting up at 5.30am every day for two weeks just to help Mang get his steps right./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"When he reached the top of this hill, the lack of music confirmed TaTa's suspicions, he discovered that just like RJ, Mang was not to be found. Where had they got to? His friends were creatures of habit and it was unusual for them to not be around./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"The walk down the hill was a lot more pleasant than the climb up and TaTa eventually came to a highway he needed to cross to get to Koya's place. As he watched the traffic pass rapidly, he thought about the time Shooky had his 'rarely spoken about' freak-out. The little sugary treat had been crossing the same road TaTa stood by, when a huge tanker overturned, spilling banana milk all across the road. Poor Shooky had been stranded on the hood of a car for hours, unable to find a way to safely cross the milky stream. That was until Chimmy happened by and waded through the river to save him./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"Safely across the busy road, TaTa eventually reached Koya's home. He headed past the Koala's outdoor hammock only to notice it was gone. Unhooked from the trees it hung between. It was strange not to see it there, but TaTa continued to the front door and knocked loudly, in case Koya was sleeping. His drowsy friend had recently lost his favorite pillow and TaTa was so glad he eventually found it. He had been in awful distress when he lost it. Didn't sleep for two days. The gang searched everywhere for it, but no one could find it. Poor Koya looked so tired that Chimmy had offered his soft warm tummy as a substitute pillow, until the real one was found. Luckily it wasn't too long before the pillow turned up again./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"TaTa waited a couple more minutes realizing that Koya, just like everyone else was not at home. All that was left was to try the gym, where Cooky like to hang out, often with Shooky in tow. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"Chimmy was mostly there too, helping spot for Cooky on the weights. Mainly because Shooky just wasn't big enough to do it. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"Nearing the building, TaTa heard the familiar sounds of Shooky grumbling. It wasn't coming from the Gym, but from the building next door. The alien, quickly opened the heavy front door to the building and swore he heard other voices as well, but they suddenly seem to hush. Eventually falling silent completely./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"TaTa continued, through the corridor, positive it was Shooky he had heard. There was a door to his right, that seemed to gain his attention and he went over to open it, slowly stepping inside. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"SURPRISE!/span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"TaTa almost fell backwards at the loud shouts. But the celebration was quickly muted, when the room's inhabitants realized it was TaTa who had entered./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"He looked around the large space to see he was inside a playcenter. A huge jungle gym sat in the middle of the room and dotted around were all the people he had been frantically searching for./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;""Oh, it's you, we thought it was Chimmy, anyway where have you been?" Cooky asked whilst standing on a ladder, holding Koya up in the air./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"The Koala appeared to be reaching up to the top of climbing frames, emptying feathers from an old pillow case into his hammock, which now hung across the top of the gym. It looked as though once the hammock was disturbed, white feathers would fall, imitating snow, across the room./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"Mang was over by the wall, flicking through records to dance to, while RJ set out homemade party food on a long table, listening to Shooky comment that the milk would be best served in cartons with straws, and not in open cup containers. He claimed that the way RJ had set it out, was just asking for an accident to happen./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"Even Van was there, moving away tables and chairs so Mang could create a dance floor./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"After casting his eye over everything in front of him, TaTa decided to answer Cooky's question./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"I've been at the play park with Chimmy" TaTa announced, causing everyone to stop their busy tasks and stare at him./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;" "Why is he at the park? It's freezing outside" RJ asked./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;" "He was waiting there, for all you to turn up, like you promised to do" TaTa answered. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;""But we changed the location, when we saw how cold it was going to be. This place was much better, because we could throw him a party as well" Koya sleepily stated./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;" "A party?"