A big adventure for a 9-week old puppy.
I am still a puppy.
I am bigger now.
Not very big.
Just more puppy.
Every morning we go walking.
The people call it a walk.
I call it smelling.
There are so many smells.
Sometimes we walk a long, long way.
My legs get tired.
My nose does not.
Charlie does not come.
Charlie stays home.
Charlie likes soft beds.
I like adventures.
Maybe Charlie does not like smelling.
One morning the big white machine took us somewhere new.
I know the machine now.
The machine means adventure.
Sometimes it means treats.
Sometimes it means people.
Sometimes both.
This place smelled different.
The air was wet.
The ground was wet.
The rocks were wet.
Everything was wet.
I liked it.
We walked on a little dirt path.
There were people everywhere.
People smiled.
They said,
“She’s so cute!”
I do not know what “cute” is.
I think it means they want to pet me.
Many hands found my ears.
I think that is nice.
There were other dogs too.
Big dogs.
Little dogs.
Fluffy dogs.
Dogs with short hair.
Everybody wanted to smell everybody.
That seemed like a very good idea.
The people said,
“Easy.”
I tried.
Mostly.
Then I heard something.
Not barking.
Not wind.
Not machines.
A giant…
Shhhhhhhhhhhhh.
Loud.
Always loud.
I followed the sound.
Then I saw it.
Water…
…falling from the sky.
It was not rain.
It just kept falling.
I stared.
The people laughed.
I walked closer.
The water touched my paws.
Cold!
Very cold!
I jumped back.
Then I tried again.
Cold again.
I liked it anyway.
Soon my paws were wet.
Then my legs.
Then my tummy.
Then… everything.
The ground was squishy.
I stepped in it.
Splash. Splash. Splash.
Then…
Squish. Squish. Squish.
Mud.
I found all of the mud.
The people looked at me.
Then they laughed.
People laugh a lot around puppies.
My legs were muddy.
My tummy was muddy.
My paws were muddy.
I think my nose was muddy too.
I did not care.
It smelled wonderful.
Then the people washed all the mud off.
The water was very cold.
I shook my whole puppy.
We walked back on the dirt path.
I was very tired.
I rode in the big white machine.
I did not even watch out the window.
I slept all the way home.
I dreamed about shhh-ing wet rocks.
And loud water.
Maybe we can go back someday.
I think the shhh-ing water likes puppies.
I know I liked it.
