Once

Once stared at the new creature. He looked around plucking a  fruit from a nearby tree. He approached the other humming. “Hey there buddy.” He muttered softly holding out the fruit. 

Once laughed adjusting the coat on the other. “Oh, I doubt that. You have the confident stride but you look annoyed.” He said walking back to the closet he brought out a pair of long green gloves. “Maybe your hat isn’t big enough.” Once joked removing the other’s gloves and replacing them with his old green ones. “There we go.” He took a step back eyeing the other. “Your shirt should be white, the red is contrasting too much.” 

“Well I do make a point to understand what a fellow CEO sells.” Once said standing up straight smiling. “More to the point I need to know what I need to do to appeal to keep you out of bread and butter.” He said stoping in front of the man. Once reached in his back pocket taking out a pair of green gardner gloves. He pulled them on humming. 

“Oh dear, another big shot who thinks he’s all that and a slice of bread.” He laughed walking around the other looking at him. “My, my you certainly have generic evil scrooge look down, but what’s you plan? What exactly are you selling other then your charming personality?” 

“Nice top hat, do you think you’re the newest in big business or something?” He asked looking at the man that had come venturing through his forest. What was with all these people just walking into his now. He should really put up more signs. 

“I don’t know if green is your color.” He said looking at the visiting CEO. He placed a plate of cut  up Truffula fruit and a cup of tea down on the side table.  

He reached over taking the tuft from the man’s hand. “I own all this. I put a sign up reminding visitors to not pick from truffle trees.” He said shifting the bag dropping the tuft in to it. “Look, I, thanks but please don’t pick the tufts. If you want a product made out of them I sell that.” He informed the other running his gloved hands through his hair.  Once knew he had overreacted snatching the tuft out of the other’s hand. “Listen, this place is also a self-sustaining farm. I have to harvest the trees in segments and these ones aren’t really ready to be harvested yet.” He walked over a tree reachign up and plucking a fruit from it. He handed it to the other.  “Sorry for getting snippy. I’m Once-ler please call me Once.” He said smiling at shorter man. 

There was an influx in visitors lately and it was not doing the man much for his social skills. He picked up his axe starting to walk down where he could hear a voice. “Hello?” He said gripping the axe tightly looking at this human. “Can I help you?” 

Once grabbed a paw noting how anxious the other looked when Once had started to lecture. He started to lead the other to his home, “How about we get you settled and then start to try and get you home?” He said tossing his hat on to a side table, he looked at the small collection of unsold thneed before snapping his fingers picking up a yellow and pink one. “Watch this.” He said  starting to twist, tie and molded the material into a plush stripped cat.    He handed the toy cat to the bear before heading towards his kitchen. “Now how about a snack?”

Once stared at the creature that was moving through his forest. “Hello?” He asked feeling unsure at the sight of the creature. “Can I help you?”  

Once came down a hill his thneed bag resting on his back, he looked at the bag headed visitor that was “Hey! HEY!” He snapped starting to rush towards the man he saw pulling tufts off the tree. “Excuse me, but did you not see the sign at the entrance of the forest?” He said squinting at the other placing his gloved hands on his hips.