Michael was sitting on his porch when Ned approached him.
“Hey, Michael, can I ask you a question?”
“Sure, Ned.”
“If you have animals living with you, what should you charge them for rent?”
“It depends on your relationship with their owner,” Michael said.
“No, I’m asking about charging the animals themselves.”
“What kind of animals are living with you?”
“Hypothetical question. But let’s just say it’s a border collie, a monkey, a bird named Gustav and a cat in a baseball cap.”
“Like the ones that were parading around your yard?” Michael asked.
“That was also a hypothetical,” Ned said. “But yeah, that kind of thing. What would you charge them in rent?”
“I mean, a room is like $900 a month in this neighborhood,” Michael said.
“Well, they don’t have money. Could I have them collect something for me, or perform a job?” Ned asked. He paused and looked at Michael’s stunned face. “Just forget it. I’m sorry I asked.”