Clean Sweep

(552 words)

Run, chase, slide – oof! That was a wall. The short nails on my paws don’t grip this hard white ground like the fuzzy brown ground. Thankfully my legs are short and I easily glide for a few moments on my furry tummy, legs splayed wide. I hear the laughter of the tall-ones – good! We are all enjoying ourselves!

Once I come to a complete stop, I quickly pull my legs under me. I glance about for the buzzing, whirring metal box that speeds around on the ground. I remember one of the tall-ones calling it a remote-controlled car. It looks like a zoom-zoom to me.

I hear it to my left, but cannot see it yet. I know it is not far for it cannot go onto the fuzzy ground. Now I see it! It pops out from behind a large square tree-smelling box that contains all sorts of goodies to eat. Mmmm… I hope I get one soon.

I scramble after it, slipping and sliding on my mad dash around the trunks of the food platform. I can feel my tummy fur sweep along the ground as I bark with glee and chase after the speedster.

I wish we could play this game more often. I can sense that it is almost stop time. I have nearly run around the entire area of this hard ground, which is much shinier than before the play-time started.

Around and around it goes, in circles I follow, my fur brushing along the ground. It’s almost like a hunt. Though I know it’s not edible. I caught up to it once and bit it, but it hurt my chompers. Even knowing that, I still want to catch it. Oooh – I am getting close again!

Just as I am about to catch it, the glistening-headed tall-one picks me up. I bark-bark as the fuzzy-headed shorter tall-one picks up the now still plaything.

A yum-yum quickly appears in front of me. I snatch it up, bite once and swallow. I look up at the tall-one holding me and lick his head. Mmmm… salty.

The tall-one laughs and ruffles my head fur as it carries me to the inside pond. I bark happily, seeing that the pond is full of water. Sometimes it is not. I squirm free and leap into the water, making a big splash. I yap and yip as I jump around in the water.

All three tall-ones are watching me now, laughing and smiling. I joyously bark at them as I flip around in the water, which is quickly turning dark. This always happens. I turn clear water grey every time after the chasing game.

“Using Bruce to sweep the kitchen floor clean is so much more fun than using a broom, Dad,” the shorter tall-one grins.

“Yes, son,” the glistening-headed tall-one smiles back, “As I told you, it’s your chore to do however you like, as long as you do it.”

“Dear, I still think we should borrow my sister’s video camera one of these times,” the long-hair tall-one says softly. They all watch me splash about and nod.

I can’t wait to have fun chasing the zoom-zoom again. I will remember to watch the shiny white ground closely. When it starts to turn dark, then I will know it’s time to play!