Beethoven the amulet theif

I love to say that I have a friend and his name is Beethoven.  He does not write music but he is really a lovely pianist.  He can play any music that was written by another soul.  I listen to him often but I must say that I fear he is close to a mental health crisis in that he really wanted to be a composer and just could not write a lick.   It was a good day one morning when I called upon Beethoven.  He answered his door and invited me in his home.  I sat down and in 10 minutes I composed my own tune that he really liked.  He was able to play it from memory and has even performed it for many people in the time since I have visited him that morning.  The problem is that Beethoven has a dog named Ike and Ike is a special basset hound that likes to eat tea leaves.  The tea leaves were easy enough to get ahold of but it was Beethoven's secret.  If he told anyone else where to get the tea leaves, they would all race to get as much as they would hold and Beethoven worried that Ike would have nothing to eat in the future as the supply may fail.  So when we took Beethoven to the hospital one day, I told him I would care for Ike.  Ike needed tea leaves and I asked Beethoven whom I had known for many years where I could get the tea leaves.  Sadly Beethoven refused to tell me and I must report that in the three weeks Beethoven was in the hospital, Ike has died and been buried.   It is a sad tale but alas Ike was just a dog.  And Beethoven was really the only one who loved the dog Ike.  Ike was no more and Beethoven healed in three weeks to a good level and went home.  Now Beethoven noticed that he could indeed compose small licks of musical talents.   I must say that I was in envy of Beethoven because his musical compositions haunted the soul. But that said, Ike was no more.  And Ike was a very special dog.  Ike used to bring Beethoven his slippers at night.   Now Beethoven walked barefooted throught the house but said that everything was wonderful.  Beethoven chose not to get another dog because it was really the tea leaves that made him love Ike.  And now the secret tea leave collection is public knowledge.  But that doesn't bring Ike back and that doesnt bring Beethoven his slippers at night.  I miss Ike a little bit, but maybe someday Beethoven will find another dog who may indeed like tea leaves.  But if that happens, poor Beethoven is in for a surprise, for everyone knows where to get tea leaves now.  And if he had only trusted a true friend, he would have had tea leaves, Ike his slippers and maybe been a composer too.  I'm sorry, but it really just irks me when I drink tea today!