“I think we had an accident,” Ginger replied in the darkness.
“Are you okay?” Mike asked while he looked around in the dark.
“Good,” Mike replied, looking at the opened luggage compartment door.
“Are you okay?” she asked.
“I think a suitcase hit me in the head, but I’m fine,” he said while he cringed in pain.
“We better get out of here,” she replied while she looked at the mountain of suitcases that provided access to the opened door.
Ginger climbed up the tossed luggage to the opened door.
Mike followed her up with the suitcases.
Ginger jumped out through the opening.
Mike jumped out through the opening.
They both landed on the ground, looked up, and saw the bus was on its side with its front end smashed into a tree just off Interstate 71 about ten miles south of Cleveland. They could hear people inside the bus crying in pain.
“We better get out of here,” Ginger told Mike. They ran off toward a nearby field.
Hours later, Ginger and Mike continued walking away from the bus accident and were now in some woods along the Interstate.
Ten minutes later, Ginger and Mike ran across someone sleeping in the woods, and it was a homeless guy.
Ginger stopped and looked at the guy.
Mike stopped and looked at Ginger. “What’s wrong?” he asked.
“There’s a human over there,” she replied. The guy woke up when he heard Ginger and looked over at her.
“It’s Howard Langley,” she said, wagging her tail.
“Ginger, my girl!” he excitedly said while he sat up.
“How did he know your name?” Mike curiously asked.
“I often would travel with Howard, and he gave me my name, Ginger,” she replied while she rushed over to Howard, wagging her tail.
Howard petted Ginger’s head while she licked his face.
“Good seeing you again, girl,” he replied.
“I see you have a friend,” he spotted Mike.
Howard got up and walked over to Mike, and he knelt.
“Hello there. My name is Howard,” he said while petting Mike’s head, then saw the collar around Mike’s neck. “I see your name is Peewee,” he added.
“Please. Don’t call me Peewee. Call me Mike,” he pleaded.
All Howard heard was Mike barking. “Okay, okay, Peewee,” he said while petting Mike’s head.
“What’s the use?” Mike thought but did enjoy the head petting.
“So Ginger, would you like to travel with me?” Howard offered.
“Yes!” Ginger replied, wagging her tail.
Mike looked at Howard and felt he’d seen him before but couldn’t figure out where.
“Good, now, where? Chicago?” Howard asked Ginger.
She just looked at Howard.
“Okay, how about Dallas?” Howard asked her.
She just looked at him.
“Pittsburgh?” Howard asked her.
“Yes, Pittsburgh!” Ginger quickly replied while she wagged her tail.
All Howard heard was Ginger barking, and that was an indication of where she wanted to head. “Then Pittsburgh it is,”
he said, then walked over and rummaged through his ratty backpack. He pulled out a train schedule and looked it over.
“The train for Pittsburgh leaves later tonight. So we have some time,” Howard said, then shoved the schedule back into his backpack. He looked at the dogs. “Are you both hungry?”
he asked.
Ginger and Mike wagged their tails.
“I take that as a yes,” Howard said, then bent down, picked up his dirty brown Fedora hat, and placed it on his head. “Stay here, and I’ll get us some grub,” Howard said, then walked away.
Mike watched Howard while he walked away between some trees. “Where have I seen him before?” Mike quietly said to himself as it started to bug him.
Ginger lay on the ground and closed her eyes.
Mike lay beside her and pondered how his family would react when he arrived home. Then he wondered how he could turn himself back into a human again. His eyes welled up, thinking he would be a dog for the rest of his life.
Thirty minutes later, Howard returned with some hamburgers he bought from Burger King. He got the money panhandling out in the street and refused to steal for cash. He had a double cheeseburger for himself and Whopper Junior, each for Ginger and Mike.
They chowed down on the juicy burgers.
After they ate, they relaxed in the woods until the sun dropped below the horizon.
Howard looked at his watch. “We have a couple of hours until the train to Pittsburgh leaves,” he told Ginger and Mike.
He got up and slung the backpack around his shoulder. He picked up his ratty old brown Fedora hat. “Let’s head out of here,” he told Ginger, and Mike then started walking away and wore his hat.
Ginger and Mike followed Howard while he walked through the woods.
Along the way to the train yard, Howard bought some food at a convenience store for their ride to Pittsburgh.
They snuck through the train yard, and Howard stopped while he double-checked his train schedule. “There she is,” he said, pointing at a freight train about fifty feet away.
Howard rushed across numerous train tracks and headed to the freight train.
They arrived at one of the freight cars, and Howard immediately opened the door. He bent down, picked Ginger up, and placed her inside the car.
He bent down, picked up Mike, and placed him inside the car. Howard climbed up inside the car.
“Move away to the other end of the car,” Howard stated.
Then he slid the door closed, and it was dark inside the car.
They all sat in the darkness of the freight car, which had some wooden crates of various supplies destined for Pittsburgh.
Hours later, the freight train was out of the Cleveland city area. It raced in the Ohio countryside, heading to Pittsburgh.
Howard slid the door of the boxcar open and sat in the opening, letting his feet dangle outside.
Ginger sat by his right side, and Mike sat by his left side.
They watched while the dark Ohio countryside whizzed along.
Howard removed some beef jerky from the bag he bought at a convenience store. He handed a piece of beef jerky to Ginger, who wagged her tail, and then he gave Mike a piece of jerky. Both dogs munched down on the treat.
“Ginger sure loves beef jerky,” Howard said while rubbing her head while watching the countryside whizz by.
Ginger and Mike finished eating their snack.
“Yeah, little doggies, I didn’t always travel like this,” he told them while he munched on a piece of beef jerky. “I had a job, a wife, and a house. I had a good life,” he frowned while chewing his snack. “Then my wife got breast cancer right before my plant closed down, and I lost my job,” he added while he continued to chew on his jerky.
“All my savings went to the hospital and doctors for her care. Then, she died from cancer. After that, I went broke, and since we never had kids and I don’t have any other family members to help me out, I’ve been on the streets ever since,” he said, taking another bite of his jerky. “ And once you get on the streets, nobody will give you a second chance,” he added while his eyes welled up and he chewed his jerky.
He reached into the bag and handed Ginger and Mike another beef jerky.
“Well, enough of my sob story. Let’s get some shut-eye,” he said, then got up and walked to the other end of the boxcar.
Mike felt sorry for Howard while he watched him walk to the other end of the car and go to sleep.
“Howard’s a good traveling companion, as he always feeds me. He found me as a pup in the woods after my owners abandoned me. He’s been a good friend,” Ginger quietly told
Mike then she yawned. “I’m going to get some sleep,” Ginger yawned again and walked off.
Mike watched while Ginger walked over, curled up next to Howard, and closed her eyes.
Mike stared out of the boxcar. Then, it dawned on him, and he remembered where he met Howard. He glanced over at Howard and felt like a huge jerk for the way he treated him in the past.
It was the next morning, and the freight train slowly pulled into the train yard in Pittsburgh.
Howard jumped out of their boxcar and ran alongside it.
Howard assisted Ginger out of the car and set her on the ground.
Howard assisted Mike from the boxcar and set him down on the ground.
They walked across the tracks.
“Get out of my yard!” a railroad employee yelled twenty feet away.
They turned around and spotted the railroad employee running toward them.
“We better go in different directions. Have a safe journey, Ginger and Mike,” Howard said, then ran across the railroad tracks.
Ginger and Mike ran off in a different direction.
Hours later that afternoon, Ginger and Mike safely made it to a residential neighborhood in the northwest area of Pittsburgh.
They walked down the neighborhood street.
They walk past one front yard where two mean German Shepherds relax in the grass.
“How will we get to New Castle?” Mike asked Ginger.
“We’ll hitch a ride somehow. Don’t worry,” she replied.
The ears of one of the Shepherds perked up when he heard Ginger and Mike walking down the street.
“Well, well, we have two bums on our turf,” the one Shepherd named Adolf told his brother, Herman.
“We can’t have that,” Herman replied while eying Ginger and Mike.
They got up and walked across their yard toward the street.
Ginger and Mike walked down the street, unaware Adolf and Herman were stalking them.
“We don’t want you homeless mutts on our turf!” Adolf snarled at Ginger and Mike.
Ginger and Mike stopped hearing Adolf ’s voice, and they turned around.
“Yeah! Get a home, you losers!” Herman snarled at Ginger and Mike.
“Go find a family!” Adolf added while he snarled.
Adolf and Herman growled with evil glaring from their eyes. Ginger and Mike’s eyes widened in panic at the sight of this threat inching closer and closer to them.
“Run!” Ginger cried, then bolted off down the street.
Mike stood there staring at the Shepherds.
“Run you, dummy!” Ginger yelled from down the end of the street.
It finally dawned on Mike he was in danger, and he turned around and ran down the street.
Adolf and Herman chased after them.
Ginger turned right and ran down another street. Mike turned right and ran after her.
Adolf and Herman turned right and ran after Ginger and Mike. Adolf bolted past Mike and headed after Ginger. When he got close, he lunged after her and bit her hind leg.
“Ahhhh!” Ginger screamed out in pain while she tumbled on the street with Adolf.
Adolf stood over Ginger while she lay hurt in the street.
“I’m going to make sure you never come back to my turf,”
Adolf snarled down at Ginger.
She shook in fear, thinking this would be the end of her life. The sight of Adolf threatening Ginger gave Mike a sudden burst of courage. He ran over to Adolf, stood on his hind legs, and smacked him in the eye with his paw.
Adolf was shocked by Mike.
Mike smacked Adolf in his eye again.
Herman stood nearby in disbelief at the sight of
Mike smacks Adolf in his eyes.
“Ouch!” Adolf cried out in pain and suddenly got scared of Mike.
He jumped off Ginger and ran off over to Herman.
“Let’s get out of here,” Adolf told Herman while he closed his eye that Mike punched.
They ran off down the street. “What kind of dog hits you in the eye with his paw?” Adolf said with his tail between his legs while he ran.
“I’ve never seen that kind of fighting before. How could he stand up on his hind legs?” Herman asked.
“I don’t know, but we better get home before he comes after us,” Adolf replied while they turned down another street and headed home.
Mike looked down the street and felt assured it was safe.
He looked at Ginger and saw her bloody leg. “Ginger, you can’t finish the trip, so thanks for helping me. I’m not too far from home, and I’ll be fine,” Mike said, then turned away and walked down the street.
“Please don’t leave me, Mike!” Ginger called out. Mike just walked away down the street.
“Mike! Help!” she pleaded.
Mike stopped and turned around. He saw Ginger limp down the street after him. He walked away, thinking he could do nothing to help
her. Right now, getting back home was Mike’s top priority.
“Please, Mike!” Ginger pleaded.
Mike stopped and turned around. He saw Ginger while she limped toward him.
“Ah, man!” he said, turning around and walking back to Ginger.
“We need to do something to your leg before it gets infected,” he said while he looked at the wound on her left hind leg. “You can lick it,” she said.
“I’ll only take this doggy thing so far. I’ll come up with something else,” he whispered, then turned around and walked away. Ginger limped behind him.
Ten minutes later, Mike and Ginger walked upon a Walgreens drug store.
“I’ll find something in this store to help,” he said while he walked her to the rear of the building.
“Stay here,” he told her while he walked around the side of the building to head to the entrance. Mike walked to the front of Walgreens and watched while people entered and exited the store. The coast was clear, and Mike ran to the front door. The electronic eye opened the door, and Mike bolted inside the store.
Mike ran inside the store, where the customers were too busy to notice a dog.
He turned down a greeting card aisle.
He turned out of the greeting card aisle and bolted to the area for medical supplies, etc.
He slowed down the aisle and scanned the items on the shelves. Then he stopped, jumped up, and knocked down a box of Blood Stop bandages.
A teenage employee walked down the aisle and saw Mike with the box of Blood Stop bandages in his mouth.
“Give me that box!” the teenage employee yelled.
Mike looked up and saw the teenager, and he ran with the box in his mouth.
The teenager chased after Mike.
Mike ran down the aisle and turned down another aisle He ran down that aisle with the teenager hot on his tail.
Mike turned and ran down the main aisle toward the front doors.
Mike raced down the main aisle to the front doors.
The teenager swooped down and tried to grab Mike’s tail, but he missed.
Then, a large woman walked out from another aisle and approached Mike. He bolted between her legs in the split second, and the teenager tried to grab Mike’s tail again.
The teenager missed Mike’s tail and rammed his head into the buttocks of the large woman.
“Ahhhh!” the woman screamed out while she and the teenager tumbled to the floor.
The woman and teen landed with his head resting on her buttocks. “Ahhhh!” he panicked, realizing where his head was located, and jumped up. He ran after Mike.
Mike ran out of the front doors of the store.
Mike ran down the side of the building with the box still in his mouth.
He ran to the rear of the building, where Ginger lay near some bushes.
“Let’s get out of here?” Mike said with a muffled sound since the box was still in his mouth.
