“Bobbb!!!....Bobbbb!!!.....Bobbbbb!!!!”

‘Geez,’ I think as I bound down the hall towards that sound. ‘What a way to be awakened from a wonderful nap.’ I was dreaming about hunting, and just getting ready to catch a…

“Bobbbb! Bob, oh there you are,” he says, as I enter the kitchen. “We’re cooking out this evening and I need you to go to the Piggly Wiggly for a couple of things I forgot. The list and money is in your backpack,” he says as he throws the pack over my shoulders. “Watch out for cars and be careful as you cross Morris Road. Be sure you cross with the light. Be careful and don’t get distracted on your way or coming home. You know how you are sometimes.”

Out the door I go, down the steps, onto the sidewalk and off towards Morris Road. What a beautiful day, sunshine, blue sky, the tree leaves swaying slightly in the gentle breeze. What a great day…what a great neighborhood.

About half way down the street, I hear, “Hey Bob, going to the store?” That’s Mr. Whitney watering his lawn. Someone said that Mr. Whitney was a retired football coach. And a very good one they had heard. I always have to watch him when he’s watering. He tries to spray me and act like it was an accident. I’ve caught onto his game and dodge his spray. Once in a while, on a hot day, I let him spray me and act surprised. Mr. Whitney laughs.

A few doors down I hear another, “Hey Bob, off to the store again?” I look towards the voice and sure enough, it’s Mr. Sion. I don’t know Mr. Sion very well, but he seems like a very nice, kind man. Mr. Sion raises cats. Really pretty cats that stay in the house all the time. Mr. Sion doesn’t know it but I sneak down to his house and look at his cats through his big picture window. Sometimes they hiss at me and I run home as fast as I can.

As I get to the corner to cross Morris Road I hear yet another, “Hey Bob, where are you going? The store?” That’s Mr. Johnson. Yep, retired. A former baseball player and fireman. Mr. Johnson is a great guy. We play catch sometimes for hours it seems. He never gets tired of throwing me the ball.

At Morris Road the light changes to green and I run across. As I near the door to Piggly Wiggly, the door opens automatically. How neat...step on, opens. Step off, closes. As the door opens again I dash inside. “Hey, Bob,” Terry, the sacker, says as he waves. “Good to see you again Bob,” Boomer, the cashier replies. I acknowledge them with a glance and head straight towards the office of Charles, the Piggly Wiggly store manager.

Charles looks up from his computer as I enter his office. “Howdy Bob, what do you need this trip? Let me get your list and I’ll be right back with the goods.” In a few minutes, “Here you go,” Charles says, as the backpack is replaced for my trip home. “Have a safe trip. Watch for cars crossing Morris Road.” What a nice man I think, as I leave.
 

As I exit the store I hear a loud bang come from the alley. Curious, I peek around the corner. Just as I thought, Felix, the neighborhood alley cat, is digging in the dumpster. ‘Felix,’ I thought, ‘I would like to stay and play a while but I’ve got to get home for a cookout. Maybe next time.’

The light is green as I reach the corner and I zip across at full speed. Down the sidewalk past Mr. Johnson, pitching a ball in the air trying to tempt me from my mission with his antics.

Past Mr. Sion with his cats perched in the picture window, soaking up the warm sun rays. It was almost as if they were teasing me to come closer so they could jump up and hiss at me.

Past Mr. Whitney, still watering his lawn. I considered letting him spray me, but it wouldn’t dry before reaching home, so I scampered by before I was noticed and avoided an attempt by the coach to squirt me with his hose.

Up the stairs and into the kitchen I went. I was greeted by, “Hey Bob, quick trip.” The backpack was removed and all items accounted for. “Bob,” he said as he handed me a treat… “GOOD DOG!”

“Great,” I thought. “Now I can get back to my nap and see if I catch that rabbit…Bet I do.’