My Fourth of July Celebration

Here I was napping in the shade of my dog house. The smell of leftovers and dog wafted in the air and it was sitting next to my nice cool bowl of water. I would have been happy spending this day laying here behind the house, but my humans thought I would to go to the beach for a picnic.

I do like going for rides in the car and the daily walks but a picnic at a beach with literally thousands of other families isn’t my style at all. For as far as I’m concerned the hot dogs taste the same in mountain fresh air as they do in the salty sea air.

I was here, at the beach and I might as well enjoy it. I’m sure I’m not going to be the only dog wishing they were back at their comfortable dog house. Then I saw her, she was the most beautiful Golden Retriever I had ever seen. She left my tail sticking straight out, and my knees wobbly.

I knew I had to rub noses with her. I pulled on my leash and unfortunately the stake they had me tied to was secured very well in the deep sand. I couldn’t go beyond the distance of my leash. I sat on my hind legs, sitting pretty, as my master calls it, and then I barked. After a few well placed announcements, I finally got their attention and the Frisbee was brought out. I never was one for chasing this flying saucer but even I saw this has my chance to be with the other Golden Retriever.

On the first toss, Lady Luck was smiling on me. I didn’t have to pretend I was after the Frisbee because it looked like Goldie was in search of a way to get to know me. We both ended up meeting with our snouts on each side of the blue flying disc.

It was doggie love at first site. I was so afraid to greet her in the normal doggie style. We walked back to my master carrying the Frisbee and we were greeted with a treat. A nice bowl of melting vanilla ice cream.

After we ate our treat, me and Goldie took turns licking each others face. We spent the afternoon together, laying on the blanket and sharing Kibbles and Bits. Not once in the time that we were together were we interrupted by either of our families. It was almost like they weren’t even there.

I was in heaven until I heard the words, “Help! Help”

Goldie perked her ears right up and started running towards the beach. In the water I could see a little girl waving her hands in the air and screaming at the top of her lungs. I watched in horror as I saw Goldie grab a round thing from a really high chair and jumped into the water. She swam out to the little girl and the girl put the round thing around her shoulder and head. Goldie then swam back to shore with the little girl in tow. All this time on the blanket I had wondered why she never took off her vest. I just thought that she forgot to put on some sun block.

She rescued that little girl, shook the sea water off of her and resumed her spot in my life. We laid there on the blanket once again until nightfall then sparks started to appear in the sky. The sparks were pretty but I didn’t like the loud noises that accompanied them.

I really didn’t want to leave the beach this evening and Goldie didn’t want me to go either. I’m Ralph, The Golden Retriever and that was my story of how my family spent the last Fourth of July.