Ferrets can talk.  It's just that some people haven't learned how to
listen.
 
Scene: my kitchen early afternoon.
Cast:  Nala, an almost 8 year old ferret; Joan, my wife; me, just me.
 
I'm standing near the kitchen island talking to Joan.  Nala runs up to me,
taps me on the top of my foot.  When I look down, she runs over to the
basement door and looks back at me.
 
ME: "Sorry Nala, you can't go down in the basement by yourself.  I'll be
going down later and I'll take you, but there's too many things you can
get into there."
 
JOAN: looks at me strangely.
 
NALA: Runs over and taps the top of my foot again.  She looks up, licks
her chops and tilts her head to the side.
 
ME: "OK, I guess I can give you a treat.  Ferret Bites OK?"
 
JOAN: "Are you trying to tell me that Nala is talking to you?"
 
NALA: Runs over to the book shelf where I usually line up her treats for
her.
 
ME: "Certainly.  She just asked me for a treat and I told her I'd get her
some."
 
JOAN: Shakes her head sadly while I open the cabinet, get the treats and
place them on the shelf.
 
NALA: after eating a couple Ferret Bites runs over to me again, taps my
foot, looks up and backs away.
 
ME: "You want water?  I guess those treats can make you thirsty.  OK, I'll
get you a bowl."
 
JOAN: "Now I KNOW you're putting me on.  Ferrets DON'T TALK!  People get
hospitalized for saying things like that."
 
ME: getting bowl, filling it with water.
 
JOAN: "Nala doesn't WANT water."
 
ME: "Nala asked for a drink of water.  She said she was thirsty."
 
NALA: Starts lapping the water as soon as I set it down.
 
JOAN: "I don't know who's crazier; Nala, you, or me for almost believing
you.
 
Ferrets CAN talk.  Some people just haven't learned to listen.  Yet.
 
Dick B.
[Posted in FML issue 3335]