Pizza Perspectives

Contest & Prompt ▼

For "Three Perspectives Contest"  Prompt #2. You get home from work and discover your 10 year old child having a conversation with your dog.

CHILD's PERSPECTIVE
"You know, Rusty, Mom isn't even going to ask me about this. She doesn't care for the important things. She'll ask for my Science grade. Who cares about a Science grade?"

That's what I like about Rusty. He understands me. He put his paws on my knees and licked away my tears. I feel better already. I mean, yes, I fought with my best friend and now we're not best friends any more, but hey, maybe if I take Mom's great home-made pizza in my lunch bag tomorrow and give it all to him, he'll make up.

"He was really silly, you know Rusty. He said it was his turn to turn the water cooler on for Katie, but it was mine. We both tried to push each other and Katie's dress got all wet. She cried because she said people would think she had peed in her pants."

Rusty's great! He even laughs with me. It's funny now, though it wasn't then. I mean, nobody would think a 10 year old peed in her pants, would they? Heee hee.

It's really important that Mom makes pizza for me tomorrow. I can't not have a best friend. "Rusty, do you think I should call and ask her if she can make pizza for my lunch bag tomorrow?"

Oh, boy, Rusty's sure clever. He licked my nose at 'pizza'. He knows pizza, he does!

"Let's call Mom and tell her — oh, is that her key turning at the door? Rusty, come back here! We have to ask Mom about pizza!"

"Ask me about pizza? Ask and ye shall be given. I stopped by the grocery store to get the stuff I need. I'll make pizza for your lunch bag tomorrow!"

Words: 291

MOTHER's PERSPECTIVE
I don't know what to do about Simon's Science grade. If he doesn't improve soon, he may flunk out. His teacher is so kind, she didn't mind meeting me without an appointment when I went over yesterday. She said she was in the process of marking the papers and hadn't got to Simon's yet. Anyway, I'll know when I get home today.

Am I a bad mother? Should I be at home with my kid right now, instead of sitting at this desk brooding about his Science grade? I'm not even doing the paperwork I'm supposed to for my boss anyway! It has been ages since Simon and I had a heart-to-heart talk. That was so cute, the way he came and whispered in my ear that he likes Katie and maybe she's his girlfriend and maybe not. Imagine my boy having a girlfriend! There, I'm crying just thinking about it.

"Mrs. Jones, surely the deadlines aren't cry-worthy?"

"Oh, oh, sorry, Mr. Baxter. I was just thinking about how my little boy isn't so little any more, and how he almost has a girlfriend and how I have so little time for him that he talks more to his dog Rusty than to me — but what am I babbling on like this for? I'll get those papers done ..."

"No, Mrs. Jones. Take the rest of the day off. Spend it with that boy of yours!"

"Oh, thanks, thanks, Mr. Baxter, and I'll stop by at the grocery shop and buy everything I need to make pizza!"

Words: 260

DOG's PERSPECTIVE
I belong to a really nice family of humans. Simon loves me very much and feeds me well. Mrs. Jones brushes me with just the right amount of strokes and Mr. Jones never grumbles when I meet other dogs on our walk.

The only thing that makes me sad is how much both Simon and his mother have been crying lately. Oh, nobody else knows they cry except me. They come to me when nobody else is around and cry into my fur, see. Then I have to lick their tears away. At least, I lick Simon's. Mrs. Jones's tears taste of make-up and I don't like that taste. Make up means she looks pretty, but it's not a good taste.

Anyway, Simon is worried about his best friend and whether his girlfriend is his girlfriend or his best friend's girlfriend, and that's not a nice thing for a 10 year old boy to worry about. His Mom is worried about his studies and what his teachers are saying at school. Simon doesn't know it but his Mom went and met his teacher yesterday, she told me.

I wish they'd understand dog language. I try to tell them, "Mrs. Jones, don't talk about Science so much" or "Simon, tell your Mom you'll study so she won't worry" but they don't understand my wuffs.

Anyway, yesterday his mother cried and now Simon is crying but he says pizza will solve all his problems.

Aha -- I hear Mrs. Jones's car. I hear her walk to the front door -- her footsteps are slower, and she's taking longer to get the key out of her purse. "WUFF!" Has she been grocery shopping for the ingredients of pizza?

Words: 285