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- Story Listed as: Fiction For Adults
- Theme: Action & Adventure
- Subject: Pets / Animal Friends
- Published: 01/19/2018
The Dog Walk
Born 1946, F, from Florence, OR, United States(Note to reader: This short story was published posthumously to honor the life of Susan Canavarro, a local author and award winning artist. Susan was born Oct. 14, 1946, in California and died Jan. 10, 2018, in Florence, Oregon, where she made her home for the past decade and a half. Susan authored the book, “Fragments: Growing Up Bohemian Poor in Dementia’s House,” and was a published illustrator for two books, “Lemon Custard” and “One year in the Time of Violence,” written by Jack Remick. An MFA, Susan was an intelligent and accomplished painter who was as adept at realism as abstraction, and whose work was enjoyed by art lovers far and wide, and awarded many times from among the exhibitions she participated in. Please note that she painted the watercolor image shown above to go with her story, and spent many of her last years working as a pet sitter and dog walker, which no doubt inspired her story and painting.)
The Dog Walk
By Susan Canavarro
Weeeeee, this is more fun than riding in a car, Max!
No, Monty, it is not fun and you know it.
It is too. It’s fun, isn’t it Dox?
You can be sure it’ll be even more fun when the wind comes up, Monty.
Oh, boy! Can’t wait! His rump and tail wagging like crazy.
Dog, if you don’t watch out you’re gonna wag yourself right off the edge. Now stop it!
Geez, every gall dern Tuesday we gotta take this darn dog walk. What’s it all about Max?
Challenge, Kiddo. It’s about challenge. Like when we try to eat snowflakes or when we try to follow the cat Scrwuffy up a tree.
But still…every week?
Yup. You gotta challenge yourself, Monty, fill up your dog years with learning and insight and adventure. Besides, every Tuesday is Dog Show Day across the river. We may live in a small town, Kiddo, but we still gotta keep up with other dogs, how they’re grooming, what commands they’re paying attention to, what they’re eating, how well they’re running, you know, that kind of stuff.
Gosh, Max, lighten up, will ya? This is simply an adventure. All it is. Nothing more. Sky is blue. Gorgeous day. Stop trying to turn it into something educational, for cat’s sake. It’s a heck of a lot easier today in the sunshine than it was last week in the wind and rain. So lighten up!
Who said that? Pipsqueak?
Yeah. What of it? Don’t be such a sour-puss, Max.
Hey, Did you just call me a puss? I aint no puss. And I sure as heck aint no sour-puss. I’m pure hound. Pure bloody hound dog is what I am. Everybody stop! Shut up!
Why? What is it?
What’s wrong Max?
What happened?
I think I see a bird, Monty.
A bird?
Oh for goodness sakes. Not again with the blue bird thing, Max?
Yeah, a blue bird.
A blue bird?
Geez, Monty, would you stop repeating everything I say.
Repeating?
Yeah, REPEATING!
Be careful Max. Remember what happened the last time you thought you saw a bird?
Shut up! Will ya?
But Max, the last time you thought you saw a bird it turned out to be a porcupine with long sharp quills. You got your nose all stuck up, remember? And your tail bit off.
Grrrrr.
Hey?
Yeah, Monty?
Does this bridge structure remind you of anything?
Hunger. It reminds me that I’m hungry.
Hey, Max?
Yeah, Dox?
Do you think they’ll be serving dinosaur bones and fish hors d’oeuvres at the dog show?
Most likely, Dox, and escargot.
Yea! Let’s car go!
No, Monty, we’re on a dog walk, remember? You’re such a silly cat!
I am not.
You are too, just a plain silly cat.
I’m not a cat. I’m a dog! And I’m not silly. Hey look, Max, I can turn around up here! Uh oh. Oops! Maaaaaaax! Dog overboard! Dog overboooaaaaard! Maaaaaaax?
SPLASH!
Oh MONTY! A belly flop?
Paddle, Monty, paddle. You’re really close to the other side. You can make it. Just move your paws like crazy and keep your head above water. We’ll meet you over there.
The dogs of Florence ran over the bridge beam and skidded down to the water’s edge on the other side.
Come on, Monty. You can make it!
Yea! Monty!
Monty climbed up the bank, sloppy with water-soaked fur. He shook himself in a ripple dance from head to tail. Water flew everywhere.
Hey, cut that out. You’re getting me all wet.
Boy, Max, that was sooooo much fun!
For cat’s sake, you are incorrigible.
What’s corrigible, Max?
The word is incorrigible, Monty. And you are.
Come on Dox, let’s go for another dive.
No way, Monty. Not me. Let’s get outta here, Max. I’m starved.
