It was last Saturday. Mom usually works Saturdays, that’s her thing, like a hobby, except she actually does it. Sunday is the only day she doesn’t, which tells you everything. Anyway. It was Saturday and she said: we are going on a trip.
I let out a yip. That is how I show my agreement with my people’s decisions. I threw in a few laps around the RV to demonstrate my impatience and my ready-to-go status. Then I added a whine of excitement to verbally confirm the situation.
Karl, stop it. Mom was still getting dressed. Why announce a car ride if your shoes aren’t even on? The audacity.
Finally, everyone was ready. Dad grabbed his keys and we piled out of the RV. Well. Almost everyone. Sister hadn’t moved. She was still snoring away, blocking half the floor of the RV’s tiny living room. She positions herself dead center, so we have to step over her no matter where we’re headed. We call her a speedbump. Hehehehe.
Dad said: Sugar, are you coming with us? She looked up. What? Oh. Ok. She lumbered toward the door and down the stairs. We headed for the Shepmobile, my van. Mom and dad bought it especially for Sister and me. They removed the middle seats and put a Shepherd bed in the back so we have the whole area for lounging. Sister can’t haul herself up, so I hopped in the second the door opened and waited while Dad lifted her back end into Vandy. She looked pleased as she settled into her spot.
Mom and dad got in the front and we were finally off! Mom kept pointing at things out the window and making ohhh and isn’t it prettttyyy noises. I sniffed the smells coming through Dad’s open window, he knows I like that. Mom gave him directions and kept talking about someone called Olive. I didn’t know who that was, but I would soon find out.
The ride went fast. We stopped. I jumped up and spun around, ready to explore. Dad let me out and walked me around the parking lot. Sister declined.
Sorry, Buddy. You have to wait with Sugar. WHAT. I want to meet Olive! We won’t be long. He put the windows all the way down and let me sit in his seat. Fine. I will sit here and sniff the breeze. There were people in the parking lot. Sister was awake and issuing her boo-boo half-bark at them, not quite alarmed enough for a full bark, but too suspicious to let it go entirely.
Dad was true to his word. He and Mom came out carrying paper bags full of stuff, but they were alone. Still no Olive. Hi Dad. Hi Mom. You smell GREAT. Wow. Your hands especially. Interesting…
We drove a little further into town. Big city. So many cars, so many people. I am a well-traveled Shep. I’ve been a lot of places and I have excellent manners. I know how to act in public. Sister gets nervous around crowds, so she stays close to Dad, who makes her feel safe. Less barking that way. She is old and afraid of everything. I thought we were just going to walk around, but when the car pulled up to our next stop, I nearly lost my mind.
PETSMART.
OH BOY. Squeal. Twirl. Whine. I knew it the second we pulled in. Never been to Austin, never been to this particular store, but I knew. I always know.
Calm down, Buddy. I sat. I was trembling. Not from fear or the shakeys, from pure, unadulterated joy.
Dad got out, then Mom. Dad took Sister Sugar and Mom took me. Dad talked nice to Sugar to get her ready for the crowd. Mom told me to “calm.”
I WAS SOOOOOO HAPPY. TWIRLY TWIRLY TWIIIIRLLY. WHINE WHINE WHINE.
Mom and Dad were laughing. Dad said: Aren’t you a pair? I don’t know why that’s funny.
There are rules when we go shopping. I stay close to my people. I am always working, even when it’s fun time. I am a professional.
We walked the whole store. I sniffed everything. I met everyone who worked there. They called me “cute.” As if. I am handsome. Rugged. Dashing, maybe.
I got to pick a new ball. Sister, not surprisingly, wanted a treat.
Petsmart was magical, as always.
Next we did some other stuff Mom wanted to do. Whatever.
Later, we had lunch. Dad said there was a food truck nearby with supposedly great burgers. I said I didn’t know trucks made burgers, but I was pro-burger, so I said: let’s go.
We got a bag of burgers and fries and ate them in a small park. Dad always gets something for the Sheps. Score. Mom doesn’t eat the bun. Score. Mom is also a sucker for the big-eye puppy dog stare. Score again.
Our time in town ended the way it always does, with Mom saying “one last place.”
We drove back toward the Marble Falls area on a different road. Straighter than the wild country backroads we took in. I got to see a town called Bee Cave. Disappointing. I had planned an attack, but there were no bees and no caves. Just a surprisingly big town.
After a long day, we made it home just in time for sunset. We sailors love our sunsets. We sat outside the RV and watched the pink sky fade to dark. Another great Tehas day with my people.
One thing still bothers me though. I never did meet Olive. Mom and Dad came out of that first stop alone, carrying their bags, smelling absolutely incredible. Whoever Olive is, she clearly made quite an impression on my people. Maybe next time, Austin.
Maybe next time.
Austin. 4 Paws up.
Karl Out