My owner's been gone a long time. I wonder when he'll be back. I wonder when we'll finally go back home. We've been living in this small house for a long time and I want to go home. But if my family is here, maybe there's nothing to worry about.
The woman takes good care of me. She takes me outside and she helps me walk down all those stairs. It gets hard on my right leg. She always cleans up after me and then she helps me back up the stairs. She feeds me and bathes me and sings me to sleep every night. I love her. I hope she never leaves us.
I want the man back too.
**********
The woman paces the floor while she talks on the telephone. She has a fan set up and it blows cool air on my fur. I lie down next to it. I can smell the sweat on her skin.
"We're okay here, Mal, Charlie's having a nap."
I try to nap. A good long sleep will do me some good. I need to look my best when the man comes back home. I don't like when he leaves, and he always takes his guitar with him. I miss hearing him play.
"Tell the boys I said hi."
I stretch myself out on the floor. I feel like a mile long. My tongue hangs out of my mouth and a puddle of drool grows under it. This is fun.
"I've been hearing your songs on the radio all day, they're terrific! I'm so proud of you, sweetheart!"
Maybe if I pass gas right where the fan is blowing behind me it will fill the entire room. Wouldn't that be fun? The woman will laugh and I'll wag my tail and we'll both smell like Charlie. Wouldn't it be great if everyone smelled like Charlie? I love smelling like Charlie.
"We both miss you so much..."
I close my eyes and sigh. I can hear noises above me and I can feel noises below me. Our old house is quieter. I wish we were still there. It's bigger and has trees with birds in them. There aren't as many trees here. The birds would rather perch on telephone wires. They taunt me and make me sneeze. I bark at them and my owners snap their fingers. I want to chase them all down and play with them. That sounds like great fun...
"I know our flat isn't much but we'll make do until we can afford something better."
I feel my fur fall out. There's enough to make another dog. I wag my tail at how fun that sounds.
"Malcolm...? I love you."
I think I'll sleep now. I have some unfinished business with those telephone birds tomorrow.
**********
The tree is back! The balls are back! The tiny dogs are back!! I'm so excited, I must sniff everything!!!
"Easy, Charlie, you'll knock the tree over!"
I race past the woman as she puts the balls on the tree. The needles scratch me and I love it! It's so bright and shiny and it reminds me of home! I stop running and stare at the tree. It looks a lot bigger here than it did at home. I crawl underneath it and sniff around. There's a blanket under the tree. Maybe the woman set it out just for me! I lie on it and roll around, making it smell like me! The woman is laughing!
"You silly boy..."
I smell warm things from the kitchen. The woman makes a lot of food now. They smell sweet and delicious but I'm never allowed to have a taste. Any time something drops to the floor the woman is quick to pick it up. I want some! Am I not worthy of this food? Maybe I need to beg harder. Then they'll give me a whole plate of the stuff! And I'll gobble it up!
"Well, that about does it." The woman looks at the tree and then at me. "Ready for Christmas, Charlie?"
I wag my tail. I haven't a clue what she says but I'm happy anyway.
The door opens and the woman turns around. "Malcolm!" She runs to the intruder and he picks her up! He's grabbing her! He's grabbing my owner! I'll show him! I run out from under the tree and bark as loud as I can! Get away from her, scoundrel! I'll chew you to pieces!
It's the man!!!! He's back!! He's back he's back he's back! Never leave us again, never!
"Thanks for the warm welcome, mate." They kiss again. Humans are such funny animals sometimes. But I can't worry about that now! I must jump and bark and stand on my hind legs! I must paw the air and lick my owner's shoes! I must crawl on my belly and wag my whole rump! I do all this and more! "I've missed you, love."
"I missed you too."
I smell salt! There's water on the woman's face! I bark some more! This is the best day ever! The tree is back and so is my human! I'm never letting either one of them out of my sight ever again! I'm so happy! I don't think I've ever felt this happy! My tail is faster than the speed of sound! My bark is louder than the rumbling sky! I am power! I am strength! And I'm so happy!! I must jump on them!!!
"Charlie, wait!"
I leap! He catches me! He almost falls to the floor! The woman laughs! This is so much fun, I'm so happy!!!
