I looked into my back yard and there, in my pool, was a great dragon! He was lying on his back, his tail draped across the diving board, swishing slowly, his shimmery white scales sparkling in the sun. He was casually picking his teeth with a small branch from one of my trees, while thin tendrils of smoke curled out of his snout. The shimmery blue-green scales on his back and sides were mostly hidden under the water, yet he was quite colorful to look at.

But I just couldn't abide a dragon in my pool. Since he was picking his teeth, I assumed he had just eaten, so I ventured out to see about getting him to move on. I walked onto the diving board and out onto his belly before he noticed I was there. He looked down his snout at me and puffed a cloud of foul smelling sulfuric gas in my direction and went back to picking his teeth, ignoring me.
"Hey you, dragon, what are you doing in my pool, eh?" I demanded.

"Well," he rumbled, "I was just having a bar-B-que over at your neighbor's ranch. I had a good meal of four or five nicely toasted cows and was flying home when I saw your pool. I have a bad case of scale mite itch, and soaking in water seems to help. Your pool is close to the ranch, so I thought I would just hang out here for a few weeks. The rancher's cows are very plump and tasty, and not so far away. This is perfect for me."

"You can't stay here!" I said. "This will never do. You'll have to go. Please, leave at once!"

He casually tossed the small branch aside, looked down his snout at me once again and said, "Make me." With that, he puffed another foul cloud of brimstone at me and his chuckle rumbled deep in his chest.

I stormed off his belly and back into the house. I knew who I had to call.......

"Creature Cleaners, Chris Creature here, can I help you?"

"I hope so, I have a large mess in my pool that I need to get rid of."

"I have just the thing! Our Pool Polish Polliwogs will have your pool cleaned, polished and sparkling in no time!"

"No no, you don't understand, I err, have a err, well, a dragon in my pool. I want him out. Can you help?"

"Usually, we don't deal with other creatures sir." Chris said, and from his tone, I could imagine his eyes rolling up in his head.

"Wait! He told me he has scale mite itch and my pool makes it feel better. Don't you have something for that?" I had to ask, I was desperate!

"Well," he replied slowly, "We do have the Mighty Mite Maggots we are testing. They are only beta versions at the moment, but......well, we could give them a try! I'll send you a couple packs at half off, but I'll need your feedback so I can report back to the lab how they worked."

"Deal!" I was elated. "Please send them express, and thanks!"

I happily went back out to see the dragon and give him the news. "I have a deal for you," I told him. "If I can cure your scale itch, will you leave and not return?"

Smoke curled up from his snout as his tail moved slowly back and forth. He closed his yellow eyes in thought for a moment. "I'll have no need to soak in water if the itch is gone," he rumbled. "I'll leave you alone if you can cure the itch, and I will owe you a favor in return, maybe a few nicely toasted cows or sheep?"

"Don't worry about paying me back, I just want you gone."

One week later......

"Creature Cleaners, Chris Creature here, can I help you?"

"Hi Chris, remember me? You helped me with the dragon mite problem?"

"Of course I remember you, how did that all work out?"

"The Mighty Mite Maggots worked like a charm, now I have the...errr....mess...left by the dragon himself, if you know what I mean?"

"I know exactly what you mean. Happens all the time with dragons. No worries, I'll send over a six pack of Dragon Dung Beatles right away. Have your yard back in shape in no time! And I'll throw in some Pool Polish Polliwogs. I bet your pool can use a good cleaning by now."

"You're the man Chris! Thanks"

"Well, not really, but you're welcome, we aim to please!"