/span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;" "Yeah, Chimmy is always helping us out. He is always there for us, we wanted to do something to show how much we love him" Mang answered, lining up a record on the turntable in front of him./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;""Well, it may have been a good idea to have told Chimmy about the change in plan, as well as telling me"./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;""We did. Whose job was it to tell them?" Cooky asked, looking around his friends, his eyes falling suspiciously on Shooky./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;""I'm pretty sure I did tell them, it's just sometimes no one can hear me because I'm small" the sweet treat sheepishly replied./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;""Shooky, you have the loudest voice out of all of us, we can hear you from three streets away" Cooky angrily replied. All of them suddenly coming to realize how sad and cold their yellow friend must be feeling right now./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;""I bet he's sat at home, playing his harmonica, he always does that when he's sad" RJ gloomily commented./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;""Ok, Ok, I'll go and find him and bring him over" Shooky guiltily offered. "Just make sure everything is ready, by the time we arrive" he added, then turned to leave./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"Everyone turned back to what they were doing and TaTa stepped forward to help, grabbing hold of a long banner, that read 'We Love You' across it. He and Van managed to tie it across the jungle gym and then went on to blow up some balloons, that Mang couldn't help playing with, the minute a knot was tied in them./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"They had just managed to finish when they heard Shooky's voice from outside. Mang dimmed the lights and everyone stood quietly waiting for Chimmy to enter./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"SURPRISE!/span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"This time it was the right call and the sad little doggy actually did look surprised, as party lights, wintery feathers and party steamers direct from Van filled the room./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"Each friend took turns, letting their good pal know, just how very grateful they were, for the help he'd given them over the last few months. Helping master dance routines, being a substitute pillow, even saving a life, Shooky dramatically declared. And every time each of them confessed, Chimmy recalled a time they had helped him just as much./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;""It's just what friends do for each other" he humbly confirmed. And then he smiled, a real smile, full and bright./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;""Ok, who wants to come on the tire swing with me" he called, running towards the jungle gym. All the distress from earlier at the park, completely forgotten./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"They played for hours, ate well and danced into the night. TaTa stood back and watched them all smile and sing to the music. When Chimmy laughed loudly, TaTa realized that's what he was grateful for./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"He really did love that little doggie's laugh, it was filled with sunshine and joy, and he was so glad it was back./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"The End/span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"TaTa wandered slowly along the street. There were no people around for the heart shaped alien to converse with, so he entertained himself by studying the local environment. He noticed the bare trees that lined the path, absent of the thriving greenery they displayed just a month earlier. It made him feel a little sad, but Mang had explained it was just nature. In a few more months new shoots would bloom, and the cycle of life would begin again. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"There was still so much TaTa didn't understand about this strange planet. And he felt blessed everyday he learned something new. His eyes followed the path of some crispy, fallen leaves, eventually catching sight of the friend he'd set out to meet. The yellow hoodie Of Chimmy reflected brilliantly against the winter sun and TaTa, happily skipped across the road to meet him./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;""Where are the others?" Tata asked, watching the little dog rock slowly back and forth, on a creaky swing./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;" "I don't know, maybe they've forgotten" Chimmy replied a little forlorn. His cute floppy ears swaying, with every to-and -fro./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"TaTa frowned at that comment. He thought back to the previous week, when they all agreed to come and play on the swings. Cooky and Shooky seemed particularly excited about it. They had Immediately started arguing, as to who would swing the highest. It just seemed strange that no one else remembered. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;""Well I'm here Chimmy, so show me how to swing". TaTa stated, not really picking up on Chimmy's melancholy state./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"The multitude of emotions were still a bit of a mystery to the alien. Love and happiness were such good feelings, he just couldn't understand why anyone would want to spend time feeling anything else./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"But he put those thoughts aside and let Chimmy teach him how to gain altitude on the primitive form of fun. A little while later, TaTa had mastered the basics, pumping his spotty legs back and forth with vigor./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;""This is such fun. It makes my tummy feel funny" TaTa told his friend, beaming joyfully. