Rocky Adventure - While You Were Away

Our trip was more than enough to keep us talking about extravagant adventures long after our arrival back into the "civilized" world. Though the trees would be missed, the mucky water and versatile array of so many different sounds (I do believe I heard a very big dog...I mean very!).

But even after some time spent sunbathing while the old man trapped fish with his stick and string (I figure fish must be just like cat since the trick works for both), I soon grew tired of trekking around in this jungle of a forest. Izzy however seemed to love the limitless space where his long legs could actually get stretched out and really put to the test. He might have beaten me in one or two races, but we're not going to talk about that right now.

Our trip had led us far astray from the ritualistic habits of our regular world. There were plenty of newspapers piled up on the walkway and the house smelled very "ticklish" in the old sniffer. I was sure to inspect every nook and cranny, just like my very important job entails, but there was nothing out of the ordinary. Though, I did detect a faint aroma of the neighbors. I wonder how they're doing.

The backyard was next, guaranteeing me a conversation with a few friends. Thieves and Buck were waiting. I guess they heard all the commotion upon our arrival. Happy indeed, I began telling them about the moon in the water and how Izzy...uh...threw me in. Yeah, that's how it went, at least from my perspective.

Then we moved on to what's been going on around here. And that's were things really got interesting. As it happens, there was a prowler on the loose a few nights ago. It was quite possibly the same night I had taken a most undesirably sticky bath.

 

"Well, first the kitten came," Buck started his story, at which point my attention had begun to wander away. Until he said, "But, after the kitty cat ran off, the man showed up. He was all covered up, just like a ninja off the video box. But he didn't have a sword. Yep, no sword." His expression turned deep into thought with his last words and he seemed to have forgotten the rest of the story. So I brought things back into perspective with a bark.

"Oh yeah, and then he started messing with your door. You know- your door. I never figured they made doggy-doors for humans. After all, they have their own doors to use. But, he was rather persistent about getting through that little door." Buck paused and glanced up at the sky with a smile. He sure seemed proud of himself.

"Well...what did you do?" I asked very impatiently (it's now very clear to me why Izzy hates it when I tease him the same way).

"I 'arruffed' at him," Buck affirmed with a nod of his head. His ears flapped around. I have to admit, Buck's "arruff" is almost deafening, not to mention all the slobber that flies out like a web of sticky slime. He waited for me clean the slobber off my face then proceeded with his story, "That's when the man started trying to tell me to 'be quiet.' So I told him about how I'm not even quiet when I'm supposed to be. That only made him mad, but I am very persuasive. By the way, the fence is broken now." Sure enough, one of the boards was broken at the bottom, enough room for Buck to fit through. "Why don't you come over and play for a little while? We can play 'ball' or 'stick' or 'race.'

I shook my head no for now. I was still on my inspection-mission. But, it is very satisfying to know that I have good neighbors that will keep an ear out and a nose turned when I'm not around. And in a strange way, it is quite wonderful to be home after a trip. After all, you never really think about how different your den is from the rest of the world. Some dogs travel, some don't, but I go where the old man goes, so if it brings me to a new world, I'm right there with him, ready for the next adventure. Until then, we'll be having our adventures at home- where I can keep my eye on things.