Diggy Doggy
by Guy Belleranti
Oliver had the perfect back yard.
New grass to run on. New grass to jump on. New grass to roll on.
He also had the perfect friend to play with on the new grass.
Diggy.
Mom, Dad, and Oliver had met Diggy right after lunch. He was a rescued dog who needed a good home. The minute Oliver saw Diggy staring at him through the wire mesh fencing, white ear up, brown ear down, he knew they were meant to be together.
“He’s the one!” Oliver had cried, pointing. Diggy had bounced up and down and wagged his tiny tail wildly as the worker brought him out on a leash.
“He is cute,” Mom had agreed, as Diggy planted several wet kisses on her face.
“Okay,” Dad had said. “But, Oliver, don’t forget you promised to help Mom take care of whatever dog we chose.”
“Oh, I won’t,” Oliver said, hugging the dog he thought he’d never own. “I’ll love him, play with him, feed him, give him baths and even help Mom brush him. He can sleep in my bed, too.”
“No,” Dad said, shaking his head. “He will not sleep in any beds or sit on any furniture. He’ll sleep in that big wicker basket Mom bought at the yard sale. Dogs aren’t people, they’re animals.”
And so now here Oliver and Diggy were in the perfect grassy back yard Dad had worked so hard on.
Oliver ran on the grass. So did Diggy.
Oliver jumped on the grass. So did Diggy.
Oliver rolled on the grass. So did Diggy. Then, Diggy ran and jumped on Oliver, covering his face with doggy love.
Oliver giggled and stood up. “I’m hot. Are you hot, Diggy?”
Diggy stuck his two different-colored ears straight in the air and panted.
“I thought so,” Oliver said. “I’ll be right back with water for both of us.”
But when Oliver got back, Diggy was stretched out in a big dirty hole in the center of the once perfect grass, panting.
“Oh, no!” Oliver cried. “Diggy, what have you done?”
Diggy jumped out of the hole and into Oliver’s arms, smearing kisses on his face and dirt on his clothes.
“Oh, I can’t be mad at you.” Oliver hugged Diggy close. “I’ll fill in the hole before Mom and Dad see it.”
So that’s what Oliver did.
But the hole still showed.
And later…Mom and Dad did see it.
“That’s an energetic dog for you,” Mom told Dad with a sigh. “At least Oliver filled the hole in nicely.”
Dad didn’t reply, but Oliver knew by his frown he wasn’t happy.
“Diggy,” said Oliver later, after Mom and Dad had tucked him in bed, “if you must dig please do it where there’s no grass. I’ll show you a good place in the morning.” He lifted Diggy off his bed where Diggy had just jumped and placed him on the pillow in the basket on the floor.
But when Oliver climbed back into bed, Diggy bounded up beside him.
“Oh, Diggy,” Oliver said. “I’m sorry, but you can’t sleep up here.”
Diggy stuck his white ear up and cocked his head, but he didn’t get off the bed.
So Oliver lifted Diggy off and once more placed him on the pillow in the basket on the floor. “Dad never had a dog when he was a kid so he doesn’t understand how a dog is a kid’s best friend,” Oliver explained. “Maybe if you’re extra good you’ll get to sleep on the bed some day.”
Oliver kissed the top of Diggy’s head and Diggy licked Oliver’s cheek. Oliver grabbed his pillow, placed it beside the basket and lay down on the floor, his face inches from Diggy’s. Within minutes both were fast asleep.
The next morning Oliver and Diggy ran, jumped, and rolled on the almost perfect grassy yard.
They had lots of fun.
After that they both got drinks.
And after that, Diggy dug up the hole in the center of the grass and this time made it BIGGER! Diggy stretched out in the hole and panted.
“Oh, no!” Oliver cried.
“Out of that hole this instant!” came Dad’s voice from behind.
Diggy jumped out of the hole and into Oliver’s arms.
“It’s not all Diggy’s fault,” Oliver said. “I promised him I’d show him a place where he could dig, but I forgot. I’ll show him now.”
So Oliver did. Then Oliver helped Dad and Mom fill in the hole.
But the hole still showed.
“If Diggy digs in the grass again…” Dad didn’t finish the sentence but instead returned to the house.
Oliver turned to Mom. “Dad’s not too mad, is he?”
“Well, he did spend a lot of time getting the grass so nice, but don’t worry. He loves you a lot. He’s just not used to dogs.”
That afternoon, Oliver again showed Diggy his digging spot. Then they ran, jumped, and rolled on the not quite as perfect grassy yard.
They had lots of fun.
After that they both got drinks.
And after that, Diggy washed Oliver’s face.
And after that, Diggy dug, dug, DUG up the hole in the center of the grass and made it big, big, BIG and deep, deep, DEEP! Diggy stretched out in the hole and panted.
“Oh, no!” Oliver cried. “No, no, NO!” Dad was going to be really mad this time. So mad that he might even take Diggy back to where they’d got him.
Diggy jumped out of the hole, but instead of jumping into Oliver’s arms he just rubbed against Oliver’s legs.
Dad and Mom were coming.
Oliver bent down and hugged, hugged, and HUGGED Diggy.
Diggy licked, licked, and LICKED Oliver.
Dad and Mom began filling in the hole.
“Wait!” Oliver said.
Diggy stopped licking. Dad and Mom stopped filling the hole.
“I have an idea,” Oliver said.
Dad cleared his throat but didn’t say anything.
Mom didn’t say anything either.
Oliver told Mom and Dad his idea.
Mom smiled. “That’s a good idea.”
“No it’s not,” Dad said. “It’s a great idea.”
Diggy wagged his tiny tail.
Oliver ran into the house for Diggy’s leash. Then he, Mom, Dad, and Diggy climbed into their big truck and drove up the road to the nursery and bought a tree.
And that evening they planted the tree into the Big Deep hole.
Now when Oliver and Diggy run, jump, and roll on the grass they also sit under the shade of the tree and drink water while they cool off. And Mom and Dad often sit with them.
And sometimes Diggy even sits beside Dad—in Dad’s favorite chair.
END
c2012 by Guy Belleranti
