theo is guinea pig. He likes to explore the apartment where he lives.

His family - Mark and Louise

and Lisa - knows he gets out. it is not a problem because Theo is very careful. Theo is lucky. He has
a kind family. They give him fresh food and water every day. They leave out snacks like cabbage,
blueberries and carrots for him to aet.

When Mark and Louise are at work and Lisa is a school, Theo often finds his way out of the
window and onto the fire escape. If he is lucky, Gordon will be there.Gordon is Theo is friend. He
looks a bit like Theo, but bigger. He is furry like Theo. And he has black bits and white bits like
Theo. He has eyes and a nose and everything. But he is a raccoon, not a guinea pig. Gordon likes to
go through the garbage behind the apartment building. He climb in and out of the garbage to find
things to eat. Then he climbs up the fire escape with all of his snacks. He eats and looks out at they
city. It is nice up there. Theo thinks that Gordon looks really cool. And Theo loves to hear about all
of Gordon is adventures.

Sometimes Theo carries some of his own food outside to eat with his friend. Gordon Thinks Theo
is lucky. He does not have to look for food.You mean they just GIVE it to you? he ask.Yup, says
Theo. They put it in my bowl every day. You have a BOWL? Gordon asks. His eyes are wide. That is
amazing. I onlu ever eat from the garbage, or floors or fire escapes. Would you like some food
from my bowl? ask Theo. I could not bring a lot with me, but I have some green bits and some
orange bits. Thanks says Gordon. He tries some of Theo is guinea pig food. Hey, this is pretty good.
You have a nice family. I thing so, says Theo

would you like some food from the garbage? Gordon offers. What is it Like? asks Theo. Gordon
hands a few different foods to theo. There is french fry, some pepperoni with cheese on it and an
old apple. I might have a bit of the apple, says Theo, looking at is cautiously. Cool, says Gordon.
Are you sure you you do not want to try something else? cheese is one of my favority things.

you can eat cheese. You are bigger and stronger than I am. It would make me sick. Guinea pigs
only like guinea pig food. But raccoons like everything. Everything except fish, says Gordon. I ave
never eaten a fish, says Theo. What is it like? Like the ocean, really salty, says Gordon. What is
Cabbage like? Like eating forest, says theo. It is all rough and crunchy and green. It is even nicer
than broccoli or grass

you really love cabbage, huh? asks Gordon. Yes I do, says Theo. But not when it is cooked. Cooked
cabbage is different. Sometimes my family cooks it for dinner. It makes me sad because they take
something wonderful and make it not very nice at all. They must like it. says gordon. maybe says
theo. Different people like different thing

that is true, says gordon. i like to run around with my raccoon friends sometimes. other times i like
to be here with you. it is nice and quiet. And I like watching cartoons with Lisa sometimes. Other
times I like climbing out to talk to you. says theo

i suppose we are lucky, says gordon. We get to share one bit of our lives, and then we go off and
have other things happen. So we can talk about it later over snacks. We both love snacks, says
theo

, with his little furry tummy on the warm fire escape.

We certainly do. Snacks are the best, laughs Gordon, with his big furry tummy on the warm fire
escape

finally, the two friends say goodbye. Theo climbs back into his cage. When lisa comes home from
school, she is very surprised to find him fast asleep, next to some of his favorite guinea pig food,
and a single french fry