“Leps gout a deer?” Ginger replied as that’s what she heard. Then she saw the teenager at the corner of the building.
“Give me those bandages!” the teenager yelled, breathless.
She understood Mike’s message and painfully stood up.
Mike ran through the hedges.
Ginger limped after her.
“It’s not worth it,” the teenager confessed while watching Ginger and Mike rush through the adjacent property.
A little while later, at the rear of another store, Mike tore open the box with his paws and teeth. He then tore open one of the packets and used his paws to install one of the bandages over her wound.
“There. That should prevent infection.”
Ginger walked over to Mike and licked his face, which tickled him, and he giggled.
“You’re so sweet, Mike,” she said and licked Mike’s face again.
“I hope she realizes I’m married,” Mike whispered to himself.
“Come, we need to get out of this town,” she stated, then limped away.
Mike walked after her, and they headed to the street.
The sun dropped below the horizon, and darkness fell upon the Pittsburgh.
Ginger, still limping, and Mike walked down the two-lane road called Brodhead just northwest of the city. Jets were heard nearby since the Pittsburgh International Airport was located south of the road.
“I’m exhausted,” she said and sat on the road.
A pickup truck whizzed by them in the middle of the road, and the driver blew his horn.
Ginger and Mike were too tired to be started by the horn.
Mike looked around the area and saw a small clump of trees across the road. “We can sleep over there tonight,” he said, then walked across the street.
Ginger got up and limped across the road after him.
Later that night, Ginger and Mike cuddled in the woods, sound asleep.
It was another beautiful morning in Pennsylvania.
Ginger and Mike woke up early, and after a good stretch, they headed out of the woods and returned to Brodhead Road.
An hour later, Ginger and Mike walked down Brodhead Road, soon headed into Coraopolis, and saw O’Hara’s Pub.
“Let’s try to find some food,” Ginger said while they saw the pub off to the left.
“Sure, I kinda miss garbage food,” Mike sarcastically replied.
They walked through the parking lot where some cars, pickups, and other vehicles were parked.
They walked to the rear of the pub and saw the garbage dumpster without garbage bags on the ground.
“Rats,” Ginger said, disappointed, and her stomach growled.
“Let’s see if we can find another place,” Mike suggested.
They walked around to the parking lot.
Then Mike’s widened when he saw a familiar sight.
“There’s Gus’s truck. I know him,” he said, then ran over to a truck that had a bulldozer chained to a lowboy trailer.
Ginger ran over and saw the sign for Gus Whorley’s Land Clearing Company, New Castle, PA, on the truck door. “How lucky are we?” she said.
Mike jumped up on the lowboy trailer. “Gus will get us to New Castle,” Mike said while he motioned with his head for Ginger to join him.
Ginger limped and tried to jump on the lowboy. She didn’t make it to the top of the trailer. “Come on, girl. I know you can do it!” Mike coached her.
Ginger walked ten feet away and faced the lowboy trailer.
She cringed in pain while she ran as fast as she could and jumped up on the trailer.
“I knew you could do it,” Mike praised, then he rushed over and got under the bulldozer.
Ginger limped and joined him under the bulldozer.
They waited under the bulldozer between the tracks.
Thirty minutes later, Gus left the pub and walked to his truck. He didn’t notice the two dogs hiding under his bulldozer.
He got in his truck and started it up.
Gus drove his truck from the pub’s parking lot and headed north on Brodhead Road.
A little while later, Gus drove his truck down Gringo Road and got on the ramp and headed north on Interstate 376.
Later that day, Gus drove his truck down an exit ramp off Interstate 376 into New Castle.
A little while later, Gus stopped his truck at a traffic light.
“This is where I get off. Thanks, Ginger, for all your help,”
Mike said, then rushed from under the bulldozer and jumped off the trailer.
Mike ran off down the street.
A few seconds later, Mike heard someone behind him. He turned around and saw Ginger running with a limp after him.
“I guess there’s no getting rid of her,” he said to himself, then waited for Ginger.
“I need to make sure you safely make it home,” Ginger said. Mike walked away and hoped to get rid of her while returning to his family.
“I’ve been to this town numerous times. It’s a good place to get food, as some humans are friendly to homeless dogs.
Then some are not,” Ginger said while limping behind Mike.
He wasn’t paying attention to her since thoughts of his family filled his mind.
Later that day, Ginger and Mike walked upon the housing development that he had worked on when he was a human a year ago. The development was about ninety-eight percent completed and already had people enjoying their new homes.
Mike looked shocked when he saw the sign at his old office trailer that was now the Gates Construction Company. “Gates
Construction? How could Russ take over my business?” Mike pondered, looking confused.
“My business? What do you mean by that?” she questioned, a little baffled.
“Ah, I mean, I would walk down this way sometimes,” he replied. He wasn’t sure she would buy his story, but that was all he could come up with at the spur of the moment.
“That’s funny. I would visit this place, and I’ve never seen you here,” Ginger recalled.
“You would visit this place?” Mike curiously asked.
“Yeah. One of the workers was cool and would feed me part of his lunch. Roast beef is my favorite,” she answered and licked her chops.
“That’s where I know you from,” he replied.
“You saw me here before? Why didn’t you join me? I would have shared my roast beef with you,” she responded.
Then Mike remembered how he had treated her in the past.
“I was somewhat of a jerk,” Mike confessed, ashamed.
“I wouldn’t say that. I think you’re a sweet, caring dog,”
she replied, then walked over and licked his face.
“Thanks,” Mike replied.
“We better find your family before it gets dark,” she said, glancing at the sunset.
They walked away.
An hour later, Mike walked Ginger down Kiscoe Avenue, where his home was. His heart raced when he got closer and closer to his house. He pondered how to turn back into a human and wondered if he should show up at the front door.
Then Mike wondered how his family would react.
His legs shook while he walked down the sidewalk to his front yard.
He saw Debbie’s mini-van parked in the driveway.
He got scared and sat down on his grass.
“Is that where your family lives?” Ginger asked while she sat next to him.
“Yep, that’s the place,” he replied while his eyes welled up.
“Well, I guess this is goodbye,” Ginger responded while her eyes welled up, and she got up. She moped away with a bit of a limp down the sidewalk.
Mike stared at his house and didn’t realize Ginger had walked away.
Mike looked and saw Ginger while she limped away. He looked back at his house and didn’t have the nerve to go to the front door.
He got up and ran after Ginger.
“Aren’t you going home?” she asked the second he walked up to her side.
“Maybe later. We could get something to eat,” he offered.’
“But I thought you wanted to go home?” she asked curiously.
“I’m not sure they’ll recognize me,” he replied. “I’m not following you,” she replied.
“It’s a bizarre story you may never believe,” he responded.
“I guess a nice story over table scraps sounds nice,” she said. Ginger and Mike walked away down the street. Mike glanced over his shoulder at his house.
They turned down another street.
They turned down another street.
They turned down another street. When they were halfway down that, they heard a rustle in some small hedges by the sidewalk.
Ginger stopped and sniffed the air. Then she had a comfortable feeling about the rustling sound. “Hello,” she said to the bushes. Silence came from the bushes. “Come on out; we won’t hurt you,” she talked in the bushes.
Then, a dog poked his head out of the hedges. It was Rascal, who was bigger but looked mangy from living on the streets for a year.
“Hi, I’m Ginger, and this is my friend Mike,” she greeted.
“I’m Rascal,” he replied while he walked out of the hedges.
Mike’s eyes widened with surprise when he realized it was the puppy he dumped in the woods last year.
“Why are you hiding behind the bushes?” Ginger curiously inquired.
“I thought you were humans and got scared,” he replied while he studied Ginger and Mike. “But as soon as I got in those hedges, a bug or something crawled on me,” Rascal added.
“Why are you scared of humans?” Ginger asked.
“It started a year ago. My mean human dropped me off in the woods and left me out there to starve,” he told her.
Mike got ashamed and looked away to avoid eye contact with Rascal.
“Why are some of them so mean?” Ginger asked.
“I don’t know. We’re supposed to be man’s best friend,”
Rascal said.
“I was also dumped in the woods by my owner. Now Mike here was accidentally left behind in Alabama when his owners went to Florida for vacation,” Ginger told Rascal.
Mike remained quiet, and then his stomach growled.
Ginger looked at Mike and then at Rascal. “Are you hungry, Rascal?” she asked him.
“You bet!” Rascal replied and wagged his tail.
“Well, then, please join us,” she offered. “I would love that; I know the perfect place,” Ginger replied.
Rascal thought for a second. “Momma’s?” he asked her.
“Yep,” Ginger replied.
“I love Momma’s,” Rascal said while his mouth salivated.
Ginger walked away, and Rascal followed alongside her.
Mike watched. “Are you punishing me?” he whispered while he looked up at the sky. Then he walked off and joined Ginger and Rascal.
Twenty minutes later, Ginger and Rascal were at the rear screen door of Mamma’s Great Cooking restaurant.
“Momma!” Ginger yelled out at the screen door.
Rascal wagged his tail in anticipation of some food.
“Are you nuts, Ginger? They’ll come and chase us away,”
Mike said while looking around for a place to run.
“Don’t worry, I know what I am doing,” Ginger replied with a voice of strong confidence.
A sizable seventy-year-old white-haired woman named Momma came to the screen door and opened it. Her eyes lit up with joy the second she saw Ginger and Rascal. “Hey, you two. I haven’t seen either of you in a while,” Momma said, and then she saw Mike. “And you brought a friend,” Momma added, then she walked back inside the kitchen.
Momma’s restaurant! Mike said to himself, as he brought his family here often for dinner. His mouth watered, as he knew her cooking was the best.
Momma returned a few minutes later with three plates and five meatballs. She opened the screen door and placed the dishes on the ground. “Here you go, my little sweethearts,”
Momma said, then returned to the kitchen.
Ginger, Mike, and Rascal started munching on their meatballs.
Momma returned to the screen door and brought three bowls of fresh water. She set a bowl down by each of the dogs.
“I wish I could keep you all, but I already have three dogs,”
said Momma.
Ginger walked up to Momma’s legs. Momma bent down and petted Ginger’s head. “You’re welcome and come back tomorrow,” Momma said, then she stood up and returned to her kitchen to supervise her cooks.
Ten minutes later, Ginger, Rascal, and Mike relaxed at the rear of Momma’s restaurant with their tummies full of meatballs.
“So, Mike, let’s hear your bizarre story?” Ginger said.
“I love stories. My little female human would read to me at night in her bed,” Rascal recalled.
Mike looked at Rascal and knew he was talking about Jenny.
Ginger burped. “Excuse me for not acting like a lady,” she said. Rascal giggled about Ginger’s burping.
“Come on, Mike, tell us your story,” she requested.
“Please, Mike,” Rascal pleaded.
“It’s a stupid story, and I don’t think you’ll want to hear or believe it,” Mike told them.
“Of course, we want to hear it, and we’ll believe it. Won’t we, Rascal?” Ginger replied.
Rascal nodded in agreement with Ginger.
Mike thought for a second. “I guess I should finally confess,” Mike said, then paused for a few seconds while glancing at Ginger and Rascal’s curious eyes. “Well, my real name is Mike Hanson, and I was a human a year ago,” he said.
Ginger and Rascal just looked at Mike in a little disbelief.
Then they both started laughing and rolling over on their backs, laughing out loud.
“You’re a human. How funny!” Ginger said between laughs.
Rascal laughed, and then he stopped when something dawned on him. “Wait a minute, that human name sounds familiar,” Rascal said, trying to recall where he heard that name.
Ginger sat up and wiped the tears of laughter from her eyes with a paw. “What do you mean?” she curiously asked Rascal.
Rascal strained to remember why that name sounded so familiar. Then his eyes widened the second he remembered the name. “The owner that left me in the woods had the name Mike Hanson,” he said, a little unsure. Then he thought about it for a few seconds. His eyes lit up. “Yes, it was Mike Hanson,” he added again, and was confident.
“You broke my Les Paul guitar on that day, and I came home from work, and I chased you in the house,” Mike told Rascal.
“I don’t know what that is, but I remember breaking something that got my human mad,” Rascal said.
“My Les Paul made a twanging sound,” Mike told Rascal.
“Yeah, now I remember,” Rascal replied, remembering that horrible day.
“And Ginger, I would chase you away from my construction site when one of my workers would feed you. I also tried to run over you with my truck while you walked down the road from my construction side,” Mike told Ginger and looked ashamed.
“And Rascal, I built a wooden house and made you stay in my backyard. My son’s name is Chris, and my daughter’s is Jenny. They loved you,” Mike told Rascal.
Ginger was stunned with the news, and then she got mad.
“How could you be so mean?” she yelled at Mike.
“I’m ashamed of myself for that. I wish I could turn back time and be kinder,” Mike said.
Ginger and Rascal were quiet while thinking about Mike’s story. “Please don’t hate me! I’m so sorry!” Mike pleaded, and his eyes watered.
