Mommy and I were walking this morning and the strangest thing happened. A big yellow rectangle on wheels rode onto our street. It stopped at the corner, right in front of a bunch of big kids. The rectangle had lots of windows and and two doors, one on the side and one on the back. The side door opened and I could see three steps and at the top of the steps I could see a person sitting behind the same kind of wheel Mommy sits behind in our car.
Suddenly, the kids ran up the steps and it seemed like they disappeared, but when the rectangle rode away I could see their faces at the windows. I have never seen anything like that! What was that rectangle and what happened to all of those children?
After the rectangle drove off with the kids, Mommy and I continued on our walk. When we got to the next corner, the same thing happened only this time the kids were little and their parents were with them. A yellow rectangle on wheels drove up and stopped in front of the little kids. I still didn't know what the yellow rectangles were but I knew they were not dangerous because the parents helped their little children go up the steps. The parents came out and that rectangle left.
I was so confused that I started talking to myself. "What in the world is going on around here. What are those rectangles? Why do I only see yellow rectangles on wheels? Will I see yellow circles on wheels next?" Talking to myself helps me sort things out, but I usually don't have the information to answer myself.
I can't speak English and I sometimes get so frustrated trying to talk to Mommy. This was one of those times. I communicate by barking, kissing, wagging my tail, and drooling. How in the world could I make my barks, kisses,wags, and drool say, "Mommy, what was that yellow rectangle on wheels and why did children go inside and disappear?" After the second rectangle left, Mommy started walking. I didn't. Mommy looked at me and said, "Ethel Frances, heel." That meant I was supposed to stand up next to Mommy's left leg and walk next to her. I knew what it meant, but I didn't do it.
Mommy looked surprised. "Ethel Frances, heel!" Mommy said that a few more times. Each time, her voice got louder, but I wouldn't budge. Mommy squatted next to me and looked in my eyes. "OK, Ethel Frances. I know you know what 'Heel' means so why aren't you doing it?" Now I had two questions: what was that yellow rectangle and how was I going to ask Mommy my questions. Sometimes life is so complicated.
While I was sitting and not heeling, a strange thing happened. A big smile appeared on Mommy's face. She clapped her hands, jumped up, and exclaimed: "Ah ha! Ethel Frances, you want to know what happened with those kids, don't you?" Then a bigger smile appeared on my face and I jumped up and gave Mommy a big kiss! My mommy understands me and we can communicate even though we don't speak the same language. I kissed her again so she would know that she understood me.
"OK, Ethel Frances, I am going to tell you. Remember when you went to school? Al was your teacher and we met Bentley and his mom there. Remember? You had to get in the car and I drove you to school in our car. Well, human kids have to go to school and there are too many of them to fit in a car. The schools have school buses, see." Mommy was pointing at the street. I followed Mommy's finger and saw that she was pointing to a yellow rectangle driving by. "There goes one now! The bus driver goes to all of the neighborhoods, stops to let the kids get in, and drives them all to school. When school is over later in the day, the bus goes to the school, stops to let the kids get in, and drives them home. That's all there is to it. Now can we finish with our walk?"
I wagged my tail extra fast so Mommy would know that I understood. I am so happy I can go to Mommy with my questions. She always makes time to listen and to help me get answers. I bet if she spoke dog language she would be wagging her tail extra fast too!
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