Henry to the Rescue

Mommy and LuLu and I were leaving the house to go for a walk together.  Right when we got outside, I could feel my leash slip out of Mommy's hand and I took off running!  I remembered about the time I almost ran in the street to see my friend Sadie, so I didn't go in the street but I was running as fast as I could down the sidewalk.  "Ethel Frances!  Come!  Heel!  Sit!  Ethel Frances, Ethel Frances!  What are you doing!  Get back here!  Please, Ethel Frances!"  Mommy tried all of those commands, trying to get me to stop running away.  Mommy's voice got softer and softer.  I knew I should listen to her.  I learned all of those commands when I was a puppy, but I kept on running.  I didn't even have a place to go.  I just wanted to run.  Mommy's voice started getting louder and I looked back and saw Mommy running faster than I had ever seen her run.  She wanted to catch me, but I kept on running.

Two ladies were walking and pushing strollers with babies in them and they saw me running towards them and they got scared and moved out of my way.  I felt bad that I scared them, but not bad enough to stop running.  Then I looked up and I saw my friend Henry with his daddy and I heard his daddy say, "Henry to the rescue!"  They were coming towards me and Henry's daddy said, "Ethel, come say hi to Henry!"  I really like Henry so I ran right over to them and Henry's daddy picked up my leash and held it high in the air so my mommy could see it.  Mommy came running and got my leash and thanked Henry and his daddy and she stooped down and her eyes met mine.  "Ethel Frances!  What in the world were you thinking?  Don't you know you could have gotten lost?  Or someone could have taken you away from me!  Why did you do that?  Don't you like living with me and your sisters?"  Mommy was talking so fast and asking so many questions that I didn't know what to say but I did want Mommy to know that I was sorry for upsetting her.  I looked in her eyes and leaned against her and wagged my tail a little.  I wanted to say, "But aren't you at least proud of me for not running in the street?"  but I can't talk.

Henry's daddy asked if I could play with Henry in the tennis court and I knew Mommy would say no because I was naughty and she never rewards naughty behavior.  I sure was surprised to hear her say yes!  Then she asked if it was OK for her to take LuLu home while I played with Henry.  LuLu is afraid of people and she really wanted to go home.  Henry's daddy said yes and when Mommy started walking with LuLu she turned around and said, "Ethel Frances, it was very naughty for you to run away like you did, but I am very proud of you because while you were being naughty you remembered to stay out of the street.  Please don't run away again.  I love you and I don't want to lose you."

I am so lucky to have a Mommy who loves me and understands me!