Ginger and Rascal thought for a second about Mike’s proposal.
“You did take care of me when those mean dogs attacked us. So you must be sincere,” Ginger told Mike. Then she looked at Rascal. “What do you think, Rascal?”
Rascal thought for a few seconds about Ginger’s question.
“We’re supposed to be man’s best friend. I guess we can forgive him,” Rascal replied.
“Thanks. You’re the best, and I will make it up to you, wait and see. But I do need your help,” Mike told them.
“How’s that?” Ginger curiously asked.
“Help me turn back into a human again,” he pleaded.
“How do we do that?” Rascal said.
“Well, I believe that my neighbor used some Voodoo potion on me,” he told them.
“How do you know that?” Ginger asked.
“I remember waking up while sleeping on the couch and seeing her face glaring down at me. Then I went back to sleep and woke up as a dog in Alabama,” he recalled.
“But how can we help turn you back into a human?”
Ginger curiously asked.
Rascal nodded in agreement with her question.
We need to find out if a potion exists to reverse the potion Louise placed on me,” Mike said.
Ginger and Rascal looked at each other and looked a little confused.
“I don’t know what a potion is or how to find one,” Ginger replied.
“Is it something we can find in the woods?” Rascal asked curiously.
“Maybe Momma can make us a potion?” Ginger added.
“No, it’s something Louise would have in her house,” Mike said. Ginger and Rascal thought about Mike’s response for a few seconds.
Ginger looked at the sunset sky. “We better find a place to sleep and work on this first thing in the morning,” she said.
“I know of some woods on the other side of town,” Rascal said. “Great. Let’s get some sleep, and then we can turn Mike back into a human tomorrow,” Ginger said.
“Thank you all,” Mike said.
“You better pay us back for helping you,” Ginger said seriously.
“Yeah, especially after how you treated us,” Rascal added.
“I will!” Mike promised and held up his paw.
“Okay. I trust you,” Ginger said.
They all walked away from the rear of the restaurant.
Later that night, Rascal led them to some woods located on the east side of New Castle.
They were soon fast asleep except for Mike, who tossed and turned in the dirt, nervous they might not find a potion to turn him back into a human.
The sun rose again for the start of another day in New Castle.
Ginger, Mike, and Rascal woke up when the sun peeked through the woods, and they all stretched.
“Well, Mike, are you ready to go home?” Ginger asked him.
Mike looked unsure how he would be able to find a potion, but deep down inside, he knew Louise had to have something.
“I’m ready,” Mike replied to Ginger.
They walked out of the woods.
An hour later, Ginger, Mike, and Rascal looked determined while they marched down his neighborhood to start their mission.
While they walked down his street, an older man peeked out his living room window and saw the dogs. The older man frowned at this sight and rushed away from his window.
They walked up to Mike’s house and sat on the sidewalk.
Since Debbie’s mini-van wasn’t in the driveway, Mike’s home looked empty.
“Debbie’s probably at work, and the kids are probably in school,” Mike said while memories of better times flooded his head while he stared at his home.
“So where does this Voodoo lady live?” Ginger asked while scanning up and down the street.
“The house to the right of mine,” he said but noticed it was now painted a light brown. He shrugged the color change off and stood up. “She does own this big huge dog,” Mike recalled.
“That could be a problem,” Ginger said while she recalled the recent encounter with the two Shepherds.
“He seemed friendly when I lived there,” Rascal said.
The sound of the brakes of a vehicle was heard behind them.
“Let’s come back later tonight,” Mike told everybody.
They turned around and saw two Dog Catchers, Ernie and Peter, get out and rush to the side of their truck. They quickly removed two long snare poles.
“Dog catchers, run!” Ginger freaked out.
Ginger, Rascal, and Mike all ran off in separate directions.
Ernie ran after Rascal.
Peter ran after Mike.
It soon looked like a Keystone Kops chase scene while Ernie and Peter ran in circles after Rascal and Mike.
Ginger ran down the street. She stopped and sat on a sidewalk to watch to see if her friends escaped.
Mike and Rascal zigged and zagged in the neighbor’s front yards.
Ernie tripped over his pole and tumbled in a front yard.
He quickly got up and bolted after Rascal. He caught Rascal with his snare pole a few minutes later.
Ernie waked Rascal over to the truck.
Peter was able to catch Mike with his snare pole, and he walked Mike over to the truck. Ginger watched from down the street while Ernie and Peter placed Mike and Rascal in the back of their truck.
Peter and Ernie got inside the truck and drove away.
“I’ll try to rescue you!” Ginger yelled at the truck when she saw Mike and Rascal’s sad faces peek out the barred windows at the rear of the dog pound truck.
She ran after the dog pound truck.
Later that day, Mike and Rascal sat inside separate cages next to each other.
Mike looked across his cage and saw cages stacked upon cages. Inside them were other dogs and cats that waited for their fate.
“I’ve been successful at escaping these dog catchers until today,” Rascal told Mike through the cage bars.
Then, a Hound dog with sad, droopy eyes in a cage across from Mike’s cage stuck his nose out between his cage bars.
“Nobody knows the troubles I’ve seen. Nobody knows, my sorrows,” the Hound dog sang with a deep bass voice.
“Why did you hate me?” Rascal asked Mike from his cage.
“It’s not your fault, Rascal. It started when I was a kid.
Our family dog got rabies, he bit me, and the doctor gave me stitches and a bunch of rabies shots,” Mike responded and felt terrible for the way he treated Rascal.
“I’m sorry to hear that, and I’m sorry I broke your Les Paul thingy,” Rascal replied.
“That’s alright. I could always get another one. If I was human,” Mike replied, his eyes welling up, believing he would remain a dog for the rest of his life and never see his family again. He lay in the cage, closed his eyes, and was soon asleep.
Hours later, Mike woke up inside his cage.
He looked around and looked sad when he realized he was still inside the dog pound.
“Psst, Mike. What’s going to happen to us?” Rascal asked from his cage.
Mike sat up. “I’m afraid if nobody claims us, it’s the end of the road of our doggy lives,” Mike replied.
Rascal looked sad while he looked through his cage bars, and his eyes widened with joy. “It’s Kenny! Hey Kenny!” he yelled out.
Mike’s ears perked up, as that was a name from the past, and he looked through his cage bars.
Kenny walked through the dog pound and looked at the cages. His eyes widened when he saw Rascal, as he recognized that patch of hair on his side.
Rascal barked at Kenny and wagged his tail.
“Rascal! I don’t believe it. I t’s Rascal!” Kenny cried out joyfully and then looked back at the other end of the kennel.
“Hey, Joe,” he called out.
Joe Smithson was the manager of the dog pound, and he walked over to Kenny. “Yeah,” he replied.
“Get Rascal out of this cage. He’s coming with me,”
Kenny requested.
Rascal wagged his tail, knowing Kenny was going to spring him free.
Mike watched through his cage while Joe grabbed Rascal and handed him to Kenny.
“Good to see you, Rascal. Debbie and the kids will be so happy to see you again,” Kenny said while he petted Rascal’s head.
“Hey, Rascal. Please don’t forget about me. I know I treated you wrong, but don’t let me die in here,” Mike begged.
Rascal looked at Mike. He then whined and clawed at Mike’s cage.
“What’s wrong, Rascal?” Kenny asked when he saw Rascal clawing at Mike’s cage.
Rascal whined louder and continued to claw harder at Mike’s cage.
Kenny looked at Mike. “Is he your buddy?” Kenny asked.
“Yes!” Rascal replied.
“I know I mistreated you, but please take me home!” Mike called out.
Kenny heard Rascal and Mike bark.
“You have to take Mike!” Rascal said with a whine at Kenny.
Kenny heard Rascal whine, and then he hesitated for a second. “I’ll take this dog also,” he told Joe, pointing at Mike.
Joe opened up Mike’s cage and removed him.
From the end of the dog pound parking lot, Ginger watched while Kenny and Joe placed Rascal and Mike in the backseat of Kenny’s car.
Joe walked back inside while Kenny made a call on his cell phone.
“Hey Debbie, guess what?” he excitedly stated into his cell phone.
“I give up what?” Debbie replied.
“I found Rascal at the pound,” he said.
“You’re kidding?” she replied.
“No, but he wants his friend to come with him if you don’t mind,” Kenny told her.
“Ah, sure. We can handle two dogs,” Debbie responded.
“Good, I’m on my way to your house,” Kenny said, got inside his car, ended his call, and started the engine.
“Everybody will be so happy to see you, Rascal. We spent months looking for you,” Kenny stated while driving out of the dog pound parking lot.
Kenny drove his car down the street.
Ginger raced down the street after Kenny’s car.
Later that day, Mike and Rascal watched from the backseat while Kenny pulled into Mike’s driveway.
Kenny tooted his car horn.
Debbie, Jenny, and Chris ran out of the front door and to Kenny’s car just as he got out.
“There they are. I sure miss them,” Mike beamed while his eyes welled up at the sight of his family.
Chris and Jenny looked in the windows, and their eyes lit up when they saw Rascal and Mike.
“They’ve grown some,” Mike noticed while he wagged his tail at his kids.
Debbie opened up the back door.
Rascal almost pushed Mike to the floorboard when he ran out of the backseat.
He jumped out of the car and to the ground.
He ran up to Jenny while she bent down, then frantically licked her face, so happy to see her again.
Mike slowly jumped out of the car and looked at his family.
He didn’t know what to do while Debbie and Chris stared at him. Jenny was too busy hugging Rascal to pay attention to Mike.
“Rascal barked and whined, and I took that to mean he wanted this other dog to come along. They must be friends,”
Kenny told Debbie.
“We’ll take care of any friend of Rascal’s,” Debbie promised, bending down and rubbing Mike’s head.
Mike wagged his tail as he loved the feeling of her hand on his head. “Let’s get them inside and give them a bath,” Debbie told the kids, then she picked up Mike while Jenny picked up Rascal.
While they walked to the front door, a Dodge Caravan pulled into Louise’s driveway.
Mike watched while the Cooper family exited the van with a white male French poodle named Napoleon. The Cooper family and Napoleon walk to the front door and enter.
Mike looked worried when he saw them. Then it dawned on him. “Oh no! Louise moved!” Mike told Rascal.
“It’s not nice to bark at neighbors,” Debbie scolded Mike while she opened the front door.
Debbie set Mike down on the living room floor.
He looked around the living room, and it seemed the same except for the new couch, lamps, and another 60-inch HDTV.
Mike watched while Jenny and Chris hugged and kissed Rascal.
“Hey, what about me?” Mike said quietly. Debbie heard Mike whine, and she knelt to him. “So what’s your name?” she asked while she petted Mike’s head.
“It’s me, Debbie. Mike!” he called out.
All Debbie heard was Mike barking, and she frowned.
“Don’t bark in the house,” she scolded while she petted his head and saw his collar with “Peewee” as his name. “You’re kinda ugly, but there’s something special about you. I don’t like the Peewee name, so why don’t we call you,” she stated while she looked Mike over and thought of a new name. “I’ll call you Buster. That’s it. You’re Buster,” Debbie added.
“First Peewee, now Buster!” Mike thought to himself; then he scratched behind his ear.
Debbie noticed Mike scratching behind his ear. “Let’s get you cleaned up,” she said.
Mike wagged his tail at Debbie.
“Come, Buster,” Debbie called out, then she walked down the hallway, and Mike followed.
After Debbie filled the tub halfway, she got some shampoo and placed Mike in the water. She proceeded to lather up Mike’s dirty and filthy hairy body.
Fifteen minutes later, she dried Mike off with a towel.
Fifteen minutes later, Rascal had his bath, and both dogs were one hundred percent cleaner. Plus, the stink of being on the road was gone!
Thirty minutes later, Kenny returned to Debbie’s house with dog food from his animal shelter and two dog bowls.
In the kitchen, Debbie placed the two dog bowls with dog food by the kitchen door.
“Dinner, Rascal and Buster,” she called out.
Rascal ran into the kitchen and ran to the door, and then he immediately started eating.
Mike ran into the kitchen and stopped dead when he saw the dog food in the bowls.
“You boys enjoy,” Debbie said, then left the kitchen.
“I was hoping for some of her great cooking,” Mike pouted while walking to the bowl. He stared at the canned dog food.
“This stuff is great!” Rascal said with a mouthful of food.
Mike sat down and watched while Rascal gulped down his food. His stomach growled, and he ignored it. His stomach growled louder, and he was starving since he hadn’t eaten since last night at Momma’s. “Ah, man,” he caved, then ate a small portion of the food. “It’s not that bad,” he confessed, then took a bigger bite.
It was later that night in the Hanson home, and it was quiet.
Jenny slept with Rascal curled up next to her on her bed.
Debbie slept with Mike curled up next to her on her bed.
Mike woke up and got off the bed.
He walked out of the room.
