Prompt: Class final assignment, apparently the squirrel talks so...

Hutchingson was walking up the steps to house when he noticed a squirrel sitting on the rail next to his door.

"What do you want?" He asked. He was putting the key in his door when the squirrel responded.

"Sorry for bothering you," the squirrel responded. "But my names Gregory and I-"

Hutchingson interrupted the squirrel. "You can talk?"

"Yes," replied Gregory. "Most squirrels can. So can the birds, but they don't have anything useful to say unless you're interested in seeds."

"But you're talking" Hutchingson repeated. He was pretty positive that Gregory rolled its eyes at him. Either the stress of the case had caused him to go a little crazy or there was an actual squirrel talking to him. Hutchingson refused to admit that he might be crazy.

"Moving on from me talking thing," Gregory said. "I was just dropping by to say that I am sorry for stealing your shiny round object and then breaking it."

"You're the squirrel that stole my pocket watch?" Hutchingson asked. He briefly wondered if squirrels had their own squirrel police, but then realized the absurdity of that.

"Yes," Gregory replied. "And I am trying to apologize for that."

"No need for that," Hutchingson said. "If you hadn't broken that watch then I wouldn't have been able to solve a murder case."

"Oh well then you're welcome," Gregory replied. He bobbed his head slightly. "I should be going. Lots to do before winter."

"It's the middle of the summer," Hutchingson said.

Gregory leaned back on his hind legs. "Never too early to start collecting nuts." He gave a little wave with his tail and then hopped off the railing and ran down the street.

Hutchingson let himself into his house and poured himself a large glass of very nice and very expensive brandy. He felt he deserved after the week he had.