Snow Ears's Dilemma

Snow Ears stared across the cabbage at Grocer Hare, who was now scratching and rubbing one ear as he thought over the question that Snow Ears had asked, Would he cut off his ears if he knew that it would bring him up the food chain hierarchy?

After a few more munches on the fresh cabbage leaves and some more vigorous rubbing of his ear, Grocer Hare said, “Well, it is a difficult decision to make. It must be nice, however, to be higher up the food chain. Then maybe you can get a sexy wild-cat as your girlfriend.”

Snow Ears said, “Yes, I know what you mean. I will definitely get more respect from those females. The last one I dated tried to eat me for dinner.”

“Definitely get you more respect. Dr. Scales is a great animal and he knows a lot of things because he keeps a tab on everything. I think you should listen to his suggestion. It is not often that rodents like us get advice from someone so high up the food chain.”

“But it will be painful.”

“Oh, don’t be so sissy. Nothing in life is easy. Look at me, I’ve been working my paws off and I still barely eke out a living.”

“But I thought you have begun a self-service system where you don’t have to run about for your customer anymore.”

“The system you introduced was good, but some rats figured a way around it and I started to lose a lot of merchandise. I had to go back to the old way of doing things. Dr. Scales was also pleased that I have returned to the old method of doing things.”

“What a pity,” Snow Ears said, trying his best not to show his hurt feelings. “Why didn’t you tell me about your problem? Maybe we could have found a way to fix it.”

Grocer Hare raised his head as though to sniff the air then he turned back to Snow Ears and said, “Well, your idea was new and untested. I can’t afford to try things out and run a business at the same time. I hope you understand my friend. ”

Snow Ears rubbed his paws on the ground until it felt raw then he tugged on his ear, careful not to rub it, yet at the same time trying hard to think of something to say to his neighbor. However the pounding noise of pain in his paws, his ear and his self-worth was too loud for him to think.

Grocer Hare said, “I think you should take up Dr. Scales’s offer. It is mighty generous of him. Anyway, he suggested doing only half an ear for you, didn’t he? I bet if it was another rabbit, he would have insisted on both ears then it would have been really painful.”

“You are right. Anyone with any sense would be thankful to get any attention, let alone advice from someone like Dr. Scales.” Snow Ears pretended to snuffle the ground as he licked his paws.

“Ah, excellent. You are starting to see sense already. You are so lucky, getting this opportunity to succeed under the watchful care of such an animal.”

Snow Ears puffed his chest. “Yes, I am lucky. I have Mr. Goose to thank for it. He was the one who got me involved in this research.”

“Was he the one who got you out from jail? Terrible business.” Grocer Hare shook his head and shuddered. “I cannot imagine what life must be like with all those criminals.”

“It was terrifying I assure you. But Mr. Goose in his great intellect had figured out that I had not killed Mrs. Mouse. He is such a wise man.”

“And a very successful and rich one too. He and Dr. Scales are close friends are they not?”

“Oh yes. Very close indeed. In fact every time before Mr. Goose starts a venture he would ask for Dr. Scales’s advice.”

For the rest of the evening the two rabbits talked about Mr. Goose’s wealth and Dr. Scales’s intellect. By the time Grocer Hare was ready to leave, Snow Ears was convinced that he would become as successful and as rich as Goose because Scales had taken an interest in his life. So that night, he went to bed with a big smile on his face as he fantasized about how all of his troubles would disappear with just a little snip of his ear.

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