“David come into my room and sleep with us.” So David jumps out of bed barefoot squish, squash, squish squash and down the short hallway squish squash, squish squash and heads for his parent’s bedroom.
He jumps up on their bed bringing the poop with him. “Be quiet don’t wake daddy,” I cautioned half asleep. David was delighted at the idea of waking daddy from a deep sleep in the middle of the night. I covered us both with a sheet and we were instantly asleep.
The next morning daddy jumps out of bed and walks down the hallway squish, squash. “Susan,” he yells. “I just stepped into a pile of dog poop.” “Well clean it up,” I said from the bed half asleep. I opened my eyes and gagged the entire room smelled like dog poop. I held my nose while taking in the smelly footsteps on the bed. I ripped the sheets and blankets off the bed, and holding them away from me walked down the hallway to the washing machine. Squish, Squash.
“Michael, are you wearing your glasses? I thought you cleaned up all the dog poop? Are your allergies bothering you so much this morning that you can’t smell?” Meanwhile, David still half asleep with his brown hair in his eyes wakes up. “Oh,” Susan moaned, you are covered in dog poop to the bathroom young man march,” she pointed to the bathroom. “Michael open up all the doors and windows and let’s air this stinking place out,” I ordered.
“Where is that mangy dog?” I asked. “I can’t wait to get my hands on him.” “Is Akari in trouble mommy?” questioned three year old David from the bathroom. “No don’t worry David; I’m sure Akari had an accident like you do sometimes. It’s okay when I find him I’ll clean him up. Now in the bathtub young man.” I scrubbed him so clean his toes squeaked.
After David was dressed, I stood in the living room and called for Akari. “Akari come.” Akari did not come. “Akari come,” I called again. Akari did not come. I finally used my loudest sternest voice, “Akari come right here,” I pointed in front of me. Akari came with his ears down and his tail between his legs and sat right where I pointed. “Mommy, mommy Akari is a good dog,” cried David pulling on my right arm. “Mommy, mommy Akari is a good dog,” cried Ellie grabbing my left arm and pulling. “Don’t punish him.” “Bad dog look what you did I said to the poor dog.” His ears went lower and his tail disappeared.
I took him by the collar and put him out back along with his food and water dishes. I didn’t know that I would be at the store at 8:00 a.m. that morning renting a carpet cleaner on one of the hottest, muggiest days of the year. The End Copyright 2006 Linda Meckler
