The X-Frogs-Chapters 4-6

The X-Frogs-Chapter 4

Meanwhile, the residents of a women's dorm at the university have been seeing different kinds of animals outside their windows. Rose Washington, the manager of the dorm, doesn't share the enthusiasm about ainimals of some of the students in the dorm.


She and Katie, the resident cat lover, have both seen a black cat outside the dorm. Although Katie was quite thrilled to see a cat near the building, Miss Rose, as she's known as, wasn't. "I don't like cats," said Miss Rose. "They're too sneaky! I wish it would go away."


But Katie picked up the kitty and petted it anyway.


The cat purred as if it had swallowed a motor. Katie liked other animals too-even frogs and toads.


The following Saturday afternoon she was seen chasing around a huge frog in the grass. It looked like it was at least a foot long. But she could never catch it-it must have jumped at least six feet and made its escape.


It may have been a bullfrog. They can get to be about the size of dinner plates and can eat any living animal that would fit into their mouths-even smaller bullfrogs. "If we can't have the cat in the dorm," Katie thought, "this frog would be happy to eat the mice we sometimes get."


Even though Miss Rose didn't consider frogs to be as sneaky as cats, she wasn't crazy about them either. But the frog was just minding its own business resting on the grass catching flying insects. At least a frog can stay outdoors and catch flies and mosquitoes. It can be quite useful when just sitting around outdoors just having a snack.


"I wonder if that frog escaped from the biology lab," said Miss Rose.


"It may have," replied Katie. "It probably knew it would be dissected if it stayed. He must be quite a survivor."


"I'd say so," said Miss Rose.

The X-Frogs-Chapter 5

When Katie got home from church Sunday she saw a bullfrog in a pond near the dorm. This time she decided to leave it alone; she didn't want to scare it away like the one she saw the weekend before. Sho she didn't go near it.

It rained that afternoon so there were plenty of nightcrawlers-or "fishing worms"-as she used to call them when she was growing up. She put them in a plastic container and saved them for the bullfrogs.

Her roommate, Courtney, plugged her nose and said, "Those worms are gross! Get those stinky things out of here!"

When Katie left the room with the worms she saw a frog outside again. She tossed a few worms to the frog, who gulped them down. Then a few more appeared and gobbled up the worms as well.

After a while the frogs no longer appeared to be afraid of Katie. In fact they'd be outside the door begging for food. And Katie was able to get them to eat out of her hand.

Katie and Courtney were very good friends until she took the worms to her room. But Courtney only liked the furry and feathered kind of critters-not the frogs, lizards, or other "exotic" creatures Katie also liked.

Things got really tense for a while when Katie started taking worms and bugs into their room.

Courtney already had a small refrigerator in her room. Her parents bought it for her just before the school year began. And she told Katie she could keep a few snacks or sodas in the 'fridge. But the thought of nightcrawlers in her fridge really grossed Courtney out.

The X-Frogs-Chapter 6

But George, a maintenance man on campus, recalled that a small dorm refrigerator had been left in the basement of the fraternity, Alpha Beta Gamma. He wondered why the fraternity men weren't using it. Maybe the owner of it had graduated and didn't want it any more-or forgot to take it home with him.

When Katie found George fixing the main entrance of the dorm, he told her, "Are you the girl who likes frogs?"

"Yes I am," replied Katie. "In fact I'm driving my roommate crazy by putting worms for the frogs in her refrigerator."

"I have just the thing for you," said George.

"What's that?" asked Katie.

"An old refrigerator," replied George. "I found a small one in the basement of the fraternity house. One of the frat boys who graduated left it behind. You may have it if you like."

"Sure I'll take it!" exclaimed Katie. "Then I can put the nightcrawlers in it instead of Courtney's 'fridge. And my roommate would no longer have to have them in her 'fridge. When can you bring it over?"

"Tomorrow," answered George. "Why don't you ask Rose if you can have it in your room? If I bring it over tomorrow, what time will you be back from class?"

"About 3:30," replied Katie.

"I can come by around 3:30 or 4:00 with it," said George. "By the way, what's your name, young lady?"

"Mine's Katie," she replied. "What's yours?"

"George," he replied. "Pleased to meet you Katie."

"Pleased to meet you, George," said Katie. "You have a great day. See you tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow," said Katie. "Thank you very much."

"Not a problem," said George. "Anytime."

After Katie got done talking to George, she knocked on Miss Rose's door. When Rose answered Katie told her about the 'fridge that had been left in the fraternity house and asked if she may have it.

Rose answered, "I don't see why not-I think that would be a great idea. It would be be just the thing to keep peace between you and Courtney. No one can quench your passion for critters-all we can do is let you have your own refrigerator."

"Thank you so much, Miss Rose," Katie replied. "I don't want to neglect the critters to make peace with my roomate. You have a great day."

"You too, dear," said Rose and Katie returned to her room excited about the refrigerator. She walked back to her room smiling ear-to-ear.