The Sleepover

I have an important job. I’m a shadow. Everywhere dad goes, I’m right there like a furry shadow. Sometimes, when we’re outside, there’s another shadow that looks a lot like dad. It almost never moves unless dad moves first; but, I can move whenever I want to. I’m like a super shadow.

So when I found out dad and I were taking a road trip, I was all excited to be a shadow with him someplace else!

Before I knew it, the process of leaving began in earnest. I tried to do my part and roll in some good stuff so I’d smell nice, but oh no… dad had to mess it up and give me a bath.

I have to admit I do feel a little cleaner afterward.

Turns out, traveling with me means bringing a lot of stuff! I even have my own duffel bag with a little me on it!

As we were driving for hours and hours and days and weeks and stuff, I asked dad where we were going. He said we were going up to Iowa, and I was going to get to stay with my friend Anna for a whole week! How awesome is that?

I didn’t even think to ask why dad was driving me clear up there, or where he was going. He just said, “her house is on the way” and “don’t worry, I’ll probably remember to come back for you.”

Dad has a twisted sense of humor.

We reached Anna’s house that afternoon and I immediately started getting to know everybody.

Well, almost everybody.

It turns out the house is ruled by a couple of cats, and they were less than thrilled at the new house guest. I learned pretty quickly that the big one is like a furry Transformer. She goes from, “I’m ignoring you” to, “I WILL KILL YOU AND EAT YOU FOR DINNER” in about a half second! It really freaked me out the first time, and I couldn’t run away fast enough on the wood floor. I was scampering and spinning on the hardwood while this psycho cat laughed maniacally in the background. Fortunately, the cats wardens, I mean owners, came to my rescue.

I was going to take dad aside and ask if leaving me here was really a good plan, when he gave me a hug and said, “have fun!” and left. Um dad? Shouldn’t we exorcise this thing first?

Thankfully, I had my kennel set up in a spare room, so I was safe from any marauding demons cats during the night.

The next day the cats and I reached a truce once they figured out I had my own food and wasn’t (overly) interested in theirs unless, you know, it was right there and I happened to be passing by. You know how it is.

Most of my day was spent hanging out with Anna in her office.

Just like when dad is at work, I started to get a little bored, so I decided to see if I could train her to throw a ball just like I trained dad. Spoiler alert — I can!

When she pretended to do work stuff and had to attend a meeting, I kept watch for squirrels or other pests like trash collectors, deer, and politicians.

We also went for a LOT of walks. Dad is definitely going to have to up his game in this department. Sometimes we took 3 or 4 walks in one day! I sniffed so much I think I strained my nose.

I even got a little closer to the lesser of the two evils…

We also took time to play…

… and I found another window where I could look out, though I always felt like I was being watched for some reason.

One afternoon after almost a month, I was half-asleep on the office floor when I heard a familiar engine and I knew dad’s truck was approaching the house. Sure enough, a couple minutes later there was a knock at the back door!

When dad came in I was so excited! I wagged so much I almost turned myself inside-out. I wouldn’t stop licking and jumping on him until he promised he was taking me with him.

Then dad and Anna wasted a lot of time talking about stuff when they should have been petting me, and then dad and I went to a hotel in town for the night.

Dad had a quilt that smelled like home that he threw on the bed, and arranged the extra pillows to make a wall for me, and I was asleep in 5 minutes.

The next morning dad said we were going to be driving home, and then he told me he was going to take a shower and I was not to walk into the shower.

Huh? I can’t walk through doors.

So I looked and wow, a shower with no doors! It was just a little room you could walk right into! I was good though and only got my paws wet after he was finished.

Then dad and I worked on a special skill where he tells me to wait, and leaves the room to get breakfast. It took a few iterations…

1. Leave, come back in a few seconds. I get a treat.
2. Leave, come back in a minute with a cup of coffee. I get a treat.
3. Leave, come back in a minute with nothing. I get a treat.
4. Leave, come back in another couple minutes with breakfast. I get another treat.
5. Eat breakfast. I get bacon. Score!

I was good and didn’t bark, and sort of got the idea that he was always coming back.

Then we went outside and loaded up the truck and got a goofy selfie.

It was a long drive back home and the end of my sleep over adventure! Raven was definitely glad to see her tormentor me again, and we played a lot.

I slept really good that night too.