Hooper Finds a Family by Jane Paley

Author:Jane Paley
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins

Chapter 13

So Long, Jimmy

I’m thirsty from the trip, and as soon as we go into the kitchen I find my water and food bowls. I slurp up the water. There’s kibble there, too, but it doesn’t look that good compared to the hot dog I had my eye on outside. I don’t like how the kibble smells, and if something doesn’t smell good, you shouldn’t eat it.

Larry comes inside and hangs up his coat. “Brian,” I hear him say. “What do you think?”

“He’s cool, Pop.”

“What does he look like to you?”

We gather in the living room. Larry’s in a better mood. He’s not talking about how puny I am or what a dumb idea it was to get me. They all sit in silence for a while and study my face.

What’s going on, guys?

“I think we should call him Newman,” Jane says thoughtfully.

“Nope,” Larry says right away. “He doesn’t look like a Newman.”

“Ew, Newman. That sucks,” Brian brays.

Jane and Larry glare at him.

“Well, it does. It’s like a teacher’s name.”

Larry shakes his finger at Brian. “Look. I’m tired and not in the mood for your smart mouth.”

“Could we not stress, please?” Jane begs. “I made a list of possible names.” She runs up the stairs and comes right back with a pad.

“Stop me when you like one,” she says a little breathlessly. “Milton, Murray.”

“Murray? Are you kidding?” Brian yells. “You name an old bald guy Murray.”

“Harry, Ben, Logan, Bubba, Yoda, Steve, Pinsky . . .”

“Pinsky?” Larry sneers.

Larry’s right about this one. Imagine introducing myself as Pinsky to a new friend.

“Scratch Pinsky,” Brian orders.

“Okay,” Jane mutters. “No need to get hostile about it.”

I trot over to sit beside Jane, since she has the list. There’s a rug in the living room, but it doesn’t cover the whole floor. There’s a little strip of polished wood near Jane that’s slippery. My front paw gets away from me. Whoops! The corner of the rug bunches up and I go flying into the side of the coffee table.

Larry and Brian burst out laughing. Jane kneels down to see if I’m okay. I’m fine. But I feel like a major clod. No one would ever believe I made my way between two roofs above a flood! I just look like a clumsy little puppy. A useless, puny, clumsy little puppy.

Larry looks at Brian and says, “Why don’t we name him Thud?”

“That’s so mean, Dad!” Brian says, but he’s still laughing.

Jane scowls and goes on with her list. “Herbie, Kramer, Roger—”

Larry cuts in. “I think Thud works. He’s a klutz. He flops over if you look at him.”

Jane gives Larry a dirty look.

“It’s a lame name,” Brian says, getting back to business.

“We don’t have to name him tonight,” Larry says restlessly.

Yes! If we wait, maybe someone will come up with Jimmy.

“I don’t know.” Jane shrugs.

Suddenly everybody’s getting grouchy.

“Wait!” Brian says. “I think I got it.”

“Well, get on with it then,” Larry snaps.

“Oh, relax,” Jane snaps right back. She isn’t one bit afraid of Larry! I wish I could be brave like her.

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