“Oh, no! Everything’s going wrong today. Gimpel’s gone. Tuki’s acting weird. I don’t think even Jolly Solly can help”

Mr. Ingleton the environmental inspector was up to his tricks again. He was going to enter Eli’s animal center in disguise. He wanted to finally find an excuse to close it down. He had tried it in the past, but it had failed. That “awful monkey” had pulled off his hat. But this time, he was sure he would succeed.

Mr. Ingleton knew that a Jewish holiday was coming up. It was called Lag B’omer. This day, he felt, would be the perfect time. There would be many happy children around the animal center. Well, he would soon wipe the smiles off their faces. Ha!

He wound a scarf around his face, leaving only his eyes and nose uncovered. He put a battered hat on his head. He grabbed an old walking stick. Then he practiced walking bent over. He now looked like a very old man.

When he entered the animal center, it was very busy. Nobody paid any attention to him. He saw that Manny and Tuki were the most popular attractions, as usual. Excited kids were crowded around their cages. Manny took out a plastic comb he’d taken from Izzy one day. He pretended to style his hair. Then Tuki sang “This Old Man” at the top of his voice.

Suddenly, the parrot stopped. He flapped his wings. He looked upset.

“What’s the matter with him?” someone asked.

“He looks upset. Maybe his tummy hurts.”

Somebody went to call Izzy. Before Izzy could get there, Tuki stuck his head through the bars of the cage. He screeched at the top of his voice, “Haman! Bang! POP-POP-POP!” Everyone jumped.

Gimpel the goat had been standing lazily in his pen. He got scared when Tuki screeched. Were those fireworks? He hated fireworks! Terrified, Gimpel leaped over the fence around his pen. He ran off as fast as he could.