"Ang, can ya' believe Ross is already one? Ya' call this fair?"
I sniff the baby boy on the floor. He looks at me and reaches for my snout. I back away and keep sniffing. He's wearing a pointy hat but it's crooked. I try taking it off his head with my teeth. It bends and folds in my mouth. "Charlie, that's Ross' party hat, give it back!"
"Yeah, I know how kids work, Ang....try havin' some yourself, then!"
The man stands there talking on the telephone. The woman is sitting on the floor with me and the baby. The little girl is on the couch kicking her feet. The woman keeps offering the baby toys and he takes one and sucks on it. His face isn't covered in sweet smelling sugar but I lick him anyway. "Giving the birthday boy some kisses, Charlie?"
"I'll see ya' next month...bye." The man comes to join us on the floor. "Angus says hi."
The baby squeals and raises his arms. The woman runs her fingers over his ribs and he giggles. His pointy hat falls off. I sniff it and the man takes it away. "Come here, Cara."
The little girl joins us. She sits next to the man. The woman pulls out a box and sets it in front of the baby. It's shiny with a long ribbon. I want to chew it but it's out of my reach. The baby stares at it and hits it. It's very loud. I whine.
"I'll open it for ya'." The man takes off the pretty paper and sets it next to me. I begin to chew. He opens the box and pulls out the tiniest cars I've ever seen in my life. I stare at them. They're so small they fit in the baby's tiny hands. "Do these go to somethin'?"
"There's a garage in one of those boxes." The man grabs a bigger box and opens it.
"Ah, here it is...." There's a very large toy inside and it takes up a lot of space. "Here, Ross, stick your cars in this thing."
"I play too?"
"You can have a go after Ross."
I watch the baby and the baby watches the large toy. He grabs a tiny car and holds it out to the man. The man takes it and places it at the top of the large toy. And the tiny car moves! It swirls around and around until it reaches the bottom! I wag my tail! I've never seen such a toy in my life! When do I get a go??
"Here, ya' wanna try?" The baby boy grabs the tiny car and sets it at the top. It falls to the floor right at my paws. I sniff it. I wag my tail. "That was close, son. Try again. Put the car on the slide."
The baby holds the car in his hands and puts it in his mouth. There's slobber everywhere. I can slobber more than that! "Maybe it's time for some cake."
**********
I sniff around the empty kitchen. The humans have eaten their food and my bowl is empty too. But I'm still hungry. I search around in case they dropped anything. There's some crumbs on the floor but I can't reach them, not even with my mile long tongue. I can hear them singing and laughing from the other room. They're too busy to help me reach the crumbs. I forget about them and sniff somewhere else.
The rubbish bin is chockablock with goodies. They all smell so good! I don't smell any meat but I do smell bread and sugar. If I can just get the lid off...got it! I push it off with my nose and it falls to the floor. My ears twitch but nobody comes running. They must not hear me. They're too busy playing music. The man has his guitar. I want to join but I'm on a mission! I must have a taste of that delicious smell!
I sniff around and find a bit of leftover sugar. It smells almost sickeningly sweet. I have a nibble. I pull out a piece of it and drop it to the floor. It's dark and sweet and I eat the whole thing. It's just as good as I thought it would be! I wag my tail and leave the rubbish bin. I want to join in on that fun music!
**********
"Did you see him eat anythin'?"
"I haven't been around him, I have no clue!"
"He's been riflin' through the bin, what the hell did he find?"
"Is the puppy sick?"
There's vomit everywhere. The whole house reeks of it. The woman keeps pulling the baby away from it. She's crying. I lie on the floor. My heart is pounding. There's slobber and foam around my mouth. I'm so thirsty but I'm too weak to stand up. I think I'm dying....
"I'm gettin' him to a vet."
"You want us to come?"
"No....it'll take too long gettin' the kids in their seats..."
I feel more vomit coming. I sit up and let it out. It spreads on the floor and gets on my paws. I scoot away from the sick and retch some more. My owner picks me up and carries me outside. Even the cool night air isn't enough to make me feel better. I really am dying....I'm happy to spend my last moments with my human.
"What do I tell the kids?"
"Tell 'em....tell 'em I'm doin' everything I can to make Charlie better."
I smell salt. Wet salt. The man puts me in his car and it moves. The moving does nothing to settle my stomach and I gag and retch. The man pets me and strokes my fur. He's speaking gently.
"Hold on, buddy, we'll get ya' there."
**********
The liquid tastes vile. I want to spit it out but the man with blue hands makes me swallow it. I shudder and shake and gag. I vomit. I'm sick and it smells bad and I want to go home. "There you go, boy, good boy...."
"Poor thing...none of us saw him eat that cake."
"He's smart to get the lid off the rubbish bin but that only means keeping him away from it."
My stomach is quivering. More sick and more gagging. I'm miserable. I want Mum. I look into the man's eyes and he looks so sad. I'm a bad dog. I deserve this. I did something bad and now I'm paying for it. He's so upset and it's my fault. I retch again.
"How long will this last?"
"About five minutes should get whatever he ate out of his system. After ten minutes if he's not sick anymore and after plenty of water I'll send him home with you. And I've got some nausea medicine for him. You got him here just in time."
The man kneels on the floor amid all my sick and strokes my fur. He kisses my head. "I'm sorry, buddy." I vomit again. "And I'm sorry 'bout your floor."
"This floor has seen a lot of things in thirty years of vet practice. A little sick is nothing."
Soon I'm not sick anymore. My human sits on the floor with me and pets me. The man with blue hands sets a bowl of water by my feet and I drink some. It's warm and unpleasant but I'm thirsty. I'm so thirsty. I want to go home. I'm so sorry, I'll never do anything like this ever again. Please take me home, please let me go home with you. I drink until the bowl is almost empty.
"Good boy, I think he'll be fine."
**********
The man lays me on a cushion on the floor. There's a bowl of water next to me. I don't feel like moving. I don't think I'll be able to move again. The woman sits next to me and strokes my fur. Her face is still wet. The little girl pats my ribs. "Is Charlie okay?"
"He's fine, darlin', he jus' needs some rest is all." The woman sighs.
"I've got to put Ross down. Are you coming to bed or staying with him?"
"I've got to stay with him. Cara can sleep in my spot."
The woman leaves me. The man sits next to me and takes her place of petting me. I close my eyes. His hands are warm and gentle and soft. I hope he never leaves. "Come on, love, you want to sleep in Mummy and Daddy's bed tonight?"
The little girl leaves with the woman. It's just us. Me and my human. It's quiet. Warm air blows through the house. My stomach is finally settling. The man speaks softly and gently. I love him. He loves me.
