Goodie Four Paws
“Don’t you eat that on my couch!” Ilana yells from the kitchen as I head towards the living room with my treat. My mouth is full of rubber, but I can almost taste the peanut butter stuffed inside the toy. The delicious nutty scent wafts to my nose and I start to salivate. Drips of drool leave a trail as I try to find a place to enjoy my snack.
I can hear Scottie still in the kitchen, licking the peanut butter out of his KONG. That’s what Ilana calls the rubber toys she stuffs the peanut butter in. She says they’re shaped like a bee hive, but I wouldn’t know if that’s true since the only thing about bees I’m an expert on is honey. Honey…
Wait! Peanut butter! Scottie just takes his treats and devours them right there and then. I don’t even think he swallows half the time. You can’t rush these things. You have to savor them, in a nice cozy spot—. I stand in the living room and survey my options. Hard wood floor, no. Couch. So inviting…I lean towards the couch.
“Uh uh Mika! You know better!” Ilana stops me in my tracks. How does she even know what I’m going to do? There’s a wall in between us.
I shake my head and turn to the big comfy chair. That seems like a good option. Ilana didn’t say anything about eating on the chair.
“And don’t even think about the chair either!” the voice carries from the kitchen.
“Humph!” I leave the living room and stalk through the rest of the house in search of the perfect treat devouring spot. Another couch, nope. A bed? Nope. I test the rug near the back doors, but it’s just not cozy enough.
Finally I settle in Scottie’s crate. It’s nice and padded in there with a big blanket. And the munching and purring coming from the guinea pig cage above adds to the ambiance. I settle down and try to enjoy my treat.
I hear Ilana come out of the kitchen and settle at the dining room table to do her art. I shake myself and concentrate on my treat. Holding the KONG down with both paws, I’m able to keep it in one place as I lick the peanut butter. But I just can’t get comfortable enough. Couch, couch, couch keeps running through my head. Like it’s whispering to me. I try to ignore it but the pull is too strong.
As if I don’t have control of my own body, I pick up my treat in my mouth and sneak to the couch. I’m careful not to let my nails click on the floor so Ilana doesn’t notice me. Almost there…
Yes! I’m up on the couch. Giving Ilana one eye to make sure she’s none the wiser, I begin to enjoy my treat.
Time passes and Ilana still hasn’t noticed me. Scottie comes out licking his lips and settles on the floor at Ilana’s feet. She reaches down to pat him. I wince, waiting for her to notice me, but she doesn’t.
I’ve cleaned about half of the peanut butter from the rubber when Ilana looks up and her eyes settle on me. I freeze. I can feel the anger wafting off Ilana but I don’t dare move.
“Mika. What did I say?” Ilana’s voice is serious. “Off the couch.”
I don’t move.
Ilana puts down her pencil. “One. Two.”
I wonder what comes after two. I’ve never tried to find out before.
There’s a beat of silence. Ilana stares at me. I stare back at her. The space between us is full and hot.
Scottie gets up. He walks over to me. He takes my KONG and drops it on the floor. He walks back to Ilana and lays at her feet again.
“Good boy.” Ilana pats him. Scottie looks up at her and lolls his tongue. Ilana goes back to drawing.
Scottie looks at me for a moment and I swear he’s grinning.
Refusing to let him win. I pick up the KONG, lift my head high, and prance back into his crate. I’ll finish the whole thing in there and then I might just take a nap for good measure. After I roll my scent all over his blanket, that is.