Stanley Explains About The Unders April 11, 2021

 April 11, 2021

Me: Hi Stanley! I see you and Latte have started without me!

Stanley: Yes. We’re having a wonderful chat about the “Unders”.

Me: The “Unders”? Who are the Unders? Is that a new family in the bayou?

Stanley and Latte: <laughing out loud>

Stanley: No. No, it’s a whole different world underground.

Me: Oh wow! Really? An underground world? In our bayou?

Stanley: Yep! You know how Latte is always sniffing at the ground around the tree roots at Grandfather Tree? Well, she was asking me who lives down there. She’s too big to get through, but hears them all talking and laughing. She said there were some delicious smells coming up through there last night. Yummo!

Me: Really? I’ve seen her sniffing the ground around there and wondered what she was smelling. So that’s where the Unders live?

Stanley: Yup!

Latte: I’m so excited to find out about the Unders! I think they were having a big party down there last night! I wanted to go! Didn’t you hear me barking? It smelled so delicious!

Me: Wow! I did, but had no idea what you were barking about Latte. This is wonderful news. Who knew? We have another whole world living beneath us. Stanley please tell us more about the Unders.  Like, what do they look like?

Stanley: <chuckling> Well, they are all different, just like all of us are. There are many species that live underground. Some of them live both above and below. I know you know know a little about some of them. Surely you’re familiar with ants and moles. And what about worms, bees, termites, gophers, armadillos, and a whole bunch of different types of insects. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg! There are probably millions of different species that live underground and many of them are very evolved and sophisticated. We refer to them all as The Unders because of where they live.

Me: Oh! I get it. Hmmmm. Then what are we called? Those of us who live above the ground.

Stanley: That’s funny. We’re all called The Critters. You know that, right?

Me: Well I know you refer to The Critters often but I had no idea that humans might also be called The Critters by others like The Unders. Wow! Also, even though I’m aware some animals and insects live underground I never though about it being, you know, like another world or anything. This is blowing my mind. So what’s their world like? Is it like ours? I’m guessing they have families and communities? Do they have stores and restaurants and entertainment like we do?

Stanley: Well, of course they do. Why would you think they wouldn’t?

Me: You’re right, that’s very short-sighted of me. I had no idea. I really just hadn’t thought about it Stanley.

Stanley: It’s okay. The Unders kind of look at all of us Critters as somewhat primitive civilizations. They believe we are still in our our early stages of development.

Me: Oh. I see.

Latte: <laughing>