Mike walked into Jenny’s bedroom, walked up to her bed, and looked up at it. “Rascal,” he softly called out, and Rascal didn’t respond. “Rascal,” he softly called out again.
Rascal wakes up, walks to the edge of the bed, and then looks down at the floor. “What?” he replied, then yawned.
“We need to talk,” Mike said, then walked to the door.
Rascal jumped off the bed and followed Mike out of Jenny’s bedroom.
Mike walked into the kitchen, where Rascal followed.
Rascal sat on the floor while Mike paced back and forth by the kitchen door.
Rascal’s eyes closed, and he started to drift off asleep.
“I’m in deep doggie doo doo. The voodoo lady moved.
What am I going to do? I can’t spend the rest of my life eating dog food,” Mike cried while pacing back and forth.
Mike saw Rascal asleep on the floor. “He’s useless,” Mike frowned, then left the kitchen.
Ginger sat sadly in Mike’s backyard while staring at Mike’s porch.
“Everybody gets a family but me. All I get is the streets,”
she said while her eyes welled up and moped away.
It was the next morning, and it was Saturday, and the kids were so happy it was the weekend.
Mike watched his son rummaging through his closet inside Chris’s room. He removed a rubber baseball and his baseball glove.
“Let’s play catch, Buster. I hope you like to play catch. I do. My daddy wouldn’t play catch with me. He was always tired from work. Then he died while he slept on the couch last year,”
Chris stated while shoving his hand in his glove and then placing the rubber baseball inside it.
“Oh, Chris, my son, I’m not dead. I’m here,” Mike quietly said to himself.
Chris walked out of his room, and Mike followed.
Chris walked down the hallway while they passed by Jenny’s bedroom. Mike noticed Rascal sitting on the floor by a small table. Jenny placed a wig on Rascal’s head while they played tea and crumpets.
“I’m so glad you could come over, Mrs. Rascal. How are your children?” Jenny asked politely.
Rascal glanced out to the hallway and gave Mike a look he wanted help. Help now!
Mike quietly chuckled while following Chris down the hallway and into the kitchen. Then, out to the porch through the door.
Chris walked Mike to the middle of their backyard a little while later.
“Okay, Buster. I throw the ball, then you chase it, get it with your mouth, and bring it back to me,” Chris instructed.
“I can handle that,” Mike thought inside his head.
Chris threw the ball in the yard.
Mike ran after it and caught the ball in the air with his mouth.
He ran the ball back to Chris.
“Good boy,” Chris said while he removed the ball from Mike’s mouth.
Chris threw the ball in his yard.
Mike ran after the ball and caught it with his mouth after the ball bounced in the air after hitting the ground.
He ran the ball back to Chris, wagging his tail. “This is kinda fun!” Mike quietly said to himself.
“Hey Chris,” Danny Troy’s voice was heard from the house.
Chris and Mike turned and saw Danny, a forty-year-old hunk with short brown hair and a tanned, muscular body.
Danny walked over to Chris.
“Who is this little fellow?” Danny asked the second he saw Mike.
Mike looked up at Danny, instantly becoming suspicious of the man.
“That’s Buster. Uncle Kenny gave him to us,” Chris replied.
“Hello, Buster,” Danny responded, then tried to pet. Mike shied away from Danny’s hand.
“I guess he’s shy,” Danny said, then he looked at Chris with his baseball glove. “Why don’t I get my glove, and we have a catch? It’s in the trunk of my car,” he asked Chris.
“Sure!” Chris excitedly replied.
Danny walked away and headed to the front of the house.
Chris looked down at Mike. “He’s Mister Troy, Mommy’s friend,” Chris said with a smile. “I saw him kissing Mommy, but that’s okay as he’s fun and plays with us,” Chris confessed like he was telling a secret.
Mike looked mad at another man kissing his wife, and then he felt he was being replaced.
Chris threw the ball in the yard. “Go get it, Buster,” he requested.
Mike just sat in the grass and looked at the ball while it bounced a few times and stopped in the grass.
“I’ll get it, Chris,” Danny said while he ran over with his baseball glove.
Danny grabbed the ball and threw it back to Chris, who caught it.
Mike watched for five minutes while Chris and Danny had a catch with the ball.
He moped away to the back porch with his head hanging down.
Sitting by the porch door, he watched his son have fun with another man.
“Hi, Danny!” Debbie beamed from the back
porch.
“Hey, sweetie!” Danny replied with a wink.
Mike watched while Debbie opened the porch door and looked down at him. “Do you want to come in, Buster?” she asked.
Mike got up and walked onto the back porch with Debbie.
They went inside the kitchen.
Debbie went over and unloaded the dishwasher.
Mike walked down the hallway and looked into Jenny’s bedroom. He saw that Rascal still wore that wig on his head while Jenny placed a teacup at his mouth to make it look like he was drinking.
Rascal saw Mike standing in the hallway. “Please help me!”
he said with the saddest puppy dog eyes.
Jenny heard Rascal bark. “It’s not polite to bark at the table, Miss Rascal,” Jenny scolded by shaking a finger at him.
Mike chuckled while walking down the hallway.
He walked to his old bedroom and looked inside.
Mike walked inside his room and jumped on the bed.
He sat and stared at the dresser and saw an old picture of Debbie and him as a human. It was taken during their honeymoon in Orlando, where they visited SeaWorld and Disney.
Debbie entered the room and saw Mike staring at the dresser. “What’s so interesting, Buster?” she asked while sitting on the bed next to Mike.
Debbie saw the honeymoon picture of her and Mike. She rubbed Mike’s head. “That’s my ex-husband Mike. He was
killed last year by a bolt of lightning that came through the living room window. What a freak accident that was,” she told him, looking sad and wiping away a tear. “I miss him, even though he was too busy with his job to spend time with us. But life continues, and now I found Danny,” Debbie added.
Mike looked ever so sad while he stared at Debbie.
“Danny’s a good man, and the kids love him, and we’re planning on getting married,” she said with a warm smile.
Mike’s ears perked up. Married? He said in his mind.
Mike lay on his stomach with the saddest puppy dog eyes.
“Yeah, life must continue,” she repeated while scratching Mike’s back and staring at her honeymoon picture.
Mike closed his eyes while she scratched; it felt so good and relaxed him.
A few seconds later, Mike got up and licked Debbie’s face to tell her how much he loved and missed her.
Debbie chuckled. “You’re so sweet, Buster,”
She got up off the bed. “I better go do a load of laundry,”
she said, then left the room.
Mike stared at his honeymoon picture, determined to become a human again.
A little while later, it was lunchtime, and Debbie worked in the kitchen.
Mike walked into the kitchen and sat at the other end of the room. He watched Debbie make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for the kids.
Danny walked into the kitchen and walked up behind Debbie. He placed his arms around her waist and kissed her neck. The hairs on the back of Mike’s neck stood up, and this was the first time, as a dog, that Mike wanted to bite a human’s leg. He quietly snarled his teeth at Danny. Then moped out of the kitchen and moped down the hallway.
He stopped and looked inside his old playroom. He looked sad when he saw it become a computer and game room for the kids.
“My whole life is slowly being erased,” Mike worried as his eyes widened.
He walked back to the kitchen and saw Debbie and Danny kissing, and he couldn’t stand it any longer. “Quit kissing my wife!” Mike yelled out.
Debbie and Danny separated and looked at Mike.
“You okay, Buster?” Debbie asked, concerned.
“Dogs shouldn’t bark in the house, little buddy,” Danny scolded.
Mike moped away with his head hanging down.
“I wonder what’s wrong with him?” Debbie asked.
“He probably smells your great cooking and realizes he can’t have any,” Danny replied.
“It’s only peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for the kids,”
she said. “But thank you for the compliment,” she added, then kissed him on his cheek.
Danny returned a kiss on Debbie’s cheek.
Mike entered the living room and saw Danny’s sneakers by his La-Z-Boy boy chair.
He got an evil smirk when he walked over to the shoes. He looked around to ensure anybody could see him while standing over Danny’s shoes. The coast was clear, so he squatted over the left sneaker with an evil smile.
After finishing, he quietly strutted out of the living room and down the hallway.
He walked into his old bedroom and jumped up on the bed. He walked over to where he slept like a human, curled up, closed his eyes, and was soon asleep.
An hour later, Mike woke up in bed and looked around in a daze. “I’ll run to the store for you. I have two items I want to get at eighty-four Lumber,” Danny called out from the living room.
Then Mike remembered what he had previously done and jumped off the bed.
He rushed down the hallway and saw Rascal asleep on Jenny’s bed while he passed by her bedroom.
Mike poked his head around the archway into the living room. He saw Danny while he sat in the La-Z-Boy boy chair.
He slid a white sock into his right sneaker and then tied it.
Then Danny slid his other white sock into his left sneaker, and his face cringed with discomfort as something felt wet inside.
Danny got mad, knowing one of the dogs peed in his shoe.
But he knew he better remain cool since this wasn’t his house.
Mike lightly chuckled while he strutted down the hallway and returned to his bedroom for another nap.
A little while later, Mike watched while Danny returned from the store.
He went to the back porch and installed a new screen door with a doggie door at the bottom.
After that, Danny installed a doggie door in the kitchen door.
Danny placed two food and water dishes for Mike and Rascal on the back porch by the kitchen door.
Ten minutes later, Mike sat on top of the couch. He peeked outside and watched while Debbie and Danny wore jogging outfits. They walked down the driveway and stretched in the front yard.
He watched while they both jogged off down the street.
He continued to watch and got upset. Then his eyes widened with an idea when he saw a Beagle at his backyard fence across the street.
He jumped down off the couch.
He ran out of the living room. He ran through the kitchen and ran through the opened door.
He ran through the porch and used the doggie door for the first time.
Mike ran through the side yard and down his front yard.
He ran across the street and was lucky a car didn’t flatten him because he forgot to look for traffic.
He ran through the front yard of the house across the street.
He ran to the fence where the Beagle watched him.
“Hey, my name is Mike, and I live across the street,” Mike introduced himself.
“Hi Mike, my name is Snicker,” the Beagle replied.
“Snicker, do you remember that lady with the big dog that lived next door to me?” Mike asked. Snicker looked at Louise’s old house.
” Oh, sure. Boodro was his name, and I’m glad they moved away because he was mean,” Snicker responded.
Mike looked disappointed. “Do you know where?”
“Nope, and I don’t care just as long as he doesn’t come back here,” Snicker replied.
“Thanks,” Mike turned around and moped back to his house.
Mike remembered something when his paws hit the street.
He ran down the street to the house on the other side of Louise’s old house.
He ran to that house, through the front yard, and then to the backyard fence. He looked through the fence and saw a black Labrador that relaxed under a shade tree. “Hey, can you help me?” Mike called out.
The Labrador got up and walked over to the fence.
“I’m Mike, and do you know where Boodro moved?” he asked with hopeful eyes.
“I’m Buddy, and no, I don’t, and I never want to see that Cajun again! He was the meanest dog I’ve ever known,” Buddy replied.
“Thanks,” Mike responded, then moped away
disappointed.
Mike moped back down the street to his yard.
Later that afternoon, Mike sat on the top of the couch.
Rascal also napped on the top of the couch at the other end. Mike peeked out the window while Danny loaded Chris, in his Little League uniform, and Jenny into Debbie’s mini-van.
Danny held the passenger door open for Debbie while she got inside. Mike never did that, and Debbie loved being treated like a lady.
Danny got behind the wheel, and they soon drove off down the street.
Mike jumped down to the cushions and lay on the pillow by the arm of the couch. He looked so sad.
Later that evening, Debbie, Danny, Chris, Jenny, and Kenny ate spaghetti with meatballs.
Mike and Rascal watched from the back porch while he heard his family laughing and talking while they ate dinner. Mike felt left out, and his eyes watered.
Then, later that night, Mike and Rascal lay on the floor while Debbie, Chris, and Jenny were a family on the couch and they watched the Toy Story DVD.
Danny was out on the back porch. He had an urgent business call on his cell phone.
Danny returned from the porch to the living room a few minutes later. He looked happy while she sat down on the couch next to Debbie.
“Is everything okay?” Debbie asked him.
“Yeah, we’ll talk about it later,” Danny said, returning to watching the movie.
Mike looked ever so sad when he saw Danny place his arm around Debbie’s shoulder, and she snuggled beside him.
Mike looked at Danny’s sneakers and smirked, remembering the second present he had left in the other sneakers.
Later that night, Danny was at the door kissing Debbie goodnight.
Mike watched from the hallway archway.
“I’m sorry one of the dogs used your shoes as a bathroom again.”
“It happens. Anyway, I can’t wait until we get married!” he paused. “My call earlier was from my boss. They’re promoting me, and I’m being transferred to Seattle with a thirty percent raise,” Danny announced.
Debbie did not look too enthused with moving to Seattle.
“You’re going to love living in Seattle,” he beamed with a loving smile to make her feel better.
