Cedric the Squirrel had a problem. A big, juicy, delicious problem. It was Mr. Henderson’s steak, grilling merrily on the patio just ten feet away. Cedric, a connoisseur of acorns and the occasional discarded french fry, had never seen anything so magnificent. He’d been eyeing it for an hour, plotting his heist.
First, he needed reconnaissance. He scampered up the oak tree, his bushy tail twitching with excitement. From his vantage point, he could see Mr. Henderson, engrossed in a crossword puzzle, completely oblivious to the delicious danger hanging precariously close.
“Operation Steak Snatch is a go!” Cedric whispered to himself, adjusting his tiny acorn-sized helmet (a thimble, really).
His plan was simple yet audacious. He would use his superior squirrel agility to swoop down, grab a piece of the steak, and then vanish before Mr. Henderson even noticed a single missing bite.
He launched himself, a furry projectile aiming for steak perfection. He landed with a soft thud on the grill’s edge, a perfect little bandit. He reached for the sizzling meat… but just then, Mr. Henderson looked up.
“Well, hello there, little friend,” Mr. Henderson chuckled, his eyes twinkling. “Fancy a bite?” He gently picked up Cedric, who was now sporting a tiny piece of charcoal on his nose, and offered him a… peanut.
Cedric, momentarily stunned, stared at the peanut. Then, at the steak. Then, back at the peanut. The punchline? Cedric actually preferred peanuts. The grand steak heist ended with a satisfied squirrel happily munching on a tiny legume.
