My special power

When I woke up this morning it was like any other day, well it certainly seemed so at first. I could hear everyone in the kitchen eating their breakfast, not thinking for a moment that I was on holidays and might like some quiet to have a sleep in. The clinking sounds as their spoons scraped the bottom of their cereal bowls really penetrated my slumber.

It first dawned on me that something was different when I noticed there were more voices than usual. I was fairly certain that we hadn’t had any guests last night, so I assumed our neighbours had come over in the morning for some reason. I couldn’t go out in my pyjamas, so I stayed in bed and tried to get back to sleep.

I woke again an hour later, silence hung heavily around the house, so I knew everyone had left for their respective offices. I decided it was about time I got up. Feeling a bit on the lazy side I dragged myself to the shower. As I was putting on my scrunched up shower cap I thought I heard a voice, so I stuck my head out the window to see if I could see anyone about.

“Come on…just give it back…”, I looked around, but couldn’t see anyone, yet the voice was so close, “it’s mine, you know it’s mine, they’re always mine.”

I just couldn’t understand it, it sounded like there was a child just outside the window, then I looked down, there was Henry and Sparky, two of our five dogs. Sparky had an old, smelly bone is his enormous jaws while Henry, a little terrier, was dancing around him.

Miracles upon miracles, it appeared I could understand him! I had to get out there and find out what was going on. So I tore off the shower cap and grabbed my satin wrap while I raced out.

The screen door slammed shut after me, alerting the dogs to my exit. Immediately they all raced over to get there bit of attention like they always do.

“Mel!”

“Mel!”

“Melanie!”

“Mel!”

“Pat me first”

“No! Me!”

“I was here first.”

“Move it! She’s my master.”

Hewy used his bulk to push his way through the jumping terriers. “I come before all of you.”

“Hold it, all of you!” I couldn’t handle the strangeness of this situation, unbelievably they all stopped when I asked.

Little white Richie leaned over to Henry’s perky ear, “Did you understand that?”

“Yeah, strangely”

Henry glanced over at Sparky, “What about you?”

“Cool! Can we play ball?”

Obviously Sparky’s obsession continued no matter what language he spoke.

“Um, guys, why can I understand you all of a sudden, and you understand me?”

“Good question, but I have no idea.” Hewy was a little more focused, “Back off Sparky, you great fool, you’re invading my space.” or so I thought.

While Hewy herded poor Sparky away from the rest of the group, I looked to Lucy. “Do you have any ideas, Luce?”

Lucy looked up at me with a slightly dazed expression on her face, “Sorry?”

“Do you have any ideas?” I asked again.

“Huh?”

“DO. YOU. HAVE. ANY. IDEAS?” I shouted.

“Nope, sorry I don’t have any ice-cream.”

I shook my head, clearly I wasn’t going to get any help understanding this from the dogs.

“Well while I’ve got your attention, can I ask you guys some questions.”

Henry jumped up onto my lap, “Sure why not, but can you get my bone off Sparky first?”

“Sorry Henry, there’s no chance that I’ll touch that dirty, old bone.”

“Oh well, I’ll get it in the end, my attention span is longer than Sparky’s.” Henry jumped down again and ran after Sparky, who was running away from Hewy.

“What about you Richie, will you answer my questions?”

“Yep, yep, yep. Hit me with it.”

“Well, why do you always boss the other dogs around?”

“I’m in charge, someone has to make sure they’re doing the right thing all the time. We are a pack of dogs, someone has to take the responsibility.”

“But you’re the smallest.”

“So?”

“And they all basically ignore you anyway.”

“That’s what you think. Little by little, I’m breaking down their defences.”

“Ah… alright then.” I smiled and decided to leave it at that, sometimes there is no arguing with people…I mean dogs. “What about you Luce, how do you always know it’s 5 o’clock and time for dinner?”

“What? Dinner? It’s not time for dinner is it?” Lucy ran to the door and looked inside.

“NO. LUCE. HOW DO YOU KNOW THE TIME?” I resorted to yelling once again.

“Oh! I look at the clock like everyone.” Lucy walked off after that and went to sleep.

I was shocked, we had a dog that could actually read the time. We had always wondered, but now I really knew the answer. It was even more shocking to realise than waking up and being able to talk to dogs.

“Hewy, why don’t you give Sparky a break? He doesn’t want to be top dog. He just likes playing ball and getting pats. Can’t you just let him be?”

“Let him be? LET HIM BE?” Hewy stalked back over to me, finally distracted from chasing Sparky around. “Don’t you understand? Don’t you see? If I let him be, he’ll take over, he’ll be the first one to get pats, he’ll be the first one to eat. He’ll be first for everything. I can’t let that happen. I’m first. Always first.” Hewy wandered off, still muttering about being first.

Wow. It was amazing, I had a insiders view of the secret lives of dogs. The power to talk to dogs. I didn’t know how long it would last, but I was going to make the most of it while it lasted.