The King and I

It was a lovely afternoon in late July. Nanny Mandy dropped me off at home after a delightful hike and play with my friend Harry. I have performed a minor cantata of celebratory squeaks on the occasion of being reunited with my darling Mama. I drank a bowl of refreshing natural spring water Mama lovingly poured for me and began to ponder whether I should have my lunch, play with Mama or take a nap. But, alas, a loud knock on our front door interrupted my thoughts. Mama and I dashed to check out what sort of barbarian was at our gates. Low and behold it was a somewhat out of breath Nanny Mandy, late for her appointment at a Salon de Beaute. Nanny was trying to restrain a very large, rambunctious stranger. Blonde, muscular and full of energy, the stranger pushed petite Nanny aside and then Mama caught him by his collar! The stranger swung about, wrestled out of Mama’s hands and directed himself towards the inside of our house. Clearly he was not standing on ceremony! That I could not abide! As huge and intimidating as he was, I placed myself firmly in the doorway and emitted a warning growl. The stranger finally noticed me and smiled and wagged his giant duster of a tail and said “Oh hi, I am King, shall we make merry and play?” With that he shoved his snout up my recently baby-wiped derrière! Quelle Horreur! I immediately ordered him to cease and desist in the most commanding voice I could summon. My dear Mama finally succeeded in putting our wanna-be-invader on a leash and assured Nanny Mandy that she will restore him to his family two houses down the street. Nanny Mandy rushed to her car and I hoped that her groomer would forgive her tardiness - a sour groomer could be disastrous for one’s looks! Mama calmed King down by having him execute a few commands which he complied with like a good sport golden retrievers invariably are. Then Mama marched King down the street to his house. The King’s family was already looking for him and in some distress. King has two high-spirited young human brothers - little troublemakers just like King himself but cute as buttons. King’s human mother is a tall lady with beautiful long hair and patrician looks of a Tri-State wasp - she was very concerned with King’s escape antiques and Mama and her briefly discussed a few possible routes King could have taken to sneak out of the family estate. In my opinion, this is not the last time King shows up with a surprise visit and I look forward to training him in the fine art of doggy etiquette. After all, he may be King but there is only one God-Emperor of our Street - Moi!

Yours unabashedly,

JT