Story & The Dog

A normal routine turns in to an exciting adventure when my dog and I try to live just ordinary lives.

STORY & THE DOG - WRITTEN AND PRODUCED BY SCOTT PRICE

TIME DOESN’T MATTER.

THE PROBLEM’S ALWAYS THE SAME;

IT’S LATE AND THE GOOD GUYS ARE IN,

AND THE BAD GUYS ARE OUT.

SCOTT PRICE RESIDES IN A PLACE WHERE ANYTHING GOES.

AND IN THIS PLACE? THIS IS WHERE YOUR FIRST STEP MAY BE YOUR LAST.

THIS IS WHERE HE LIVES…

TO LIVE ANOTHER DAY. (I HOPE)

 

FRIDAY NIGHT… SAY SEVEN-THIRTY.

WE’VE JUST COME BACK FROM DINNER.

SONIC HAD THIS TWO FOR ONE THING GOING ON AND

NEITHER ONE OF US WANTED TO COOK.

IT WAS THE DOG’S PICK OF FAST FOOD THIS TIME.

ALEXANDRIA, THAT’S MY DOG, KNEW WE HAD COUPONS FROM LAST WEEK’S FLYER MAIL.

“GOOD CALL”, I SAY.

MAYBE WE CAN SLIP INSIDE THE HOUSE BEFORE THINGS GET CRAZY OUT HERE.

AS WE APPROACH THE APARTMENT, I SENSE THAT WALKING ACROSS OUR BRIDGE TO GET TO THE APARTMENT MAY BE DIFFICULT.

YOU SEE, THE NEXT-DOOR NEIGHBOR, CYNTHIA, HAS HER OTHER FOUR CHILDREN THIS WEEK, ON TOP OF THE EIGHT THAT STAY WITH HER YEAR ROUND. CYNTHIA TOLD ME HER NICKNAME, MORE THAN ONCE. “CONEJA.”

ENGLISH TRANSLATION?

MEANS “RABBIT”.

THE DOG SAYS, “IT WOULD BE ‘CONEJO’, IF SHE WAS A MALE RABBIT.”

“YOU ARE CORRECT, MY FINE FURRY FRIEND.” I RESPOND.
“BUT SHE COULDN’T HAVE CHILDREN IF SHE WAS A MALE.”

(THIS IS A WAAAAY DEEP SUBJECT - MAYBE FOR ANOTHER DAY)

NOW… BACK TO BUSINESS.

RIGHT NOW IT LOOKS LIKE A CROSS BETWEEN A PLAYGROUND AND A FULL FLEDGED PANIC.

THE DOG KNOWS NOT TO BITE CHILDREN AND I THANK HER FOR THAT;

UNLESS OF COURSE, THEY HAVE CHOCOLATE ON THEIR FACES.

NOW…TO THE HUMAN EYE, THEY ARE KIDS WITH…

WELL, CHOCOLATE ON THEIR FACES.

TO MY COMPANION, THEY ARE CANDY BARS THAT MOVE.

LIFE IS SWEET, DON’T YOU THINK? I KNOW…BAD JOKE.

ALRIGHT, LET’S PUT OUR HEADS TOGETHER SO AS TO COME UP WITH A PLAN SO WE CAN MARCH UP THE STAIRS WITH AS LITTLE BLOODSHED AS POSSIBLE.

ALEX COMES UP WITH THIS.

SHE WILL GRAB THE LITTLEST ONE GENTLY, AND TAKE OFF INTO THE THICK BRUSH ACROSS THE STREET, WITH THE CHILD, AGAIN GENTLY, SETTING HER DOWN UNDER THE BIG PECAN TREE.

THE OTHERS WILL FOLLOW SCREAMING AND CRYING AND THEN I CAN RUN UP AND UNLOCK THE APARTMENT DOOR. SHE STATES THAT SHE WILL DOUBLE BACK LATER WHEN THE COAST IS CLEAR TO LET HER SELF IN.

I SHAKE MY HEAD NO.

SOUNDS TOO MUCH LIKE A DINGO SNATCHING CASE FROM AUSTRAILIA.

WE DON’T WANT COPS INVOLVED.

NICE THOUGHT, THOUGH.

WE’LL SAVE THAT PLAN FOR ANOTHER DAY.

“HOW ABOUT THIS?” I ASK.

IF I YELL, “HEY KIDS! THE ICE CREAM TRUCK IS AROUND THE CORNER!!

IT’S FREE ICE CREAM FRIDAY!!!”

THAT MIGHT SEND THEM STAMPEDING DOWN THE STAIRCASE.

ALEX AGREES AND WE PUT THE PLAN IN MOTION.

 

READY?

READY.

NOW…THE DOG AND I HAVE USED THIS PLAN OF ACTION BEFORE.

IT WAS THE SUMMER OF ’98.

WE LIVED ON THE FIRST FLOOR IN A COMPLEX THAT I FONDLY RECALL NAMING, “THE ARMPIT OF TEXAS”.

