Madagascar

Chapter 16

With the setting sun casting beautiful colors on the horizon, Julien and Maurice rode a pair of ostriches along the edge of the giraffe's dying hole area. The birds were followed by an entourage of flamingos. Maurice wasn't good at riding one. Misty was telling the whole story to them.

Misty: And then I explain the other animals about my story...

Maurice: Huh. They seemed to like your story a lot since we landed here.

Misty: Of course. Ain't that right, Jewel?

Jewel nodded her head as Julien stopped.

Julien: Look, Maurice! Here's the perfect spot for my summer palace! So please fill in all these holes and relocate the riff-raff.

Then Julien noticed Melman's head sticking out of one of the holes, laying flat on the ground despondently.

Julien: Oh. Who'd leave a perfectly good head?

Misty looked over and recognized him.

Misty: Melman? Is that you?

Melman: Yeah. It's me alright.

Maurice: What a waste.

Melman: Tell me about it. I'm in my prime here. I'm terminal, you know? I probably only have another two days left to live.

Maurice: That's a bummer, man.

Misty: What happened to your friends?

Melman sighed as his glasses slumped.

Melman: They broke up.

Misty and Jewel felt sorry for him. Julien poked his head from behind Misty.

Julien: If I, King Julien... that's my name....only had two days left to live, I would do all the things I've ever dreamed of doing.

Melman: Like what?

Julien: I'd love to become a professional whistler. I'm pretty amazing at it now, but I want to get even better, make my living out of it. You know what else I would do? I would invade a neighboring country and impose my own ideology, even if they didn't want it!

Melman: Easy for you to say. You're a king.

Julien: Yes. And you are only just a sad little head. There must be something you want to do before you die!

Melman: Well, there is this one thing.

Julien: What? Tell me.

Melman: No, I couldn't.

Julien: What is it?

Melman: You know, I never told Gloria how I feel about her.

Julien: What is it? Please tell me! Fine. Don't tell me!

He started to leave on his ostrich but then he whirled around.

Melman: I never had the guts to tell Gloria how I feel about her. How I've always felt about her.

Misty: You're in love with her?

Melman: Yes..I am..

Misty beamed happily as Jewel poked her head up.

Julien: Oh...Is it a woman? You didn't tell me it's a woman.

Maurice: What are you afraid of? You're a dead man anyway.

Melman: Yeah. Yeah. You're right.

Julien leaned off the ostrich close to Melman's face.

Julien: Well, you've got to march right up to this woman. Look her right in the eye. Lean forward. Just a little, or almost all the way. Then you let her lean forward a little until you're....just lips' distance away from each other. Then you tell her how much you hate her.