Debbie was unsure but knew having all that extra money would be sweet.
Mike’s ears perk up. “I can’t live there. It’s always raining in Seattle,” Mike quietly said.
“So, why don’t I spend the night?” Danny offered with a kiss on her neck.
“Now, now, our honeymoon will be in three days, so you can wait,” she replied and gave him a quick kiss on his lips.
“The kids are going to love Disney World,” she added.
“And it’s nice of Kenny to watch the
dogs. We only have room for one dog at the condo my company’s providing in Seattle. We’ll keep Rascal, as I don’t think Buster likes me,” Danny said.
Debbie thought about his comment for a second. “I’ll talk with Kenny. He might take him,” she said.
Danny’s eyes lit up. “I forgot to give Jenny a goodnight kiss,” he remembered.
“You’re so sweet. Mike would never do that to her,” she stated.
“I don’t know why; she’s such a doll,” he replied, then rushed away.
Mike followed him while he walked into Jenny’s bedroom and kissed her goodbye.
“I love you,” Jenny replied.
“I love you too,” Danny replied, then left her room.
Mike followed Danny while he walked into Chris’
bedroom.
“Goodnight, buddy,” he said to Chris.
“Goodnight,” Chris replied while he played with his Wii game.
Mike followed Danny back down the hallway and watched while he and Debbie kissed one last time for the night.
Debbie let him out of the house, and then she walked through the living room. She didn’t pay attention to Mike because Danny was on her mind.
Mike watched while Debbie walked down the hallway to their bedroom.
“I can’t let him steal my family away from me!” Mike quietly said and looked determined.
It was 2:00 a.m., and Mike paced the living room in the dark while pondering his dilemma.
He rushed out of the living room and went down the hallway.
He rushed into Jenny’s bedroom and saw Rascal asleep at the foot of her bed.
“Rascal. Wake up,” Mike quietly said an inch from Rascal’s ear. Rascal slowly opened his eyes and saw Mike staring at him.
“What?”
“We need to talk in the living room now!” Mike said, then rushed out of Jenny’s room.
Rascal got off the floor and slowly walked out of the bedroom.
Mike paced around the living room while Rascal entered.
Rascal sat down on the floor and yawned.
Mike paced around the room.
“What’s so important to interrupt a good dream of me in a field of rawhide chew bones?” Rascal said, then yawned again.
“I can’t stand watching Danny take my place as the man of the house. I need to find a way to become human again,” Mike said. “I don’t know how to do that,” Rascal replied, then yawned.
“I do. First, we find out where that Voodoo lady moved.
She must have a spell to reverse everything. I hope she didn’t move to another state,” Mike said.
“I don’t want her turning me into a frog if she catches us.
I remember her, and she was spooky!” Rascal recalled looking worried.
“Rascal, I know it’s strange for me to say this, but I can’t do it without you. I only have three days. So please help me!” Mike pleaded.
Rascal thought for a second. “Okay, I can’t leave a friend that needs help,” he agreed.
“Thanks, buddy. We’ll start first thing in the morning,”
Mike replied, looking determined. “Now go get some sleep,” he added. Then looked noticing Rascal was fast asleep on the floor.
It was the next morning, and Debbie, Jenny, Chris, and Danny went off to church and then lunch.
Mike and Rascal sat in his backyard and stared at Louise’s old house, now the Cooper home.
“That poodle will eventually have to go to the bathroom,”
Mike told Rascal while they waited and stared at the back of the Cooper house.
An hour later, Mike and Rascal were about to give up when they heard the screen door to the back porch of the Cooper house open.
They soon saw Mrs. Cooper talking into her cell phone.
She held the screen door open while Napoleon pranced into the backyard. Mrs. Cooper went back inside the house.
Mike watched while Napoleon finished his backyard business. “Hey, buddy. I need to talk to you,” Mike called out to Napoleon while he walked over to his property line. Rascal followed behind Mike.
Napoleon walked over to Mike and Rascal. “I’m Mike, and my friend here is Rascal,” Mike introduced.
“I’m Napoleon. What do you need?” he answered in a French accent.
“The big dog that used to live in your house,” Mike replied.
“Do you mean Boodro?” Napoleon quickly replied.
“Yeah, him. Do you know where he moved?” Mike responded.
Napoleon thought for a few seconds. “Somewhere around here, I remembered my master driving over to his house to drop off something his master left in our house. But I don’t remember exactly where,” Napoleon said, then he thought for a few seconds. “It was somewhere over in that direction,”
Napoleon pointed toward their front yard with his nose.
“Thanks, buddy,” Mike said.
Mrs. Cooper opened the back porch screen door and saw Napoleon with Mike and Rascal, and she frowned. “Get away from those dogs, Napoleon; you might catch fleas, worms, or some other type of disease!” she warned at her poodle.
“I better go. Good luck with finding that mean dog,”
Napoleon quickly said, then he turned around and ran back to his back porch.
“Disease? I don’t have fleas, worms, or some other type of disease,” Mike said while watching Napoleon enter his back porch. Then his eyes widened. “Wait. That sounds familiar.
Oh yeah, that’s my line,” he added and felt a little ashamed.
“Let’s go,” Mike told Rascal while he got up and returned to his side yard.
Rascal followed Mike.
“What’s next?” Rascal asked while they headed to the front yard. “We roam the streets and find her house,” Mike replied.
Mike and Rascal walked through the front yard.
Mike stopped on his sidewalk and looked up and down his Kiscoe Avenue. “We’ll start in that direction and walk around until we hopefully see Boodro,” Mike told Rascal.
Mike and Rascal ran, headed left to the end of Kiscoe, then turned right and ran down Faylor Avenue. They looked at the homes on both sides of the street. They didn’t see any signs of Boodro.
Mike and Rascal turned right and ran down Timber Avenue. They looked at all the homes on both sides of the street and didn’t see Boodro.
Mike and Rascal turned to the left and ran down Docker Avenue. They looked at all the homes on both sides of the street and didn’t see Boodro.
Mike and Rascal turned right and ran down Peabody Avenue. They looked at all the homes on both sides of the street, and then Mike suddenly stopped. He sat in the street and looked depressed. “He’s not around here,” he worried.
“Don’t give up. We’ll find him,” Rascal ensured while he placed a paw on Mike’s shoulder for comfort.
“Let’s head back to the house,” Mike suggested, and then he got up.
They walked off down Peabody.
An old eighty-year-old snoop of an old lady peeked out her living room windows. Her eyes widened when she noticed Mike and Rascal walking down her street. She quickly ran to her phone in her kitchen and called the dog pound.
Mike and Rascal ran down the streets and eventually returned to Fay Avenue.
They headed back down Faylor.
Then Rascal’s eyes widened while they walked down Fay.
“It’s Ginger!” he cried joyfully, then ran down the street.
Mike looked and saw Ginger while she sat on the sidewalk two houses down from them.
Ginger looked and saw Rascal running over to her and Mike lagging behind.
“Mike! I thought I’d never see you again. Hi Rascal. Are you guys back on the streets?” she curiously asked.
“No, we’re looking for someone,” Mike responded while he walked up to her.
“His name is Boodro. And he’s a big mean Cajun dog,”
Rascal replied while sitting beside Ginger.
Mike walked over and sat down by Ginger’s other side. He noticed her bandage fell off her wound from the dogfight, but it looked all right.
Ginger thought for a few seconds while she recalled all the dogs she encountered while she roamed around this neighborhood. Then her eyes lit up when she remembered. “I know that name. I remember this weird, spooky-looking human lady walking him down a nearby street. Boodro wanted me to marry him. In his dreams, maybe!” she replied.
Mike’s eyes widened with hope. “Do you know where they live?” he asked.
“Yeah,” she replied.
Mike licked the side of Ginger’s face. “You’re the best!”
Ginger loved Mike’s kisses.
“Great, can you show me?” he asked her. “My pleasure, she replied, then got up. Ginger ran down Faylor Avenue in the opposite direction from Mike’s home.
Mike and Rascal ran after her.
They ran past numerous streets, and then Ginger turned right down Juniper Avenue.
She ran down Juniper Avenue.
Mike and Rascal ran after her.
She stopped halfway down the street, where there was a light purple-painted house.
“Right there,” Ginger said while she sat on the sidewalk, and Mike and Rascal joined her.
Mike looked at the purple house. “Yep, that’s her color!
“Get away from my house!” Boodro yelled while he looked out his living room window.
“Yep, that’s the house,” Mike said while he saw Boodro’s large head in the living room window yelling at them. Then Boodro rushed away from the window.
“Why are you interested in his spooky place?” Ginger asked Mike. Mike got up and walked back to the street. Ginger and Rascal followed.
“Boodro’s owner used some Voodoo potion on me that turned me into a dog. I believe she has a potion to reverse it.
We have to get inside her house,” Mike told them.
“That’s easier said than done,” Ginger replied while remembering past encounters with Boodro.
“You better stay off my property!” Boodro’s voice bellowed behind them, but this time, it was louder.
Ginger, Mike, and Rascal looked concerned when they heard his voice. They slowly turned around and saw Boodro standing in the street, ten feet from them. Snarling.
“Oh, no!” Ginger said with a concerned look.
Then Mike looked happy when he saw the Dog Pound truck drive up and stop six feet behind Boodro.
“I’ll eat you alive if you step one paw into my home!”
Boodro yelled at them and growled with drool dripping out of his mouth.
Ginger, Mike, and Rascal watched while Dog Catchers Ernie and Peter got out, rushed to the side of their truck, and quickly removed two long snare poles.
Ginger, Mike, and Rascal stuck out their tongues at Boodro to taunt him while Ernie and Peter quietly inched their way to Boodro.
Then, two snares were quickly dropped around Boodro’s neck the second he lunged at Ginger, Mike, and Rascal.
Boodro brought Ernie and Peter down the street, but they still clung to their poles.
Boodro slowly dragged them down the street while he tried to get at Mike, Ginger, and Rascal. They quickly got up and used all their strength to stop Boodro while he clawed his way down the street after Ginger, Mike, and Rascal.
“We better git!” Ginger said, knowing the Dog Catchers would come after them.
Ginger, Mike, and Rascal turned around and ran down the street.
“You can run but can’t hide from us, as we always get our dogs!” Peter yelled at the three dogs while they ran away.
“We’ll be back!” Ernie yelled at the dogs.
The older man, Robbie, who lived three houses down the street, mowed his front yard. He stopped his mower when he saw Boodro being dragged to their truck. He returned to mowing his yard with a smile.
Mike, Rascal, and Ginger stopped at the end of the street and looked back. They saw Ernie and Peter drag Boodro to the rear of their truck.
“Great! My luck is finally getting better. We can sneak in her house tonight,” Mike told Ginger and Rascal.
“Come along with us, Ginger,” Mike offered. “Where are we going?” she asked curiously. “Home,” he replied.
Ginger loved hearing that word. “I would love to try home again!” she replied with a sparkle in her eyes. Mike and Rascal walked away, and then Ginger followed.
Later that day, Mike, Rascal, and Ginger walked to the back porch screen door.
“Are you sure I’m allowed inside?” Ginger asked, a little apprehensive.
“Of course, my wife will love you. Trust me,” Mike promised; then he went through the doggie door on the porch screen door and went into the porch.
Rascal went through the screen door doggie door and went onto the porch.
Ginger went through the screen door doggie door and went into the porch.
Mike went through the screen door of the kitchen door and entered the kitchen.
In the kitchen, Mike waited while Rascal went through the doggie door of the kitchen. He watched while Ginger went through the doggie door.
Ginger looked in awe at the kitchen. “Wow! I forgot what it’s like to be in a home. It’s so huge!” she beamed.
Debbie walked into the kitchen, and Ginger got scared and shook slightly.
Debbie saw Ginger. “Well, did Buster bring a friend home?” she asked while she walked up to Ginger.
“Buster? Your name is now Buster. How funny!” Ginger quietly said while she looked over at Mike and quietly snickered.
“Watch it!” Mike replied with a chuckle. Debbie knelt at Ginger, who shied away.
“I won’t hurt you,” Debbie said while holding her hand.
Ginger sniffed Debbie’s hand and felt safe. Debbie petted Ginger’s head. “I’ll have Kenny take you to the shelter,” she said while petting Ginger’s head, who loved it.
Debbie stood up when Jenny and Chris ran into the kitchen.
“A new doggie!” Jenny cried out, all excited. “Let’s play!”
she added.
“Whew! I’m off the hook for another tea party,” Rascal said, being relieved.
Debbie looked at Ginger. “Let’s give the new dog a bath first,” Debbie said while she bent down and picked up Ginger.
While Debbie carried her into the bathroom, Ginger didn’t know what a bath was.
Thirty minutes later, Ginger had her bath.
“I never knew how good you could feel when you get one of those baths,” she told Mike in the kitchen while they ate some dog food.
“Plus, you smell better,” Mike said while munching on his food.
“I hate baths,” Rascal mumbled with a mouthful of dog food.