ANYWAY…IT’S A RISKY PLAN BECAUSE SADLY SOME CHILDREN WILL BE TRAUMATIZED BY THE FACT THAT UPON REACHING THEIR DESTINATION, THEY WILL FIND THERE REALLY WASN’T ANY ICE CREAM TO BE HAD AT ALL.

THE DANGEROUS PART OF THE PLAN COULD REAR ITS UGLY HEAD AND WOULD YOU LIKE TO GATHER A GUESS WHAT THAT MIGHT BE?

I’M SURE YOU KNOW BUT FOR THAT PART OF MIDDLE AMERICA THAT THINKS BECAUSE I LAUGH, THEREFORE I CARE,

IT WOULD BE THE CHILDREN WHO BECOME, SHALL I SAY, “ENRAGED” AT

BEING TOLD SOMETHING IS FREE WHEN NOT ONLY IT IS NOT, IT DOESN’T EXIST.

AHH…TEACHING TODAY’S CHILDREN TO BE TOMORROWS LEADERS.

ANYWAY, THESE CHILDREN WILL BE COMING BACK WITH A VENGEANCE THAT EVEN MY DOG WOULD FIND TOUGH TO HANDLE,

SO HERE GOES.

“HEY GUYS! THE ICE CREAM MAN IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER.
GET SOME FREE ICE CREAM!”

IT WORKED.

THE FLOOD GATES ARE NOW OPEN AND HERE THEY COME.

“WE ONLY HAVE ABOUT TWELVE TO FIFTEEN SECONDS”, I SAY TO THE DOG.

ALEX AGREES AND WE BOLT FOR THE DOOR.

RACE CARS HERE, TEA PARTY SETS THERE… LOOKS LIKE A HALF-PRICE WALMART CHRISTMAS SALE SMACK DAB IN MY DOORWAY.

ALEX STOPS FOR BUT A BRIEF MOMENT ON STAIR NUMBER FOUR AND QUICKLY SWALLOWS THREE FLOUR TORTILLAS, A FRUIT PIE, TWO

OPENED BAGS OF CHEETOHS, AND A QUARTER PACK OF M&MS.

(THAT’S A BRIEF MOMENT FOR HER)

“SAVE ME THE GREEN ONES!” I HOLLER.

SHE BARKS YES.

WHERE ARE THE KEYS?  I LOOK AT ALEXANDRIA.

“YOU DON’T HAVE THEM?” I SAY, TRYING TO STAY CALM.

BY NOW, WE CAN SEE SHADOWS COMING FROM AROUND THE

SIDE OF THE BUILDING WHERE THE ICE CREAM MAN WASN’T;

TIME IS RUNNING OUT.

ALEX SPOTS SOMETHING SHINY. I SEE IT, TOO.

DOWN BY THE TRUCK; TWENTY-SOME FEET AWAY.

THAT’S GOT TO BE THEM.

ALEXANDRIA HAS CONFIRMED THIS. SHE SAYS SHE CAN SEE THE MODEL NUMBER ON THE IGNITION KEY.

SOMEONE’S GOT TO GO GET THEM.

“IT’S UP TO YOU, GIRL”, I SAY.

WITHOUT ANY HESITATION, ALEX IS BOUNDING DOWN THE STAIRS ON WHAT MAY BE HER LAST AND FINAL HEROIC DEED.

HAS ANYBODY SEEN “CHILDREN OF THE CORN?” JUST CURIOUS.

THE ROCKS AND STICKS; THEY ARE A FLYING.

“C’MON ALEXANDRIA, UP HERE!”

WITH A FURY ONLY A FEW PEOPLE HAVE WITNESSED, I WATCH PROUDLY AS CHILDREN ARE BEING SCATTERED LIKE TEN PINS AS SHE
BOLTS, BOBS AND WEAVES HERSELF THROUGH THE MAYHEM.
I THINK SHE’S GOING TO MAKE IT.

AGAIN, STOPPING BRIEFLY ON STAIR NUMBER FOUR, SHE FINISHES OFF A SMALL BOWL OF PUDDING, SEVEN SALTINE CRACKERS, A SLIM JIM, AND GRABS A STICK OF DENTYNE.

“I SEE THAT. YOU KNOW THE RULE ABOUT GUM.”

SHE SOON SMILES, THROWS ME THE KEYS, AND ALL IS SAVED FOR THE MOMENT. NOW ALL I HAVE TO DO IS WALK HER LATER TONIGHT.

WILL THE DRAMA NEVER STOP?

                      

TUNE IN NEXT WEEK FOR ANOTHER STARTLING, UNBELIEVABLE ADVENTURE OF STORY & THE DOG.

                                   

Author's Note

I have many stories that I have written about this topic... with an amazing adventure in each story. She was a true wonder dog. I miss her. A lot of humor involved in our life together. As always, say what you want... feel what you may...,
Hope you enjoy!
Story