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"Chimmy smiled and laughed along, giving him a playful push and sending the swing higher and higher./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"TaTa loved Chimmy's laugh. It had quickly become one of his favorite sounds in the universe, but he noted that today, it didn't sound quite right, and he really couldn't understand why that was./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"After a while, they switched over to the slide, TaTa raising his arms as he slid down the smooth length, then on to the merry-go-round, where he experienced a shift in gravity that made him fall over. Chimmy explained it was just him feeling dizzy, from spinning around so much./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"TaTa was really enjoying all the new experiences, but as time went by, it became increasing noticeable that Chimmy's sweet smiles were not of his usual standard. It gave the lovable alien a feeling, similar to the one he experienced, when gazing at those bare Winter trees. He was pretty sure it was sadness./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;""Thank you so much for playing with me TaTa, but I'm getting pretty cold now. I think it's time for me to go home" the yellow dog suddenly declared./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"They hugged each other and Chimmy waved goodbye, before turning slowly, walking down the street./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"TaTa stood there for a while, watching the yellow fluff ball, shuffle away, head dipped low and tail swishing droopily. It made him feel other emotions, that he'd only ever heard about. He wondered if the one he felt just then, was called anger./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"Why had no-one else come to the park after agreeing to do so? Everyone knew it was one of Chimmy's favorite things to do./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"TaTa declared he would seek out the others and discover just what had kept them so busy, that they couldn't spend time with their friend./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"He marched with conviction in the opposite direction to Chimmy, His blue and yellow spotted legs, first reaching RJ's house. The fleecy alpaca loved his food and upon reaching his home, TaTa glanced though the window of the large kitchen. The wooly creatures favorite room. But to his surprise, it was empty./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"Searching around the room, made TaTa recall the evening RJ cooked them all the best meal ever. But it had only been possible, after Chimmy had searched through seven different stores across the city, for the rare ingredients the recipe required. The little doggie wanted so much, for everything to be just right for RJ./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"With a disappointed sigh, TaTa moved on to the next destination on the list. Mang's dance studio. The small practice rooms sat on top of a hill, where music could often be heard half way down the street, but today it sounded silent. TaTa carried on up, remembering the time Mang had to practice a complex routine for the Summer Show. He worked so hard, and worried he wouldn't be able to learn it in time. The heart shaped alien, also recalled Chimmy getting up at 5.30am every day for two weeks just to help Mang get his steps right./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"When he reached the top of this hill, the lack of music confirmed TaTa's suspicions, he discovered that just like RJ, Mang was not to be found. Where had they got to? His friends were creatures of habit and it was unusual for them to not be around./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"The walk down the hill was a lot more pleasant than the climb up and TaTa eventually came to a highway he needed to cross to get to Koya's place. As he watched the traffic pass rapidly, he thought about the time Shooky had his 'rarely spoken about' freak-out. The little sugary treat had been crossing the same road TaTa stood by, when a huge tanker overturned, spilling banana milk all across the road. Poor Shooky had been stranded on the hood of a car for hours, unable to find a way to safely cross the milky stream. That was until Chimmy happened by and waded through the river to save him./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"Safely across the busy road, TaTa eventually reached Koya's home. He headed past the Koala's outdoor hammock only to notice it was gone. Unhooked from the trees it hung between. It was strange not to see it there, but TaTa continued to the front door and knocked loudly, in case Koya was sleeping. His drowsy friend had recently lost his favorite pillow and TaTa was so glad he eventually found it. He had been in awful distress when he lost it. Didn't sleep for two days. The gang searched everywhere for it, but no one could find it. Poor Koya looked so tired that Chimmy had offered his soft warm tummy as a substitute pillow, until the real one was found. Luckily it wasn't too long before the pillow turned up again./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"TaTa waited a couple more minutes realizing that Koya, just like everyone else was not at home. All that was left was to try the gym, where Cooky like to hang out, often with Shooky in tow. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"Chimmy was mostly there too, helping spot for Cooky on the weights. Mainly because Shooky just wasn't big enough to do it. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"Nearing the building, TaTa heard the familiar sounds of Shooky grumbling. It wasn't coming from the Gym, but from the building next door. The alien, quickly opened the heavy front door to the building and swore he heard other voices as well, but they suddenly seem to hush. Eventually falling silent completely./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"TaTa continued, through the corridor, positive it was Shooky he had heard. There was a door to his right, that seemed to gain his attention and he went over to open it, slowly stepping inside. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"SURPRISE!