© 2006-2012 Susan Canavarro. All Rights Reserved.
The Dog Walk(Susan Canavarro)
(Note to reader: This short story was published posthumously to honor the life of Susan Canavarro, a local author and award winning artist. Susan was born Oct. 14, 1946, in California and died Jan. 10, 2018, in Florence, Oregon, where she made her home for the past decade and a half. Susan authored the book, “Fragments: Growing Up Bohemian Poor in Dementia’s House,” and was a published illustrator for two books, “Lemon Custard” and “One year in the Time of Violence,” written by Jack Remick. An MFA, Susan was an intelligent and accomplished painter who was as adept at realism as abstraction, and whose work was enjoyed by art lovers far and wide, and awarded many times from among the exhibitions she participated in. Please note that she painted the watercolor image shown above to go with her story, and spent many of her last years working as a pet sitter and dog walker, which no doubt inspired her story and painting.)
The Dog Walk
By Susan Canavarro
Weeeeee, this is more fun than riding in a car, Max!
No, Monty, it is not fun and you know it.
It is too. It’s fun, isn’t it Dox?
You can be sure it’ll be even more fun when the wind comes up, Monty.
Oh, boy! Can’t wait! His rump and tail wagging like crazy.
Dog, if you don’t watch out you’re gonna wag yourself right off the edge. Now stop it!
Geez, every gall dern Tuesday we gotta take this darn dog walk. What’s it all about Max?
Challenge, Kiddo. It’s about challenge. Like when we try to eat snowflakes or when we try to follow the cat Scrwuffy up a tree.
But still…every week?
Yup. You gotta challenge yourself, Monty, fill up your dog years with learning and insight and adventure. Besides, every Tuesday is Dog Show Day across the river. We may live in a small town, Kiddo, but we still gotta keep up with other dogs, how they’re grooming, what commands they’re paying attention to, what they’re eating, how well they’re running, you know, that kind of stuff.
Gosh, Max, lighten up, will ya? This is simply an adventure. All it is. Nothing more. Sky is blue. Gorgeous day. Stop trying to turn it into something educational, for cat’s sake. It’s a heck of a lot easier today in the sunshine than it was last week in the wind and rain. So lighten up!
Who said that? Pipsqueak?
Yeah. What of it? Don’t be such a sour-puss, Max.
Hey, Did you just call me a puss? I aint no puss. And I sure as heck aint no sour-puss. I’m pure hound. Pure bloody hound dog is what I am. Everybody stop! Shut up!
Why? What is it?
What’s wrong Max?
What happened?
I think I see a bird, Monty.
A bird?
Oh for goodness sakes. Not again with the blue bird thing, Max?
Yeah, a blue bird.
A blue bird?
Geez, Monty, would you stop repeating everything I say.
Repeating?
Yeah, REPEATING!
Be careful Max. Remember what happened the last time you thought you saw a bird?
Shut up! Will ya?
But Max, the last time you thought you saw a bird it turned out to be a porcupine with long sharp quills. You got your nose all stuck up, remember? And your tail bit off.
Grrrrr.
Hey?
Yeah, Monty?
Does this bridge structure remind you of anything?
Hunger. It reminds me that I’m hungry.
Hey, Max?
Yeah, Dox?
Do you think they’ll be serving dinosaur bones and fish hors d’oeuvres at the dog show?
Most likely, Dox, and escargot.
Yea! Let’s car go!
No, Monty, we’re on a dog walk, remember? You’re such a silly cat!
I am not.
You are too, just a plain silly cat.
I’m not a cat. I’m a dog! And I’m not silly. Hey look, Max, I can turn around up here! Uh oh. Oops! Maaaaaaax! Dog overboard! Dog overboooaaaaard! Maaaaaaax?
SPLASH!
Oh MONTY! A belly flop?
Paddle, Monty, paddle. You’re really close to the other side. You can make it. Just move your paws like crazy and keep your head above water. We’ll meet you over there.
The dogs of Florence ran over the bridge beam and skidded down to the water’s edge on the other side.
Come on, Monty. You can make it!
Yea! Monty!
Monty climbed up the bank, sloppy with water-soaked fur. He shook himself in a ripple dance from head to tail. Water flew everywhere.
Hey, cut that out. You’re getting me all wet.
Boy, Max, that was sooooo much fun!
For cat’s sake, you are incorrigible.
What’s corrigible, Max?
The word is incorrigible, Monty. And you are.
Come on Dox, let’s go for another dive.
No way, Monty. Not me. Let’s get outta here, Max. I’m starved.
© 2006-2012 Susan Canavarro. All Rights Reserved.
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