Meerkat Minor Ch. 1

Malcolm didn't like oatmeal.
It was slimy and bulgy as it oozed down his throat. He stabbed at it with his pointer finger and watched as it rebounded back into place.

"Malcolm!" scolded his mother. "We are guests. Be polite."
Malcolm drew his hand back from his oatmeal, slouching in a well-practiced sulk.

He missed home. Back in South Africa he would have spent the morning searching for centipedes and munching on millipedes with his best friend Fritz. But here in Oklahoma, Malcolm wasn't having very much fun. Oatmeal was a boring breakfast.

"Malcolm, your Aunt Peach and I are going to visit a couple of friends. You stay within sight of her home, you understand?"
"Yes, ma'am." Aunt Peach wasn't his real aunt. She and his mother had been friends for so long, that Malcolm grew up calling her "aunt."
"We'll be home by dinner. Stay out of trouble. Read a book. Don't sulk."

Malcolm sighed. Oklahoma. What could he do in Oklahoma? He didn't have much hope. But being a young meerkat (a minor, so to speak), Malcolm hoped he would be able to find something to do. Maybe. Once he got rid of this oatmeal and found something more appetizing.