They finished their food while Jenny walked into the kitchen.
“Let’s play with our new doggie,” Jenny said, bending down and picking up Ginger.
Debbie walked into the kitchen and saw Ginger in Jenny’s arms. “We need to give her a name,” Debbie said while she tried to think of one. Then she snapped her fingers when one came to mind. “Well, call her Missy,” Debbie said.
Jenny’s eyes lit up. “I love Missy,” she replied, then hugged Ginger.
Mike snickered, and Ginger gave him a stern look.
“Come, Missy, we need to have a tea party,” Jenny said when she walked out of the kitchen with Ginger in her arms.
Debbie walked out of the kitchen.
Mike and Rascal looked at each other, then chuckled. “No more girly tea parties for me!” Rascal said.
Mike and Rascal high-pawed each other. “Let’s take a peek,” Rascal said. “Okay,” Mike replied.
They walked out of the kitchen and walked down the hallway.
They walked to Jenny’s bedroom and peeked inside. They both quietly chucked while they saw Ginger at Jenny’s table.
Jenny just placed the wig on Ginger’s head. Then Jenny sat down and grabbed a small teapot. She poured iced tea into two little teacups. She grabbed the cup before Ginger and brought it to Ginger’s mouth.
“Drink, Missy,” Jenny said.
Ginger wasn’t sure of the liquid in that cup. She smelled the iced tea, and it smelled good. She licked up some tea and liked the taste. She slurped up the rest of it out of the cup.
Mike and Rascal walked away down the hallway.
Mike and Rascal walked into the living room and jumped on the couch. Mike got up on the top of the couch and lay on the top of the back cushions. Rascal got on the seat cushions and curled up by the pillows on the couch arm near Mike.
“Get some rest tonight,” Mike requested while he closed his eyes.
Rascal closed his eyes.
They were soon fast asleep.
Later that evening, Ginger, Mike, and Rascal ate their dinner in the kitchen.
Ginger gulped down her food, and then she burped.
“Sorry. I’m not acting like a lady again,” she said, then sat and looked around the kitchen. “I could get used to living like this,”
Ginger dreamed with bright eyes.
Mike and Rascal finished their meal.
“Yeah, it sure beats living on the street,” Rascal added with bright eyes.
“This food isn’t the greatest, but it sure beats eating out of the garbage,” Mike said while he looked at Ginger and Rascal then remembered he was still a dog. “Okay, we’ll slip out of the house once everybody goes to sleep. Let’s go get some rest,” Mike told everybody.
Ginger and Rascal nodded in agreement. They all walked out of the kitchen.
Rascal went into Chris’ room and curled up at the base of his bed while Chris played a game on his Wii station.
Ginger entered Jenny’s room and jumped on her bed while Jenny read a book. Come, Missy. Let me read to you,” Jenny
offered while she grabbed Ginger, shoved her under the covers, and made her comfy. “This is the life!” Ginger thought, loving the feeling of the comfortable mattress.
Mike entered the living room, where Debbie sat on the couch and watched The Ugly Dachshund movie.
Mike jumped up on the couch and curled up next to Debbie.
She patted his head while she watched the movie. All he could think about was becoming a human again and loving his family.
Later that night, Louise returned from her day trip to Pittsburgh.
She searched her house for Boodro and realized he wasn’t there.
She looked in the backyard for Boodro and realized he wasn’t there.
A few minutes later, Louise rushed outside in sandals and her cane.
She rushed down her driveway and headed to the street.
She rushed down her street. “Boodro!” she called out while she looked at all the front yards, and Boodro wasn’t there.
Then Robbie walked out of his garage after he heard Louise. “Hello, Miss LeBlanc. Are you looking for Boodro?”
Robbie said.
“Yes, I am,” Louise snapped back in her usual unfriendly tone. “I believe the dog catcher picked him up earlier today,”
Robbie broke the news to her with a smile.
Louise glared at Robbie and then stormed off furious.
Robbie had a spring in his step while he walked back to his garage, as he was not fond of Louise and Boodro.
A little while later, Louise drove her old black, rusty four-door, smoky 1960 Dodge Fury to the front entrance of the Dog Pound. She parked her car and stormed to the front porch.
She saw the “Closed” sign in the door window. She got mad and kicked the door.
She heard numerous dogs bark inside the pound. Then, I spotted the “Joe Smithson – Manager” sign on the wall next to the door.
She stormed back to her Dodge Fury.
Everybody was busy at Mike’s house, and Mike, Ginger, and Rascal pretended to be asleep on the back porch.
Mike looked up and eyed the kitchen door window, noticing the lights were off.
“Let’s go!” Mike quietly told Ginger and Rascal.
They all got up and took turns sneaking through the doggie door on the screen door.
Mike, Ginger, and Rascal ran through the side yard, then headed to the front yard.
They ran through the front yard and headed to the street.
They raced down Kiscoe Avenue.
Elsewhere, Louise whipped her Dodge Fury into the driveway of Joe Smithson’s home.
She exited her car and opened her door while storming up to Joe’s front door with her cane.
She banged on it with her cane! She waited for a few seconds, and nobody answered her knocking. She beat and beat on the door again with her cane.
The door slowly opened, and Joe appeared sleepy; his hair was a mess, and he was in his pajamas. “What is the emergency?” Joe yelled, then yawned.
“You have my dog, and I want him back!” Louise demanded.
“What, dog?” Joe replied, a little confused.
“His name is Boodro. Your stupid employees picked him up earlier today,” she yelled.
“We open up at nine o’clock in the morning,” he replied, then closed his door.
She got furious and beat on his door with her cane. “You didn’t hear me. I want Boodro! And I want him now!” she yelled while she rapidly beat her cane on his door.
Joe opened the door. “As I said, we open up at nine in the morning,” he yelled.
Louise gave Joe the scariest evil look, and it spooked him, and then he feared for his life.
“Ah, yes, ma’am. I can get him. Let me grab my car keys,”
Joe said like he was in some hypnotic trance.
“We go now!” she yelled while reaching inside his house, grabbed his pajama top, and yanked him outside.
She escorted him to her Dodge Fury while she still had a handful of the top of his pajamas. Joe’s eyes widened in fear.
At the rear of Louise’s house, Mike, Ginger, and Rascal looked at the back porch that had a bigger doggie door in the porch screen door.
“Are you still with me?” Mike asked them to double-check.
“Of course,” Ginger replied.
“You bet I would never let you down,” Rascal added.
Mike felt proud of his friends.
“Let’s do it,” Mike said while he went through the doggie door.
Ginger went through the doggie door.
Rascal went through the doggie door.
A little while later, they all went through another doggie door and entered the kitchen.
They stood in the kitchen and listened to the sound of Louise. They listened for a few seconds, and it was quiet.
“Great! She’s not here,” Mike told them.
At the Dog Pound, Louise waited while Joe brought Boodro out of his cage.
Joe walked Louise and Boodro out of the building and walked with them to her car.
Louise put Boodro in the backseat and got behind the wheel. She closed her door and started her engine.
Joe rushed around to the passenger side. Then, the second he touched the door handle, Louise threw the car in drive and drove off, leaving Joe stranded. She laughed an evil laugh while she pulled her car onto the street and drove away.
Joe returned to the building to call his wife for a ride home.
Back inside Louise’s home, Mike, Ginger, and Rascal walked down the dark hallway.
“She probably has her Voodoo items in a den or separate bedroom,” Mike told them.
They peeked into a bedroom and didn’t see any Voodoo items.
They walked to another room, peeked inside, and saw various weird Voodoo items.
“This looks like the place,” Mike said.
They went inside the room.
Mike looked around the room while Ginger and Rascal just sat down and was clueless.
Mike saw a bookcase at one end of the room filled with books and numerous labeled bottles of strange-looking liquid.
Then, Mike saw a big, thick “Complete Books on Spells”
book on the second bookshelf.
“That book might have the potion I need,” he said while he stood up on his hind paws. He clawed at that book, and finally, a claw caught the top of the binding. Mike pulled on the book, and it fell out of the shelf and landed on the floor.
He used a paw to open the book. He flipped over a couple of pages and found the Table of Contents. He looked at it and found a chapter of interest. He used his claws and flipped numerous pages over until he found the needed chapter. He flipped a few pages over, and his eyes lit up joyfully.
“I found it!” he cried while wagging his tail.
Mike jumped up and down and wagged his tail. “I’m going to be a human again!” he cried out excitedly.
Mike went back to the book and looked at it. He looked at the bottles on a lower shelf. “Great, she has all the ingredients,”
he said, then looked around the room. “But we need something to carry it out of here,” he added. Then Mike saw a cloth shopping bag with strap handles at the other end of the room.
He ran over and grabbed the handles with his mouth.
Ginger and Rascal watched while he dragged the bag over to the book.
He looked at the book and then at the bottom bookshelf that contained numerous four-ounce bottles of strange-colored liquids with a cork top.
He clawed at a bottle filled with purple liquid. The bottle fell to the floor.
Mike rolled the bottle with his paw to the cloth bag. He pushed the bottle with his paw into the bag. Mike repeated this process for five other bottles with yellow, green, bright red, orange, and white liquids.
He pushed the book into the bag with his nose and eventually slid it into the cloth bag.
“We better git,” Mike told Ginger and Rascal.
Louise and Boodro entered the living room through the front door.
Boodro stopped and sniffed the air, and he growled as there were some smells he didn’t like.
In that Voodoo room, Mike grabbed the straps of the cloth bag. He pulled the bag to the door with his teeth.
Ginger and Rascal followed Mike.
Mike dragged the cloth bag into the hallway. Ginger and Rascal followed Mike. Mike suddenly stopped, and he looked scared.
Ginger and Rascal bumped into him. Then their eyes widened the second they saw Boodro in the hallway with Louise behind him.
“Why are you in our house?” Boodro asked in a mad tone.
Then he growled, and slobber dripped out of his mouth.
“You better get them, Boodro, or I’ll turn you into a frog!”
Louise threatened him.
Ginger whispered in Rascal’s ear, and he nodded in agreement.
“And what does a big, ugly, smelly guy think he’s going to do about it?” she yelled at Boodro.
“Yeah, you couldn’t catch a three-legged cat,” Rascal taunted Boodro.
Mike looked at his two friends like they were loony.
Ginger walked past Mike to Boodro and slapped him across his nose with her paw. She turned around, ran past Mike, and headed down the hallway.
Boodro was slightly stunned by Ginger’s behavior and then became furious.
He charged past Mike and ran after Ginger. Mike looked at Louise.
Rascal bolted after Louise and jumped on her right leg, knocking her down to the floor.
“Get out of here, Mike,” Rascal yelled at Mike while he jumped on Louise’s chest.
Mike quickly dragged the cloth bag down the hallway and headed to the kitchen.
“You better not move if you know what’s good for you!”
Rascal threatened Louise, and then he growled in her face.
Louise stood perfectly still and was scared of Rascal.
When Mike reached the kitchen, he heard numerous items breaking in the house while Boodro chased Ginger from room to room.
Rascal jumped off Louise and grabbed her cane with his mouth.
He dragged the cane into the kitchen, where Mike dragged the bag through the doggie door.
Rascal dragged the cane and hid it under the kitchen table.
He ran over and went through the doggie door.
Mike dragged the bag through the doggie door of the back porch.
Rascal rushed through the same doggie door.
Rascal grabbed the strap handles and helped Mike drag the cloth bag through Louise’s yard.
They heard Boodro barking inside the house while they dragged the bag through the front yard.
The second they dragged the bag to the street, they heard Ginger yelp in pain from inside the house.
“I can’t believe they did that for me,” Mike said while he looked at Louise’s house.
“I know. She’s a brave, special lady, but we can’t help her now. We better get this thing home,” Rascal said, then they picked up the pace and dragged the bag down the street.
Mike and Rascal finally dragged the cloth bag through his yard and to the back porch.
They barely got the bag through the doggie door of the screen door, but they succeeded.
Once they were both on the back porch, Mike dragged the cloth bag to the other end of the porch and dragged it under a chair where it was dark.
“It should be safe here until tonight,” he told Rascal.
“Why not now?” Rascal asked.
“The book said the spell has to be performed during the same time frame as the original spell. She had to have done it while everybody was asleep, and I remember falling asleep after midnight. So we’ll do this later tonight,” Mike replied.
“Okay,” Rascal understood.
Mike walked over to the kitchen door and went through the doggie door.
Rascal went through the doggie door.
Debbie entered the kitchen and turned on the light. She saw Mike and Rascal sitting on the floor by the door.
“Where were you guys?” she asked them.
Mike and Rascal just wagged their tails for their response.
Debbie looked around the kitchen and then peeked out into the back porch. “Where’s Missy?” she asked.
Mike and Rascal looked sad, and Debbie noticed.
“I think I understand. She’s a street dog and doesn’t like living in a home,” she said while she bent down and kissed Mike and Rascal on the tops of their heads.
