Larry by Iris Rainer Dart

Author:Iris Rainer Dart
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group
Published: 2010-03-01T00:00:00+00:00

19

Larry

After we came back from San Diego, Cathy tried hard to be cheerful, but I knew she was very sad. Every day I waited for her to come home from school so I could cheer her up.

That day as I looked out the window, my heart suddenly started pounding a mile a minute. I know there have been lots of songs written over the years to describe the feeling I had at that moment. I think it’s called love at first sight, and it hits you like getting a Frisbee in the face.

Outside, in front of our house, was the most amazing-looking girl Maltese I had ever seen. Actually, I think I might have seen her before at the park or somewhere, so maybe this was love at second or third sight.

And then, she stepped right up onto our porch! I nudged the door open with my nose and we stood there snout-to-snout. “May I help you?” I asked.

She smiled and said, “Hello, Larry. We’ve played in the same park a few times but you probably never noticed me. I’m Maggie.”

I guess I finally have to admit to you that my being a talking dog is not so special. The truth is (and I hope you’re sitting down for this) that all dogs can talk. In fact, when humans aren’t listening, dogs actually speak words to one another all the time. But right from the time we are born into our litter we make a serious pact not to let humans know. I guess it’s pretty obvious that I broke that pact because of my quick temper.

Right now it was pretty special just to have Maggie here and talking only to me. I mean, I was about as melted as a marshmallow over a campfire. She had the biggest brownest eyes.

“Wanna go for a walk?” she asked.

“Absolutely,” I said, wondering how Cathy would feel if I wasn’t there when she got home. “Oh, Cathy will be fine,” I told myself as I walked down the porch steps to the sidewalk with Maggie. I felt the warm sun beating down on us as we moved side-by-side down the street. I couldn’t help but steal sidelong glances at Maggie. She had little yellow bows above each ear that set off her stunning face.

“I’ve been noticing you for a long time,” she said. “Long before you went and told the world that you could talk.”

“Really?” I said, trying to be cool and cover the fact that her words were music to my floppy ears.

“But today I’m not here just for me,” she said. And my stomach lurched at the change in tone of her voice. “I guess you can imagine how all the other dogs feel about you revealing the secret. Blurting out that you can talk.”

I nodded, for once not knowing what to say.

“They’re threatened by what you did, Larry. And you can understand why they would be.”

“Look, Maggie.” I tried to reason with her. “I didn’t mention anyone else. Not even one other dog.

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