Roffa was torn. On the one paw, she liked routine. Her morning and evening bowls of Roffa food should be in the kitchen every day in the same place and at the same time. And it should be the same food too!
Same bowl, same place, same time, same food. Those were Roffa’s views and she held them as firmly as she had held that squeaky chicken toy in the pet shop which her owners had made the mistake of visiting with her.
She still missed that toy. She used to enjoy playing with it all the time – *SQUEAK! SQUEAK! SQUEAK!*. She would lie under the table in the living room and *SQUEAK* it. She would lie outside the bedroom doors and *SQUEAK* it. She would sit in the kitchen and *SQUEAK* it. She would wake up sometimes in the middle of the night and go outside, though the Roffa Launcher, to show it to the moon and *SQUEAK!* it extra loudly as the moon seemed a long way away.
She wondered what had happened to the chicken? It had vanished the same day as her owner had had to take an urgent parcel to the Post Office to send to somewhere called “Australia”.
But as much as Roffa liked order she also loved excitement.
And this morning had brought excitement!
Most mornings Natasha and Ben would go off to school.
Roffa had been to a school once and after five visits she had learned how to sit, roll over, and spin round and round. They had not taught her the spinning. Roffa had discovered that for herself and she felt very proud of having done so. On the final visit to the school Roffa had been given a certificate and had her photo taken while wearing a strange flat black hat that looked a bit like a tea tray.
Roffa found it odd that Natasha and Ben had to keep going to school. Poor humans, fancy not learning how to sit, roll over and give someone your paw despite going to school for so many days.
This morning Ben picked up Roffa’s lead and said, “Good news, Roffa. You are going to be my Show and Tell today.” Ben clipped the lead to Roffa’s collar and opened the front door.
“We’re off!”, he shouted to the house. And set off to school with Roffa happily ambling along at his side.
Roffa always enjoyed an unexpected walk. She had no idea what a Show and Tell was but it sounded exciting. Maybe there would be food?!
And off they went.
TO BE CONTINUED
Mark O'Neill 