Charlie Rose and Ethan.
On Thursday, two days before it was time to leave my farm home, the family decided we were going to town. Going to town meant we got to ride on the big bench in the back of the old blue van. The trip would take a long time, even as long maybe, as one whole hour. This is what I was told, because I had never, ever been in a car or van. It sounded exciting.
All day I was full of questions. Who was going? Why were we going? Were we all going? Mum answered all my questions that she simply did not know the answers, but there were some little things she learned on one ride she went on with her brothers, Mac Duff, Mac Doodle, and Mac Ginty. She learned to behave when riding in the van, or else you may not be asked to go again. Her brothers only got to go once and they were never, ever asked to go again. She said it was a naughty family secret and I must not tell, but she would tell me so I did not try some of the tricks they did. This is what she told me:
All four of them sat on the back bench in the van. She just sat and watched the people in front and looked out the window. This is not what her brothers did. Mac Duff lay on the bench for the whole trip and chewed the seat belt until he made a big hole. Mac Doodle stood up on his back feet looking out the window with his front paws on the leather below the window and scratched it. Dear Mac Ginty peed all over the floor. When they got to town and the family opened the slider door of the van, they were very upset at all the mischief that had been done. The seat belt was ruined, the leather was scratched and shredded, and the floor was smelly and wet.
Mum thought only she and I would go as we would be easier to watch and she told me I must be very, very good.
The big day came. Mum’s leash and collar were put on so she could trot over the gravel path to the van. I was carried. When the door was opened I could see the long bench I was told about, and it was covered with a bright pink furry comforter. Mum jumped up over the door sill and onto the bench. Not me, I was gently put down on the furry space. I snuggled down and promised myself to be very very good. The van started, there was a humming sound and we began to move. For a moment my tummy felt a little wobbly so I leaned against Mum who was sitting up ever so straight. As I leaned, I listened to the sound of the van, felt the breeze come in the window, and felt Mum’s paw resting on my back. I was sooooo comfy. Next I knew, I heard the sliding door as it opened. I shook my head, blinked my eyes, and thought to myself ‘what a gerflunkin silly thing I have done. I have missed the whole trip’. (In case you don’t know, the funny word gerflunkin, is a word only naughty grown ups use, but I say it in my head sometimes when I am a little cross,) While I was waking up and doing my thinking, the door was opened wide, Momsy hopped down, and quickly her leash and collar were checked. I was scooped up in someone’s arms. I looked about. We were in front of a store that had windows full of toys and things just for dogs and puppies. I wished to myself, ‘please take me in’ and before I knew it, my wish came true.
Inside, it smelled delicious. I sniffed dog crumbles somewhere nearby, but we did not stop. As I listened, I heard : “Puppy Collars and Leashes Please.” We walked to the back of the store, and soon I was being fitted for a lovely pink polk-a-dot collar. I wiggled and squirmed, but in no time the thing was fastened and I was plopped down on the floor. I shook my head and scratched at the collar, but it just wouldn’t come off.
Everyone was looking at leashes, discarding some as too heavy and others as not strong enough. I watched for a moment, a little bored, so began to sniff the air. Ahha! Sniff sniff, CRUMBLES. I started to snoop around and began to run as the smell got stronger. In no time, I found them. They were in a red bin just my height, so I poked my long nose in and took one. One became two, two became four, and I just sat happily munching.
All too soon I heard my name being called and Mum skidded to my side with her brows furrowed and a not too happy look on her face. She was almost shouting when she said:
“What are you doing?” “Those are NOT for you.”
I hung my head down and gave her a sad look as I didn’t like to be in trouble, but she did not stop her ranting:
“The crumbles you were eating are not for puppies, they are for large grown-up dogs. You may have a tummy ache tonight. The bin has a sign on it---
CRUMBLES FOR SALE for large dogs, one bag full for $5.00.
The people who own this store sell things for dogs to make money to buy things and food for their family. Taking something from a store is called shop lifting or stealing because you have taken something which does not belong to you.”
Soon a crowd had gathered around us because of all the noise Mum was making---“Arf Arf, Yip Yap, Arf Arf Arf” and so on. I think they figured out what happened because Mum was so noisy, and tears were pouring out of my eyes. When the store owner came he looked very cross at first, so cross I thought he might slap my bottom, but I think he changed his mind when he saw how cranky Mum was. Not soon enough for me, our family came by and swooped us up and out to the van. I slept all the way home and have never, ever thought about shop lifting or stealing again. I learned it could be dangerous for me and it was not a kind and loving thing to do.
I thought I had forgotten all about this horrible time until I heard something tonight. Mrs Thistle, the lady who loves and takes care of me, had a Mom named Lisa, and her boys come to visit. Garrett, the oldest boy was mowing the lawn perfectly, and he even cleaned up my “messes”. Ethan, his younger brother, came for conversation. I listened, and I tell you he was interesting, he told good stories, and he was curious about everything. He even asked Mrs Thistle what she was writing on her computer. When she told him it was my story about stealing, he had a whopper story of his own. It went something like this:
Not long ago he was shopping with his Mom for important things for their house. He passed the gum and candy rack in the store and began to whine---
“Mom, I need some bubble gum. Mom, please, I do, I do and so on”, but Mom was really busy getting the “important things” so she did not really listen to him. In a flash, he ran back to the bubble gum and stuffed a pack into his pocket. He didn’t say anything, but when he got home he took it to his room and hid it in his sock drawer. He thought it would not be a good idea to chew it that night.
The next day, while he was at school, his Mom was putting his clean socks away in the drawer and you can guess what she found. I bet, you can imagine what happened when he came home that day. I could tell you more of what he said, but I shall just tell you the end of his adventure. That night his Mom took him back to the store to give the gum to the Security Guard and say he was sorry. He said the HUGE man shouted and yelled, wore an black uniform with mean looking things hanging from it which scared him a bit, and was just “big and horrid.” I think Ethan learned the same thing I did; shop lifting and stealing was just NOT FUN.
Have you ever tried to have an adventure like Ethan or me? I hope not, because it sure was not fun for us, and I hope the things you do are FUN FOR YOU.
Love, Charlie Rose
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoox
In the story about being careful with the world, you will meet Leroy the cat, a mother goose and maybe even you will hear about Matilda the otter. I am sorry you will have to hear about a bad day I had, not being very careful.
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