That same day, the southeastern point of Koalaville was filled with activity. Seated at the council table were Judge Grandaddy and Handy. They were engaged in interviewing one koala after another, who approached them one by one from a line that had formed, extending twenty yards or so into the grove. They had heard that the government was looking for about twenty koalas to supervise the assigning of trees in Eucalyptus Grove to the koalas who were moving there. This was, of course, a necessary precaution, to assure that the transition from one grove to the other went as smoothly as possible.
'Next!' Handy called out. 'Step right this way!'
'Hello, Handy, Judge. My name is Foowary. I hear you need some help.'
'Yes, indeed,' Grandaddy responded. 'Are you good at counting? That is, do you know your numbers?'
'Yes, of course, sir. I can count to a thousand, and even beyond that, if I concentrate.'
'And I suppose you can read and write, too?' Handy inquired.
'Yes, pretty well, actually, though to be honest, my spelling isn't always perfect.'
'And does this map make any sense to you?' Handy pointed to the map of Eucalyptus Grove that Maki Koala had delivered to him to use that day (though she had insisted he return it to her at the end of the day, as she wanted to continue to improve it over the next week or so).
'Hmmm,' Foowary responded, studying it carefully, 'I could be wrong, but from the size and shape of that grove, I'd say it's Eucalyptus Grove – just like it says here at the top of it.
Hey, that was easy enough!' Foowary chuckled.
'Just wanted to be sure you could read,' Grandaddy explained. 'Okay, you're hired.
You'll be paid with a two months' supply of honey, nuts and berries, but only after the migration has been made and all the koalas have been assigned their new trees. You'll be working eight hours a day, for between five and eight days. Do you accept these conditions?'
'Sounds good to me!' Foowary smiled.
'Then press your hand down on this ink pad,' Handy told him, 'then on this contract, and on the copy.'
Foowary did as he was told, and had thus signed his work contract and a copy with his hand print, considered legally to be more binding than a mere signature, since a print was next to impossible to forge. Next to the print, Grandaddy carefully wrote in 'Foowary Koala' in clear block-type letters on both copies, then handed one to Foowary.
'You are to report for work a week from today, at 7:30 am.'
'7:30 am!' Foowary was surprised. 'That's ungodly early, Judge!'
'Hey, do you want the job or not?' Handy asked impatiently.
'Well, yeah, of course, but do I have to start so early every day?'
'The first day, it'll be 7:30, since we have to give you instructions. Every day after that, you will begin at 8:30,' Grandaddy explained.
'Well, that's a little better, I guess,' Foowary replied.
'Okay, you're finished for now. See you next week!' Handy dismissed Foowary. 'Next!'
'Good day, dear sirs,' Kudamono greeted them as he approached the table.
'Uh, hello,' Grandaddy responded. 'Your name?'
'My name is Kudamono, and I respectfully request the honor of being permitted to perform my civic duty by assisting you in the admirable work of facilitating our migration to our new domicile.'
'Huh?' Handy was surprised to hear such talk.
'You sure have a rather peculiar way of saying it, but you seem to get the idea,' Grandaddy said. 'I guess it would be superfluous to ask whether you can read and write?'
'In all humility, I must truthfully state that I am perfectly literate, and will doubtlessly be able to serve you well as far as it pertains to my skill in the arts thou hast mentioned.'
'Uh, yeah, right, I thought so,' Handy responded, not knowing whether this koala was serious, or whether he was playing some kind of strange prank. 'Your pay will be a two months' supply of honey, nuts…'
'Oh, no, thou needest say no more,' Kudamono interrupted him. 'I would not think of receiving compensation for the labor I am gladly willing to provide, since I feel that being of aid in the noble cause of improving our condition by migrating to a superior grove is more than ample recompense for me.'
'Uh, does that mean you don't want us to pay you anything for your work?' Handy asked, a bit confused.
'Precisely. May I suggest that any payment reserved for me be distributed among the elderly, to those who are not able to seek out delicious nourishment on their own?' Kudamono suggested.
'Okay, we'll give your food to the old koalas, fine. Very kind of you to make such an offer. Now sign here and here with your hand print,' Grandaddy instructed.
Kudamono did so, then bade them farewell. 'Adieu, my friends. I thank thee, Judge Grandaddy, and also thee, Handy, for the efforts you both are making to assure the good of our citizens, and I wish you a good day.'
After he had gone, Handy remarked to Grandaddy, 'Wow, that is one strange koala. Where did he learn to talk like that?'
'Well, he and several other koalas here in Koalaville had parents who weren't originally from here. They immigrated to Koalaville after a natural disaster in their grove, that was situated somewhere up on the eastern edge of the Great Koala Plain, had wiped out most of them. From what I've heard, all the koalas there talked like that, and the parents of the koalas from Kudamono's generation taught them to speak in their peculiar manner, so that they would not forget their origins,' Grandaddy explained to him.
'Oh, okay. Sure sounds weird, though. I thought he was making fun of us at first. Seemed like a decent koala, though,' Handy replied.
'Oh, yes. Those of his clan are known for their great integrity. If all of our koalas were as honorable as Kudamono and his kind, my job as Judge would be a lot easier, that's for sure.'
'Excuse me, sirs,' the next koala, who had stepped up to the table, interrupted them.
'Oh, yes, right. Now, what is your name?' Handy asked.
And thus went the morning, until Grandaddy and Handy had personally selected twenty koalas who seemed willing and able to do the job required of them. It was now one pm.
'I think I'll have a little nap before lunch. What about you, Handy?'
'Sounds like a good idea. That meeting we're going to have at five o'clock with the King and the other councilmembers might go on till dark, so we'd better get some sleep now if we don't want to doze off in the middle of it. See you later, Grandaddy!'
'Bye, Handy. See you after lunch,' he responded, and each walked off to his tree to get some shut-eye.