Please Do Not Feed the Seagulls

In a large green park on the edge of a small leafy village, a very hungry seagull strutted along the pathways in search of lunch.

He spotted a park attendant on a bench, stuffing something into her mouth.

CHOMP! CHOMP! CHOMP!

The seagull edged closer.

Chips! Yummy! Surely the park attendant would be happy to share — she had such a huge bag of chips in her lap.

“Give us a chip,” squawked the seagull. “Go on… pleeeeease.”

“No,” barked the park attendant.

“Why not?” pleaded the seagull.

The park attendant pointed to a nearby sign that read:

PLEASE DO NOT FEED THE PIGEONS!

“But I'm not a pigeon,” said the bird, puffing out its chest, “I’m a seagull. A very hungry seagull.”

The park attendant shrugged her pudgy shoulders. “Pigeon or seagull,” she said, “it makes no difference to me. Now, shoo! These are my chips and I’m not sharing them with pigeons or seagulls.”

The seagull shuffled away.

SHIFF! SHUFF! SHIFF! SHUFF!

The park attendant sniggered and crammed more chips into her mouth.

A few minutes passed. The seagull returned with a brush tied to its tail and sat upright mimicking a squirrel. Several hopeful-looking squirrels sat at a distance, watching and waiting to see what might happen next.

“May I have a chip, please?” asked the seagull-dressed-as-a-squirrel.

“No,” said the park attendant, rudely.

“Why not? I’m a squirrel and I am very, very hungry. I’m not a seagull. Please may I have a chip?”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” sneered the park attendant. “I can see that you are a seagull with a brush tied to your tail feathers. It’s obvious to me. I notice everything that goes on in this park. It is my special…