/span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"TaTa almost fell backwards at the loud shouts. But the celebration was quickly muted, when the room's inhabitants realized it was TaTa who had entered./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"He looked around the large space to see he was inside a playcenter. A huge jungle gym sat in the middle of the room and dotted around were all the people he had been frantically searching for./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;""Oh, it's you, we thought it was Chimmy, anyway where have you been?" Cooky asked whilst standing on a ladder, holding Koya up in the air./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"The Koala appeared to be reaching up to the top of climbing frames, emptying feathers from an old pillow case into his hammock, which now hung across the top of the gym. It looked as though once the hammock was disturbed, white feathers would fall, imitating snow, across the room./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"Mang was over by the wall, flicking through records to dance to, while RJ set out homemade party food on a long table, listening to Shooky comment that the milk would be best served in cartons with straws, and not in open cup containers. He claimed that the way RJ had set it out, was just asking for an accident to happen./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"Even Van was there, moving away tables and chairs so Mang could create a dance floor./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"After casting his eye over everything in front of him, TaTa decided to answer Cooky's question./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"I've been at the play park with Chimmy" TaTa announced, causing everyone to stop their busy tasks and stare at him./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;" "Why is he at the park? It's freezing outside" RJ asked./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;" "He was waiting there, for all you to turn up, like you promised to do" TaTa answered. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;""But we changed the location, when we saw how cold it was going to be. This place was much better, because we could throw him a party as well" Koya sleepily stated./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;" "A party?"/span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;" "Yeah, Chimmy is always helping us out. He is always there for us, we wanted to do something to show how much we love him" Mang answered, lining up a record on the turntable in front of him./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;""Well, it may have been a good idea to have told Chimmy about the change in plan, as well as telling me"./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;""We did. Whose job was it to tell them?" Cooky asked, looking around his friends, his eyes falling suspiciously on Shooky./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;""I'm pretty sure I did tell them, it's just sometimes no one can hear me because I'm small" the sweet treat sheepishly replied./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;""Shooky, you have the loudest voice out of all of us, we can hear you from three streets away" Cooky angrily replied. All of them suddenly coming to realize how sad and cold their yellow friend must be feeling right now./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;""I bet he's sat at home, playing his harmonica, he always does that when he's sad" RJ gloomily commented./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;""Ok, Ok, I'll go and find him and bring him over" Shooky guiltily offered. "Just make sure everything is ready, by the time we arrive" he added, then turned to leave./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"Everyone turned back to what they were doing and TaTa stepped forward to help, grabbing hold of a long banner, that read 'We Love You' across it. He and Van managed to tie it across the jungle gym and then went on to blow up some balloons, that Mang couldn't help playing with, the minute a knot was tied in them./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"They had just managed to finish when they heard Shooky's voice from outside. Mang dimmed the lights and everyone stood quietly waiting for Chimmy to enter./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"SURPRISE!/span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"This time it was the right call and the sad little doggy actually did look surprised, as party lights, wintery feathers and party steamers direct from Van filled the room./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"Each friend took turns, letting their good pal know, just how very grateful they were, for the help he'd given them over the last few months. Helping master dance routines, being a substitute pillow, even saving a life, Shooky dramatically declared. And every time each of them confessed, Chimmy recalled a time they had helped him just as much./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;""It's just what friends do for each other" he humbly confirmed. And then he smiled, a real smile, full and bright./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;""Ok, who wants to come on the tire swing with me" he called, running towards the jungle gym. All the distress from earlier at the park, completely forgotten./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"They played for hours, ate well and danced into the night. TaTa stood back and watched them all smile and sing to the music. When Chimmy laughed loudly, TaTa realized that's what he was grateful for./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"He really did love that little doggie's laugh, it was filled with sunshine and joy, and he was so glad it was back./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"span style="font-size: 12pt;"The End/span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;" /p