Hat Day

The Cat and the Fox were going to a hat shop. The two friends decided they wanted to get matching hats because that would be an enduring symbol solidifying their friendship for the rest of their lives. When the two got to the hat shop they found that it was closed on Fridays.

What an unfortunate event.

"Well, what do we do now?" Harold, the Cat, asked the Fox.

"Jeez-Louise, I have no idea." Manjit, the Fox, replied.

The two friends stood on the sidewalk, both at a loss as to what to do next.

"Should we try the door again?" Manjit asked.

This struck Harold as a particularly odd suggestion. The door was clearly closed and they had already tried it once. Not to mention the big sign that said *"Sorry, we're closed"* seemed to make the situation pretty cut and dry.

"Was that a dumb idea?" Manjit conceded.

"It wasn't great, Manjit" Harold responded, "But at least ideas are being generated."

The two continued to stare at the closed hat shop for a long time. As if they were trying to will the shop to all of a sudden open its doors. Then the two could search the whole store and find the exact right matching hats that would cement their friendship for all time.

But staring at the door did not work. Without the hats how would anyone know the two were friends forever? What a difficult predicament they were in.

"Do you have any other ideas?" Harold asked Manjit.

"Hmm... Honestly, no, I tapped out at trying the door again, sorry." Manjit replied.

"No worries it's my turn to think of an idea anyway," Harold offered.

Harold began to think very hard. He thought so hard he could feel his brain pushing against his head. This might have been the hardest Harold had ever thunk.

"I got it!" He said, after some time, "Let's try to see if the door opens!"

Manjit looked at Harold askance.

"You're kidding me right?" Manjit said, "I had that idea a second ago and you said it wasn't a good idea. Do you remember that?"

"Yeah, I remember that," Harold replied. "But honestly, if you wanted to try the door again, then as your friend, since it wouldn't actually hurt anyone and wouldn't waste that much time I should have just said let's try it."

Manjit smiled at Harold, what a good friend and a nice gesture. Manjit went up to the door. He reached for the handle. Pulled it. It was locked.

Damn. The hat store really do be closed on Fridays.

"Still nothing, huh?" Harold asked.

"Nope, now what do we do --"

Just then the door opened and an angry-looking mole wearing a bowler hat poked his head out.

"How long are you two going to stand there when I clearly have a sign up that says I'm closed!" The mole shouted. "I'm trying to get some shut-eye on my day off and twice in the span of 2 minutes I hear you folks trying to open my door like I don't have a sign up!"

Harold and Manjit were frozen. They did not want to make this mole any madder than he already was. They also didn't want to take any more of his time on his day off, which seemed very precious to the mole.

"Now go away!" The mole yelled, "And here, take these with ya!"

The mole tossed two hats at Harold and Manjit. They both looked at the hats, blue with white lettering that said:

"AND STAY OUT!"

"Well hey," Manjit said, "That worked out!"

"It sure dude, friend, it sure did."

The two put on their new hats and went off for their next adventure.