Penny Max and the Runaway Lottery Ticket: Hilton Head Chronicles Part 1

III. In Which Penelope Maxima Shares her Point of View

Warm up: Catch a Falling Star by Perry Como

When Penelope Maxima arrived in Hilton Head, the first drive along the tropical breathtaking route known as William Hilton Highway filled with well manicured palm trees and fresh smelling colorful ground coverings was enough to let the toy poodle know she had found her soul's home.

Hilton Head was jokingly called the capital of Ohio - because so many people from Ohio had transplanted there which you could tell because every fourth car had an Ohio license plate. Ruby Mae had done her part for the Buckeye state's pseudo capital by moving there herself two years before because the heat helped her arthritic bones. Penny Max was pleased with Her Woman's improved mobility, because sitting and watching television all day was not her style. Her Woman was the name Penny Max called Ruby Mae, because she could never imagine that anyone thought she - Penelope Maxima - belonged to anyone.

The day started out regular enough, following their normal routine. Penny Max watched out the window as The Woman talked and sang to the Gang outside. She caught their eyes and acknowledged to them her difference in position and conveyed her appreciation for their affection for Her Women. They barked at Penny Max and she continued to watch them with interest and fondness.

Her Woman came out of the sleep room wearing a brightly colored dress with matching shoes. Penny Max watched as she rummaged through the kitchen, pouring coffee for herself in a container. She sang to the toy poodle, "It's one for the money, two for the show, three to get ready, let's go Penny go," while grabbing her purse. She bent down and picked up little Penny Max, and carried her outside toward the blue metal beast. 

She talked to the Gang outside "Hello, Hello, Hello" as they ran to the fence and reached in with her left hand to pet them all. Penny Max appreciated their fondness for Her Woman and listened as they 'talked' back to her, telling her hello and about all the things they'd seen overnight including cars and raccoons and strangers walking on the road to town. Her Woman started the car, then placed Penny Max on the seat cushion in the front seat of the metal beast, put her purse and container in the car, then went back to feed the Gang. 

Penny Max sniffed her surroundings, waiting patiently in the metal beast as she put her face to the window. Finally Her Woman got in the car, and took off, heading toward the water between Bluffton and Hilton Head Island. 

Penelope Maxima liked to watch the beautiful world that she now lived in through the glass, reminding her all was well. As the occasional memory came up of the cold they lived with long ago, she would instead just focus on the sights of Hilton Head and set the past aside. She watched the other metal beasts go by and saw the water just before they would cross the bridge toward Hilton Head. She saw the fruit stand and got excited to see familiar faces and smells she enjoyed. 

As the metal beast pulled into the parking lot, Penny Max gave a sharp bark. Her Woman got out and headed to talk to The Man with the Fruit. She kept her eye on Her Woman, but looked for her friend, The Boy with the Treat. When she saw him come out from the side of the fruit stand, she began to yap. He shuffled slowly to the car, and joy shone brightly on his face as he headed toward the little barking dog, his right hand holding something tightly. 

Little Penny Max took the dog biscuit he handed her through the window which was rolled down approximately three inches to fit the bone. The Boy with the Treat laughed and she gave him a couple kisses on his hand like she always did. She knew that The People looked at this person as someone 'slow', but as always smart little Penny Max knew the real secret - that his gentleness of heart made him like herself and those like her. In other words, far above The People. 

 She sniffed for any crumbs on her pillow as The Woman got back in the car, but of course, she didn't find any because she never let crumbs fall out. But just in case. She checked to make sure The Woman had her peach like usual then watched out the window as they pulled away from the fruit stand and saw that the Man with the Fruit was smiling as they pulled away, just like always. The world as it should be. 

Penny Max watched out the window as they crossed over the water as they got onto the island. She watched as they passed buildings and signs, the familiar passing by the car window. Her Woman pulled into the parking lot of The Food Place. Penny Max got up from her cushion excitedly, and as Her Woman opened the door for her, she barked three times to show her excitement. 

The toy poodle waited patiently in The Woman's left arm as she pulled out a towel to lay inside the small metal beast. She daintily nestled down in the top and excitedly looked around the store. She noted all the normal scents, food, plants, people. But within 5 minutes of being in the store, she noted a different odor. She turned her little head around to see where it was coming from. As Her Woman was picking through the plants, the little dog scanned the area until she finally identified the person with the odor. 

The odor made her little tummy sick but it didn't stop her from noting that he was two heads taller than Her Woman, hair short, and standing near the last stop The Woman usually made in the store. As her little nose wrinkled up, she finally identified the scent. Desperation. The little dog stood up and barked once, then put her paws on the side of the little steel beast, on high alert.

 "Hey baby how you doing?" said the nice woman behind the counter that always called out to Her Woman, waving and calling out her name. She heard it, but was watching the Desperate-Smelling Man. He smelled like the building they picked up the gang from, full of fear and sadness. She noted this person and then responded to the Counter Woman, giving a polite bark. Counter Woman patted her head and gave her a little dog biscuit. Counter Woman and Her Woman spoke to each other about the weather and what was on sale in the store then smiled and moved apart. 

 As The Woman worked her way through her traditional store route, picking up dessert and food for the Gang, Penny Max began to relax, then yawned. As they headed back to the last stop where Her Woman traded paper for more paper, she noticed that Desperate-Smelling man was gone. She studied the front entryway of the grocery and just saw a variety of people coming and going.

Penny Max watched carefully from her view in the small metal beast as they headed outside back toward the large metal beast. Her Woman stopped to pick up something off her shoe on the ground beneath her. That's when Penny Max noticed the Desperate -Smelling man across the parking lot with a smaller man looking on the ground. She didn't like it and nervously licked Her Woman's hand as she placed her back inside the big metal beast. 

She also noticed a smell on Her Woman's hand that was unfamiliar. Her woman got into the car and laid something beside her seat. The smell on Her Woman's hand got stronger. As Penny Max looked around, she noticed the Desperate-Smelling man pointing and grabbing at the smaller man who shared his scent. Penny Max noted how they both looked and stored it away as she and Her Woman headed away from the food place and down the highway, 

Penny Max watched as her woman made a turn toward the meatball place. She settled down onto the pillow as Her Woman went inside the store. But even as she got out of the car, Penny Max could still smell that unfamiliar odor. She nosed around and finally her little black nose settled on the plastic bag beside her seat. 

Penny Max sniffed it a couple times, then sneezed a couple times. It had a burnt sugar smell. Using her little nose, she pushed on the bag until it was pushed into the back seat further down until it could no longer be seen and barely smelled. Penny Max did not like bad smells near her. Her Woman came back and Penny Max barked twice in excitement. Mostly because she loved Her Woman and also loved the meatball place!

Want More? Check out these dog-friendly restaurants in Hilton Head & Bluffton, SC! https://www.islandpacket.com/news/business/article159354909.html

Want Even More? Check out dog-friendly beach options in South Carolina! https://www.islandpacket.com/news/state/south-carolina/article276763256.html