“Let’s go to sleep,” she told them, then walked out of the kitchen and turned off the light.
Mike and Rascal followed her out of the kitchen. Rascal went into Jenny’s room to sleep.
Mike went into Debbie’s room to sleep on his old bed, praying this would be the last time he slept on his bed like a dog.
Back on Juniper Avenue, Ginger managed to escape from Boodro. She was in excruciating pain while she dragged her severely injured hind legs down the street and was determined to return to Mike’s home. Boodro might have seriously injured her, but she left a bunch of good teeth marks on him as her calling card.
It was later that night in the Hanson home, and it was quiet.
Rascal sat on Jenny’s bed and watched while she played with her dolls.
Some of Jenny’s clothes were on a pile on her bed near Rascal, ready to be placed in a suitcase.
In Chris’ room, he played a game on his Wii while Mike sat on his bed and watched. Also on the bed was a pile of his clothes ready to be placed in a suitcase.
Mike jumped off the bed and walked out of Chris’
bedroom.
Mike walked down the hallway and went into Debbie’s bedroom.
Mike looked so sad when he saw Debbie while she packed clothes into a suitcase and then zipped it up. Two other suitcases were on the floor, ready for Jenny and Chris.
She looked at her watch and looked a little worried.
Mike walked out of her bedroom.
Mike walked down the hallway and went inside the living room.
Danny relaxed in Mike’s old La-Z-Boy boy chair and watched the Seattle Mariners and Cleveland Indians baseball game on ESPN.
Mike sat in the doorway and stared at Danny. He knew he was losing his family to this man.
The doorbell rang.
Danny got up from the chair and went over to the front door. He opened it, and outside were Debbie’s parents, both enjoying retirement.
“Hello, Danny,” Wendell said as he and Dottie walked into the living room.
Wendell and Danny shook hands.
Mike looked at his old in-laws and remembered he didn’t get along with them for some reason. Probably my fault! He thought in his head while he watched Dottie hug Danny.
Debbie rushed into the living room, excited, as she knew they were supposed to arrive soon.
“Mom! Dad!” Debbie beamed with open arms.
“Sorry, we’re late. We took a little nap when we got to our hotel room,” Wendell told Debbie while he hugged her.
Debbie hugged Dottie and kissed her cheek.
Jenny and Chris ran into the living room, all excited.
“Grandma! Grandpa!” Jenny and Chris called out in unison.
Chris and Jenny hugged their grandparents.
Rascal walked over and sat next to Mike in the doorway.
“Who are these people?” Rascal asked Mike.
“Debbie’s mom and dad,” Mike replied.
Dottie and Wendell saw Mike and Rascal in the doorway.
“You got two dogs?” Dottie asked.
“I can imagine Mike turning over in his grave at this moment, knowing you have two dogs in his house,” Wendell replied.
“That’s Buster, and that’s Rascal,” Debbie told her parents while she pointed out the dogs.
“I remember the cute picture of Rascal you sent me last year, Debbie. I’m glad you found him,” Dottie said while she walked up to Mike and Rascal. She petted Mike and Rascal on the tops of their heads. “
Kenny found Rascal and Mike at the dog pound, and he rescued them,” Debbie replied. “They’re so sweet! Is Kenny here?” Dottie asked, glancing around the room.
“No, he’s running late, and I’m getting worried,” Debbie replied.
“I’m sure he’ll be here before too long. Let’s make some coffee and wait for him,” Dottie said.
“Coffee sounds great!” Wendell said while he walked over and sat on the couch while Danny sat on the La-Z-Boy boy chair.
Debbie and Dottie walked out of the living room and entered the kitchen.
Mike and Rascal followed them.
“Who’s winning?” Wendell asked Danny while he saw the baseball game on the TV.
“Mariners, six to nothing,” Danny replied.
They continued to watch the game while Debbie and Dottie made a fresh pot of coffee.
“How’s work, Danny?” Wendell asked.
“Great. I’m being transferred to our Seattle office with a huge pay raise,” Danny replied and looked excited about this.
“Debbie did not tell us you might be moving after the wedding,” Wendell replied.
“I just got the news,” Danny replied.
Mike motioned at Rascal that they should go outside.
Rascal nodded in agreement.
Mike went through the kitchen doggie door.
Rascal went through the kitchen doggie door.
They went through the back porch doggie door and sat in the backyard.
“This doesn’t look good. They might stay up all night and chit-chat,” Mike said while he paced around a little and looked back at the back porch.
“I wonder if Ginger is okay?” Rascal asked with a worried look. “Well, we can’t go back to Boodro’s house to check up on her now,” Mike replied while he stopped pacing and looked back at the kitchen. “Let’s go back inside,” Mike told Rascal. Then he walked over and went through the doggie door.
Rascal went through the doggie door.
A toad was in the middle of the backyard, slowly hopping toward the house.
Mike and Rascal went through the other doggie door and entered the kitchen while Debbie and Dottie poured coffee into four cups.
Mike and Rascal followed them while they carried the cups into the living room.
An hour later, they finished drinking their coffee. The baseball game was over, and the Mariners won.
The doorbell rang in the living room.
Debbie got up with a smile and opened up the front door.
Kenny walked into the living room and looked sad. “I’m sorry, I’m late. I found a stray dog in the street a few houses from here. It looks like she got in a dogfight and was hurt badly.
I took her to the emergency animal hospital, but she died,”
Kenny told everybody with sadness in his eyes.
“That’s a shame,” Debbie said.
Wendell and Dottie stood up, walked over, and hugged Kenny.
“Hi, mom. Hi, Dad,” he greeted them and hugged Dottie and Wendell.
Mike’s ears perked up, and he looked at Rascal. Both of their eyes welled up as they knew Ginger was dead.
“Sis, everything’s in place for tomorrow’s wedding,” Kenny told her.
“Thanks, buddy,” Danny told Kenny.
Mike motioned for Rascal to follow him out of the room.
They walked into the kitchen while Kenny sat with Debbie and his parents on the couch.
Mike and Rascal sat in the backyard after they went through the doggie doors.
Mike wiped away a tear from his eyes with a paw. “I can’t believe she sacrificed herself for me,” he wept while his voice choked up.
“She was an exceptional dog,” Rascal added, his eyes welled up. “It’s my fault she’s dead. I deserve to remain a dog for the rest of my life. Especially with how I treated dogs as a human,”
Mike replied while tears dripped into the grass.
“I came into this world as a dog and will leave as a dog.
You came into this world as a human, and you should leave as a human. It’s your destiny. So after they go to sleep, we’ll correct your destiny,” Rascal stated with a determined look.
“You are truly man’s best friend,” Mike said while he placed a paw on the back of Rascal’s neck.
“That’s my destiny,” Rascal responded.
“I think I know what mine is,” he said while he looked at his home.
Mike and Rascal spoke to each other and then returned to the back porch.
Mike and Rascal lay on the back porch and waited until everybody slept.
Hours later, Mike and Rascal pretended to sleep on the back porch.
The kitchen light came on while Debbie and Kenny entered, looking for the two dogs.
Kenny peeked into the back porch through the window of the kitchen door. “Here they are,” he quietly told Debbie.
She walked over and saw Mike and Rascal asleep on the back porch.
“They look too peaceful to wake up,” Kenny told her.
She nodded in agreement. “They’ll be fine out there. We better get some sleep,” she said.
Debbie turned off the kitchen light while they walked out of the kitchen.
From the back porch, Mike popped his head up and looked at the window in the kitchen door and saw it was dark inside the house.
Mike waited thirty minutes, then sat up when he saw the house still dark and quiet inside.
“The coast is clear,” he said while he nudged Rascal, who was asleep.
Rascal sat up and yawned while he watched Mike walk over and grab the straps of the cloth bag with his teeth. He dragged the cloth bag out from under the chair.
“Rascal, see that switch on the wall next to the door?” he said. Rascal looked up at the wall by the door. “Yeah,” he replied.
“Jump up and see if you can flip the switch up so I can have some light,” Mike said.
“Got it,” Rascal said, then walked over to the wall and stood under the switch.
He jumped up and tried to hit the switch with his nose, and he missed. He tried to hit the switch again, and he missed. He tried to hit the switch again, and he missed. He tried to turn the switch again, and there was light on the back porch.
Mike dragged the cloth bag over to the kitchen door to be under the light near the two water bowls that Debbie placed on the porch for the two dogs.
Mike stuck his nose inside the bag and grabbed a corner of the book with his teeth. He dragged the book out of the bag.
He opened the book with one of his paws and flipped to the page with the needed potion.
Mike then grabbed one corner of the bottom of the bag and raised it until all the bottles fell out and rolled on the back porch floor.
Meanwhile, Louise walked with her cane down Faylor Avenue along with Boodro, who had limped from a bite Ginger had given him during their earlier fight.
“Some watchdog you are to let those other two little dogs escape with my belongings,” she scolded Boodro while she walked down the street and searched the homes for signs of those two dogs.
“I’m sorry,” Boodro replied while he bowed his head in shame.
They turned and walked down Kiscoe Avenue.
Back on Mike’s back porch, he pulled out the cork tops of the bottles and poured the liquid of all the bottles into one of the water bowls Debbie placed outside. He stirred the liquid with his paw.
He glanced over at the book. “It now states I have to drink half of this stuff,” he said while he read over the potion recipe.
He slurped up half of the liquid in the bowl and then had a sour look on his face. “This potion tastes awful!” he cried out with dry heaves.
Then he burped while he looked at the recipe again. “It states I need to be at the exact place I originally was when I had the other potion,” he read.
Mike thought for a second. “I slept on the couch,” Mike remembered.
He rushed through the kitchen doggie door. Rascal rushed through the kitchen doggie door after Mike.
Mike rushed through the kitchen and into the living room.
He screeched to a stop when he saw Danny sleeping on the couch.
“What am I going to do now? He’s sleeping on the couch,”
Mike said and looked worried.
The sound of thunder boomed outside the house. Rascal looked at Danny on the couch and pondered how he could help.
Meanwhile, Louise and Boodro stood on the sidewalk before Mike’s house. “I knew there was something familiar about that dog!” she said with hatred in her eyes when she stared at Mike’s home.
She rushed through Mike’s front yard and headed to his backyard.
Boodro followed her through the yard.
Louise rushed over to Mike’s back porch and peeked inside through the screen. She saw her Voodoo bottles and book on the back porch floor. “He won’t get away with this!” she said while she gritted her teeth. She waved her hand over the back porch screen door handle, and it unlocked. “Come, and you better not mess up this again!” she told Boodro threateningly.
She opened the screen door and stepped inside the back porch with Boodro. She also didn’t notice the toad that followed them into the porch.
Louise walked up to her Voodoo items and looked pissed when she saw that her bottle was empty. She picked up her book and placed it inside the cloth bag.
The toad jumped into the water bowl of Voodoo potion.
Then Boodro accidentally stepped into the bowl. He dumped the remaining liquid onto Louise’s toes that stuck out from her sandals. She was too mad to notice, and then she
waved her hand across the door hand of the kitchen door, and it unlocked.
She opened the door and quietly stepped inside Mike’s kitchen. Boodro and the toad followed her through the door.
Louise and Boodro quietly walked through the kitchen, and she saw Mike and Rascal while they sat and looked at Danny sleeping on the couch.
“You’re now going to get what’s coming to you,” Boodro quietly said to Mike and Rascal while he inched his way behind them.
Mike and Rascal’s eyes widened with fear, and they turned around and saw Boodro about three feet away from Louise.
“This isn’t your territory!” Mike told Boodro.
“No, but that book and other items belong in our territory,” Boodro replied while he snarled at Mike and Rascal.
The thunder got louder outside, and lighting was visible from the living room window.
“I can’t believe this!” Mike said, worried that he wouldn’t get his chance. “I need to get on that couch without Danny being there,” he told Rascal.
Rascal looked at Danny and then had an idea. He quickly ran over and jumped on Danny’s tummy. “Burglars! Burglars!
Burglars!” he repeatedly yelled inches from Danny’s face.
Danny jumped, startled out of his sleep, when he heard a dog barking.
Danny saw Louise and Boodro and jumped off the couch, causing Rascal to drop to the floor.
“What are you doing in this house?” he yelled at Louise.
Rascal quickly jumped up and ran after Boodro, who was in a position to fight.
Mike saw the opportunity, ran over, and jumped on the couch.
Rascal slapped Boodro across his nose with a paw to give Mike more time.
“What’s with this slapping stuff?” Boodro asked and looked mad.
Rascal ran between Louise the second Boodro lunged at Louise.
Boodro knocked Louise down, and he landed on top of him. Debbie and the kids ran into the living room when they heard the barking and commotion.
“Louise, what are you doing in my house?” Debbie asked, concerned when she saw Louise on the floor with Boodro on top of her.
“Your dog got inside my house and stole something of value. He must pay!” Louise replied.
