Royal Meerkats

I am picking large, blood-colored strawberries that were grown by the royal meerkat family, which I suspect is/are [depending on whether they really are] British. They do not believe in eating their own strawberries, so I gather a basketful of them from the stawberry plants by the lush green side gates. A two-dimensional cartoon girl with yellow pigtails approaches me and tells me I am very lucky to be one of the chosen few to join the royal meerkats. Together we walk up a green hill to the royal meerkat gathering.

In a classroom-like cave, the royal meerkats sit at long desks. They look Cambodian, and some are dressed in colorful silk clothing: turquois, bright pink, light green. The other girl and I are the last to arrive. The Royal Meerkat Matron at the front of the classroom tells us we must draw names from a box and pair off to practice for the royal wedding/mating ritual. Princes and princesses pair off together, and then princes and princes ("Wear a wig," the Matron says). Finally the elder prince is left by himself, and the Matron says, "Do it to yourself, you're used to it by now anyways."