The Mystery of the Missing Stool (please read before looking at the pic)

We left the tortoises home alone yesterday for our brunch. Slow Coach was sleeping under the coffee table as usual after her morning walk on the balcony while Charlie was swimming in his tub. I have double checked that all doors were locked to prevent any *ahem* runaways & also unwanted break-ins.

3 hours later, we returned. Tummies bulging with pride from a hearty dim sum indulgence. Mum stumbled upon a dustpan in the hallway on her way to the kitchen. She was dumbfounded as to how the dustpan ended up there because she was very sure that she had put it on a little red stool after sweeping the floor that morning. The red little stool was missing too. We use the little red stool to stand on so that we can reach for things high above the cabinets. Mum thought that someone must have forgotten to put the stool back under the table after using it. She thought no further about the displaced dustpan & the missing stool.

We happily proceeded to a few strokes of dry swimming a.k.a. the actions of our hands mixing the mahjong tiles after every game mimics closely the breast strokes. Ah, mahjong. A very healthy game, mentally (lot's of mind strategies & also maths) & physically (continuous dry swimming for the next 4 hours!!!). Hehe! 3 players to a table.

1 hour into the game...

Me: Sshhh...I hear something.

Mum (sitting opposite facing me): What? Must be the wind whistling.

Uncle (sitting between mum & I on my left): Geez...Come on, I'm on the roll here. Don't stop.

Me: I thought I hear some dragging sound. Never mind. Must have been the caffeine from the Chinese tea kicking in.

Uncle: Oh my God! *Trembling voice*

Mum: What?

Uncle: Don't turn. Something is moving behind you.

Me: I don't see anything... but..but...I can hear that dragging sound again...

Mum: Hey, that's not funny. You are giving me the goose bumps, man!

Uncle: You know...about the missing stool...?

Mum & I: Yeah.....?

Uncle: Well, it's moving behind you....

Mum & I: What?!

*All of us turned at the same time & broke into laughter until our belly hurts*

Apparently, Charlie crawled under the stool from the wider side & got stuck on his way out at the front between the stool legs. He took to the stool so naturally, just like his second home *ahem* shell.

Geez, I should have known that he was house hunting.

The mystery of the missing stool: Case solved.