THE LOVABLE ROAD TO RECOVERY

I DON'T KNOW IF THE OTHER DOGS GENTLE APPROACH TO ME WAS OUT OF SYMPATHY OR THE FACT THAT THEIR OWNERS SEEM TO HAVE TAKEN A SHINE TO SOMEONES ANOREXIC LITTLE GERBIL, FOR SOME REASON?

EITHER WAY I WAS THANKFUL FOR THE LACK OF DRAMA...

WITH ALL THE  STRENGTH I HAD LEFT IN MY TINY LITTLE BODY, I LOOKED UP AT DEE AND THE BIG GUY WITH MY EXHAUSTED LITTLE EYES AND HOPED THEY COULD HEAR WHAT I WAS THINKING...THANKS MOM...THANKS DAD....

 AND THEN I LAID DOWN ON THE FLOOR...AND QUIETLY FELL SLEEP

I WAS ABRUPTLY AWAKENED IN THE MORNING BY THE ABSOLUTE INSANITY OF WHAT I TRULY THOUGHT WAS SOME KIND OF LOUDEST BARKING DOG CONTEST MY NEW OWNERS HAD ENTERED ME IN.
I JUMPED UP AND BOLTED INTO THE KITCHEN...
AND BARKED LIKE A SEA LION!

JUST LIKE THAT, ALL THE OTHER DOGS COMPLETELY STOPPED BARKING AT THE EXACT SAME MOMENT. IT WAS AS IF SOMEBODY HAD SUDDENLY HIT A MUTE BUTTON OR SOMETHING.

THE WHOLE HOUSE LOOKED AT ME IN TOTAL DISBELIEF.

I THINK THEY WERE ALL EXPECTING ME TO SQUEAK LIKE OLD JEWELRY BOX HINGE OR SOMETHING, BUT THAT WASN'T GONNA HAPPEN. I'M A LITTLE, BITTY THING! IF I FEEL THE NEED TO BE HEARD...I WILL BE HEARD...AND YOU CAN BET YOUR FAVORITE CHEW TOY ON THAT...Y'ALL!

ONCE AGAIN I COULD HEAR THEIR THOUGHTS, AS I CONTINUED BARKING LIKE A  WELL-PAID AUCTIONEER!

AND THEN SUDDENLY JUST LIKE THAT, I STOPPED BARKING TOO! 

AND WHILE I LISTENED TO THEIR THOUGHTS...I GAVE EM...'THE LOOK'

            
                                                          YEAH...THAT ONE!

MOLLY WAS THINKING..."OH NO YOU DIT'INT!,,,BECAUSE IF YOU JUST DID?...THIS COULD BE A PROBLEM LITTLE MISS RAG-A-MUFFIN DOG! I MEAN, YOU MIGHT BE ALL CUTE AND WHATNOT, AND I'M REAL SORRY SOMEBODY FORGOT TO FEED YOU...EVER..
BUT AROUND HERE, I AM 'BARKER IN CHIEF!' AND YOU NEED TO RESPECT THAT, SO ONE DAY I WON'T HAVE TO BARK THOSE BOAT SAILS YOU CALL EARS OFF! YOU FEELING ME LITTLE THING?"

TIKA'S THOUGHTS WERE SCREAMING AT THE TOP OF THEIR LUNGS... "TURN IT OFF! TURN IT OFF! MAKE IT STOP! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE!? ARE YOU CRAZY!
I'M SOOOOO FREAKING OUT AGAIN!..AHHHHHHHHHH!"

KACI JUST STARED AT ME...LICKING HER CHOPS WITH WAY MORE ANTICIPATION THAN I WAS COMFORTABLE WITH.
(MENTAL NOTE TO SELF, "BE AFRAID...NO, DON'T BE AFRAID..THAT WILL NEVER DO...BE FRIGHTENED! YES! THAT'S IT! BE FRIGHTENED, BE VERY, VERY FRIGHTENED!

AND MERLIN?
MERLIN WAS THINKING...""DANG! IF I COULD BARK LIKE THAT, I WOULD JUST BARK THE SQUIRRELS OUT OF THOSE TREES! NOW DON'T GO BURSTING A LUNG THERE LITTLE LADY...YOU MIGHT WANNA SAVE SOME OF THAT NOISE FOR RUNNING OFF DEER IN THE BACK YARD LATER!"

WHEN I FINALLY FOUND THE OFF SWITCH TO MY OWN VOLUME KNOB, MY NEW MOM DEE LOOKED DOWN AT ME WITH A BIG SMILE ON HER FACE AND SAID, "WE'RE GOING TO GO TO THE VET TODAY AND GET YOU CHECKED OUT!"

WHAT I WAS HOPING I HEARD HER SAY WAS, "WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO WITH ME TODAY AND CHECK OUT MY CORVETTE?" BUT THEN I REALIZED, THEY DIDN'T HAVE A CORVETTE...

SO..NOW I'M THINKING, UNLESS THESE TWO ARE FORMER U.S. MILITARY...THE ONLY OTHER KIND OF VET THAT COMES MY MIND, ARE THOSE PUPPY-POKING, SHOT-GIVING, KIND, I OVERHEARD A COUPLE OF POODLES TALKING ABOUT A WHILE BACK.

I JUST WANTED TO FEEL BETTER...THAT'S ALL...

WE LEFT FOR THE VET'S OFFICE JUST AROUND THE CORNER...

WHEN I COME BACK NEXT TIME, I'LL HAVE SOME REALLY GREAT NEWS AND SOME OTHER NOT QUITE-SO-GREAT NEWS TO SHARE WITH YOU.

O.M.G.! MY FIRST CLIFF HANGER!

TALK TO YOU SOON!