“My dog stole something from your house? That’s a joke.
I think you better leave!” Debbie threatened Louise.
Danny ran over to Debbie and the kids to protect them from Louise and Boodro.
The toad jumped on Louise’s feet the second she realized some potion and Boodro’s paw were on her feet. “No!” she cried; the split-second more severe lightning was visible from the living room window.
A lightning bolt came through the living room window and splintered into two bolts.
One bolt of lightning struck Mike, and the other splinted into three bolts, with one striking Louise, one striking Boodro, and the third striking the toad.
Debbie, Danny, and the kids watched in shock while Mike, Louise, Boodro, and the toad glowed.
It’s time we raced back to a year ago.
The music of beeps from monitoring equipment filled the room inside a hospital room.
Mike was back to being a human. He was in a hospital bed in a coma, hooked up to monitoring equipment.
His eyes opened, and a piece of equipment made a louder beep.
Debbie, Kenny, Chris, and Jenny sat in the waiting area, worried that Mike might be gone forever.
Doctor Winston entered and walked up to Debbie, who stood up and trembled a little. “How long will he be in a coma?” she worried.
“It’s hard to tell. It could be weeks or years,” Doctor Winston told her with concerned eyes.
Debbie’s eyes welled up, fearing the worst.
Doctor Winston placed a hand on her shoulder for comfort.
Nurse Betty rushed inside. “Doctor, Mister Hanson just came out of his coma,” she called out, then rushed back out of the waiting area.
“Or it could be now,” Doctor Winston said, then turned around and rushed out of the waiting area.
Debbie, Kenny, Chris, and Jenny rushed out after the doctor.
In Mike’s hospital room, he was dizzy and dazed while he looked around the room to figure out where he was located.
He saw the monitoring equipment, then looked down and saw his human hands. A huge grin formed when he realized he was a human again.
The door to his room slammed open.
Doctor Winston, Nurse Betty, Debbie, Kenny, Chris, and Jenny rushed inside.
Mike saw his family rush into the room, and his eyes welled up at the sight of his family.
Debbie rushed over to Mike’s side. Mike! I thought I was going to lose you forever,” Debbie softly said while a tear rolled down her cheek.
“What happened?” Mike replied, pretending to play ignorant.
“You were sleeping on the couch last week and got struck by lightning,” Debbie replied.
“Oh yeah, lightning. What a beautiful phenomenon!” Mike responded with a smile, remembering he was a dog just before being struck by all that electricity for the second time.
Everybody in the room looked baffled by Mike’s response.
A week passed, and Mike was released from the hospital.
On the way home, Debbie listened to Mike’s request and drove by his construction site.
Mike looked out his window and smiled when he saw the
“Hanson’s Construction” sign was still intact on his office trailer.
“Why would you think it wouldn’t be there?” she curiously asked while driving away from his work site.
“Just verifying things are where they should be,” Mike smiled.
Debbie looked worried about Mike and wondered if that lightning bolt had damaged his brain.
Debbie drove Mike home, where he relaxed for the rest of the day.
The next day, Mike sat on their couch, turned around, and peeked out the window curtains.
Thirty minutes later, Debbie entered, saw Mike, and got concerned. “Are you okay? You’ve been staring out that window for a while,” she said while sitting down and holding his hand.
“I’m going for a drive,” Mike said, then leaned over and kissed her on her cheek.
“The doctor said you should rest for a couple of weeks,”
she replied, concerned with Mike’s well-being.
“There are a few loose ends I need to clean up. I’ll be okay,” Mike said while standing up and walking out the front door.
Debbie peeked out the window curtains and looked worried while watching Mike rush to his pickup truck. She watched while he started it up, backed down the driveway, and drove off down their street.
Mike’s pickup slowly drove down the road and headed to his construction site.
He drove through the gate, slowly down all the streets, looking at all the homes.
He drove out of his construction site and looked disappointed.
A little while later, Mike drove down another street and stopped by Mamma’s Great Cooking restaurant. He looked at the restaurant but realized it was closed.
A car horn blew behind him, and the driver was mad that Mike stopped on the road.
Mike drove his pickup truck away.
Mike drove around the streets of New Castle, searching every inch of ground.
Then he drove past the dog pound, where he remembered Rascal and himself were once held prisoner.
Then his eyes widened when he remembered something Ginger once told him. He quickly stopped his pickup, backed up, and was lucky traffic wasn’t behind him.
He pulled his pickup into the parking lot of the dog pound and parked.
He rushed to the front door of the pound.
Mike rushed through the front doors of the pound and rushed up to Joe Smithson, who sat behind his desk.
“I’m looking for a reddish-haired terrier mix female mutt,”
Mike said with hopeful eyes.
Joe thought for a few seconds. “We picked up a dog that looks like that a week ago. She’s slated to be put to sleep,” Joe replied.
“I’ll pay whatever it costs to save her. She’s a family pet, and my kids will be devastated,” Mike quickly replied, removing his credit card from his wallet.
“Follow me,” Joe responded while jumping from his chair, as he had a soft heart for kids who loved their pets.
Joe walked over and went through a door.
Mike followed Joe through the door.
Joe rushed down the hallway and rushed into an examination room.
“Stop!” Mike screamed out when he saw the veterinarian with a needle inches away from Ginger’s body. The female veterinarian jumped a mile and dropped the needle, and it bounced on the floor.
Mike smiled, knowing he saved Ginger’s life.
Ginger looked up and saw Mike, and she looked intimidated by him as she remembered his treatment of her at his construction site.
A little while later, Mike drove out of an Arby’s restaurant.
While Mike drove his pickup down the street, Ginger sat in the passenger seat, gobbling up the roast beef from Arby’s sandwich Mike bought.
“We need to find someone else,” Mike told Ginger, smiling as he watched her eat the sandwich.
Ginger looked up at Mike. “He’s giving me food? I must be dreaming,” she quietly said while munching her roast beef.
Mike scanned the street while he drove.
A little while later, Mike slowly drove his pickup truck around another residential area and searched it.
Ginger had her front paws on the passenger windowsill and stuck her head out the window, loving the wind through her face. A little while later, Mike slowly drove his pickup down another residential street, and Ginger still had her head out the window.
Then Mike slowly went down another street and drove past a street perpendicular to his right, where he spotted the dog pound truck parked along the curb.
Then Mike saw Rascal, still a puppy he dumped off in the woods a few weeks ago, while he ran toward his truck while Ernie, the Dog Catcher, chased him.
Mike stopped his pickup and got out, and he waited.
Rascal turned and ran down the street, then he unknowingly ran into Mike’s open arms.
Rascal looked stunned when he realized he was in Mike’s arms and figured his days were numbered.
Mike rushed to his pickup and placed Rascal inside. He got in and quickly drove away.
Ernie huffed and puffed while he ran to that street and looked around for Rascal. He was baffled. “Where did that mutt go?” he pondered, scratching his head while scanning the area. He turned around and returned to his truck, disappointed that a stray dog got the best of him.
Mike drove away down the street, elated he completed his mission.
“Ginger, meet Rascal. Rascal, meet Ginger,” he introduced them again.
“Hi,” Ginger said to Rascal.
“Hi, are you going to live with us?” Rascal asked her when he realized Mike was taking him back home.
“I guess so,” she replied, then looked at Mike and wondered how he knew her name. She shrugged it off, as she didn’t care because she knew in her heart that she would finally get off the streets.
Mike turned his pickup right down another street so he could head home.
Then, halfway down the street, he saw another familiar sight down a perpendicular street. He saw Howard while he moped down that street.
Mike stopped his pickup truck and rolled down his window.
“Hey, Howard!” Mike yelled out his window.
Ginger’s head snapped around when she heard that familiar name. “Howard!” she called out the second she saw Howard down that perpendicular street.
Howard turned around and saw Mike in his pickup truck.
“Ah, yeah,” Howard replied, a little apprehensive of Mike as he remembered how he was treated.
“If you want a job as a laborer, come by the Hanson construction site,” Mike called out.
“I know where it is, and I would love a job,” Howard beamed and quickly interrupted Mike, as he was so happy he might have finally found work.
Howard rushed over to Mike’s truck, all excited.
“Great. Come by tomorrow,” Mike replied with a warm smile. Then his eyes widened with an idea, and he removed his wallet. Mike opened it, took out eighty dollars, and handed it to Howard. “Go buy some fresh clothes, and it’s on me,” Mike offered.
Howard couldn’t believe Mike’s generosity and took the money. “Bless you, sir,” he called out to Mike while his eyes welled up.
Mike rolled up his window and drove off.
Howard waved goodbye while Mike drove his pickup away.
“Good for Howard,” Ginger thought while she looked at Mike.
A little while later, at his home, Mike walked through the front door and entered the living room with Ginger and Rascal behind him.
“Jenny! Chris! I have a surprise for you,” Mike called out.
Debbie rushed into the living room. “Where were you? I was scared,” she quickly said, then looked stunned when she noticed the two dogs.
Rascal’s tail wagged when he saw Debbie and ran up to her.
“Rascal!” Debbie cried out and knelt, where Rascal immediately jumped up and licked her face.
Jenny and Chris ran into the living room curiously, and their eyes lit up the second they saw Rascal.
“Rascal!” they both cried joyfully and rushed over to him.
Rascal wagged his tail, immediately jumped up, and licked Jenny and Chris’ face.
They hugged Rascal.
Debbie stood up and looked surprised at Mike. “You found Rascal! Why the sudden change in heart?” she asked while she walked over to him.
“Let’s say that lightning bolt made me see things a little clearer,” he replied while Debbie kissed him on his cheek to thank him for being so kind.
Debbie saw Ginger, who hid behind Mike’s legs. “You have another dog?”
“Yep. Her name is Ginger. She’s a stray that needs a loving home for once,” Mike replied, looking down at Ginger.
Debbie walked up to Ginger and petted her. “Hello, Ginger, and welcome to our home,” she said warmly. “Did you make up her name, Mike?” She curiously asked.
“Ah, yeah, because of her color,” he replied.
“It’s a fitting name,” Debbie responded, then leaned down and petted Ginger’s head.
“Dreams can come true,” Ginger thought in her head.
Mike smiled while he watched Ginger and Rascal get all the loving attention he finally realized they deserved.
“Come on, Rascal, let’s go outside and play ball,” Chris said. Chris ran out of the living room and went down the hallway.
“Come on, Ginger. “Let’s go have a tea party,” Jenny said.
Jenny ran out of the living room and went to the hallway.
Ginger followed and needed to figure out what a tea party was.
Debbie gave Mike a warm hug for being so sweet and kind.
Mike spotted Chris and Rascal while they ran into the kitchen from the hallway.
“I’ll join you, Chris,” Mike called out when Chris opened the kitchen door. Then he looked at Debbie. “By the way honey, I was thinking, I want to know if you want a jogging partner. I think I stand to lose a few pounds,” he told her, then walked away and headed toward the kitchen.
Debbie stared at Mike in disbelief at his sudden change.
“Ah, sure,” she said, wondering if that lightning bolt fried part of his brain, the mean part.
A couple of weeks passed, and Kenny stood outside his animal shelter and watched as construction workers framed an addition to his shelter.
Howard was also one of the workers and picked up trash.
He was clean-shaven, his hair was cut short, and he wore a new work shirt and a new pair of blue jeans. He looked like a different person and seemed so full of life again.
Mike drove up to the shelter in Debbie’s mini-van and parked.
Debbie, Jenny, and Chris got out with Mike in his Little League uniform.
They all walked over to Kenny.
“It’s looking great, Mike. Thanks for getting your guys to volunteer on their Saturday,” Kenny said.
“My pleasure,” Mike replied while he watched his workers.
Debbie placed her arms around Mike and rested her head on his shoulder, loving her new man.
“Well, we have a little game to attend. I just wanted to stop by and check it out,” Mike told Kenny. “It’s coming along just fine,” Mike said with a smile.
Debbie, Mike, Chris, and Jenny headed back to the mini-van, where Mike opened the passenger door for Debbie.
Later that day, Debbie and Mike walked to their front door in jogging outfits.
“We’ll be back in a while,” Debbie called out to the kids playing with Ginger and Rascal in their bedrooms.
Mike and Debbie went out of the house. Mike and Debbie walked through their front yard and headed to the street.
Once they got to the street, they took off in a slow jog.
A little while later, Debbie and Mike jogged down another street.
On that same street, two toads hopped along the curb.
Mike and Debbie jogged down that street and came upon the two toads.
They passed the toads where one toad was Louise, and the other toad was Boodro.
“It’s all your fault, Boodro. It’s going to take us years to get back home. And who knows if I can turn us back into humans again since most of my special liquids have been used up by that mutt,” Louise yelled at Boodro the toad.
Boodro’s ignored her as he spotted a fly. Then his tongue whipped out, and he caught the fly and quickly ate it.
“Mmmm!” Boodro, the toad replied.
They continued hopping down the street.
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