“Pooh!” called Turtle, “How good to see you!”
“Hullo, Turtle,” said Pooh. “And hullo Otter, hullo Owl. Are you going to visit Eeyore too? That’s where I’m going.”
“Why no, not exactly,” said Owl. “We were having a bit of a walk while we talked something over.”
“Yes, exactly,” said Turtle, “and that’s why it’s so good to see you, Pooh. You can be a Great Help to us.”
“Oh,” said Pooh, “I’ll try, Turtle. Do you need some hunny? I have lots back home, but I didn’t bring any with me.”
“Oh no,” said Turtle, “you can provide a Great Help to us by helping us decide something. We three are discussing the Question of Vocabulary. Whether it is a Good Thing to know my favorite sort of words, which are old words such as ‘prandicle.’ And whether it is a Good Thing to know Otter’s favorite sort of words, which are obscure words such as…er, would you have an example, Otter?”
“Oneiromancy,” suggested Otter.
“Yes, like that one,” said Turtle. “Or the third option, put forth by Owl, which is…well, Owl, why don’t you explain.”
“Thank you, Turtle,” said Owl. “My position, Pooh, is that Vocabulary is all well and good if you enjoy that sort of thing, but as my second cousin Sophia Serval opined last October at the…”
“Excuse me, Owl,” said Otter, “but you’re related to a SERVAL?”
“Er, quite, quite,” said Owl, slightly flustered at the interruption.”
“But you are an Owl,” pointed out Otter, rather obviously, “and a serval is…”
“As I was saying,” continued Owl, “Vocabulary is all well and good if you enjoy that sort of thing, but as a means of communing with your fellow residents of…that is, with your neighbors, Vocabulary is not a Good Thing at all. More than the usual, of course,” he added.
“Yes, there you have it,” said Turtle quickly, before Owl could continue. Which Owl would, everyone knew. “We have three opinions, and left on our own we would never be able to arrive at a decision. That’s why we need you, Pooh.”
“Oh,” said Pooh, who still wasn’t quite sure what they wanted. Then he brightened. “Oh look, there’s Eeyore!” he said. “Eeyore, here I am! That is, here we are!”
“Good day to everyone,” said Eeyore glumly. “If it is good. Which I doubt,” he added. “Are you all here to play poohsticks?”
“That’s why I’m here,” said Pooh, “but I don’t about the others. They wanted me to help them with something.”
“Oh,” said Eeyore. “Help. Assistance. A leg up. And then over the fence and you’re left behind on your own. As usual,” he said.
“Er…yes, Eeyore, we were looking for help resolving a question about vocabulary,” said Otter.
“Vocabulary,” said Eeyore. “A thing Rabbit likes,” he said bitterly.
“Oh, Rabbit has an opinion on vocabulary?” said Turtle. “Perhaps we should look him up…”
“…just your own preference,” said Eeyore. “Go look at http://testyourvocab.com if you must. Come along Pooh, let’s go play Poohsticks.”
Pooh and Eeyore walked off toward the bridge where they started their game of poohsticks, leaving Owl, Turtle, and Otter behind.
“Well, well,” said Otter. “That wasn’t much help after all.”
“You chaps should come to my house,” said Owl. “It’s quite close, and I have my computer set up. We can peruse that site Eeyore recommended. I’ll serve tea.”
“That would provide an excellent patration to our discussion,” said Turtle.
“Superlative,” added Otter.
