From Wags to Riches - Chapter 2

Hushpuppy  sat up on his haunches his small pink tongue circling the tip of his snout capturing the last tiny fragments of tuna still clinging to the tips of his silky whiskers. All the while his shiny dark eyes remained riveted on Kay.  As she knelt on the floor in front of  him  he tilted his tiny head  to one side as if listening intently. 

 “Aren’t you a sweet little thing !” she cooed softly as she leaned slowly forward intent on kissing the top of Hushpuppy’s head. Her slow advance however  was cut short as the perky little puppy tilted his head upward his damp little snout brushing across Kay’s check his little pink tongue licking her lips and the tip of her nose. Kay giggled at this unexpected, spontaneous show of affection which delighted her despite the pungent odor of tuna fish mingled with doggie breathe. Gently grasping the back of the eager young puppy’s head between the palms of her hands she planted a gentle kiss on top of his head. 

Leaning close once more she sniffed  then quickly pulled her face back a little ways ….

 “Geeze …you really need a bath  honey !!!” 

Gently placing her hand under his stomach she picked him up and held him against her shoulder while she carried him into the bathroom closing the bathroom door with her foot before setting the puppy down on the tiled floor. 

Catching her reflection in the mirror Kay suddenly became aware that in all this time she had neither taken off her jacket nor buttoned her blouse. Realizing full well what water can do to suede she removed her jacket. As she pulled on the jacket sleeves her blouse came off with it. 

For a brief instant she felt a little bit uneasy. Kay wondered to herself why this tiny puppy should make her feel  self conscious. Laughing she picked up Hushpuppy holding him at arms length in front of the mirror. 

“Well …what do you think ? …. Have you ever seen such an adorable puppy before ? ….

….And just wait until I clean you up a bit !!” With those words she set the squirming little puppy back on the floor in order to better attend to the business at hand. 

Turning the faucets on the bath tub she adjusted the water temperature before placing the bewildered pup in the bath tub. He looked so tiny and pathetic. He kept lifting his paw and shaking it only to step back into the slowly rising water. He tried to run but slipped and rolled as his feet went out from underneath him. 

By now Kay was quite wet. She realized that giving Hushpuppy a bath would require more drastic measures. Standing up she kicked off her shoes, wiggled out of her blue jeans and slipped off her light blue panties before sitting down in the tub next to Hushpuppy. 

“OK Kiddo !!!.. We’re in this one together”. 

Pulling the curtain around the tub she turned the lever which sent warm water showering down on their heads. Holding Hushpuppy in her lap Kay reached over to the far edge of the tub grabbing a bottle of baby shampoo. She poured a generous quantity of the yellow soap into the palm of her hand  and proceeded to rub the soapy foam onto Hushpuppy’s back and stomach. 

Kay could not help laughing at Hushpuppy’s bewilderment as he tried to catch a soap bubble in his mouth only to have it disappear. 

Hushpuppy quickly learned another lesson about this white foam …It tastes terrible! 

Kay wished that she had a camera to record Hushpuppy’s reaction to tasting the soap… his paws rubbing his snout vainly trying to get rid of the foul taste.

In the end it was all worth while. Hushpuppy’s fur was clean and he smelled pretty good …for a dog. 

Now if there was only something she could do about that breathe….hmmm maybe a milk bone would help. 

Kay carefully dried Hushpuppy with the towel she had used earlier that morning before returning to the tub to  finish her own shower. 

“OK fellow …now we’re both clean !” 

Personally Hushpuppy had preferred the way Kay had smelt before her bath, but there was still enough of her scent left behind for him to be able to pick her out in a crowd….. After all…. he was a hound dog ! 

As for himself, Hushpuppy would take the first available opportunity to roll in the dirt to mask this unnatural scent. In the meantime he would have to console himself by rolling on the carpet.It was not great, but it was better than nothing …and the bonus was that Kay thought he was doing tricks for her and rewarded him with extra attention and scraps of  food. 

Life was good !

It was late afternoon by the time Kay had dried her hair and  dressed again. The sun was already low in the western sky and the temperature outside was beginning to fall. Looking around she found Hushpuppy curled up in the white terry cloth bath towel on the bathroom floor …still watching her every move. 

Smiling she picked him up towel and all. 

As she gazed down at that little life wrapped up in the white towel it reminded her of the feelings she had  experienced  the first time she held her own new born son. She remembered how pink and chubby he was. She could still see that little swatch of dark hair on his head and those blue eyes. There is nothing bluer than a new born baby’s eyes. Now holding this tiny  nearly helpless life in her arms those warm, wonderful feelings rushed through her once more.

Hushpuppy yawned. 

Moments later he fell into a deep peaceful slumber…

Kay deciding that Hushpuppy should have a bed of his own searched for an empty carton or basket, but they all seemed much too large and intimidating for such a tiny puppy. Searching through the back of her closet she found the perfect bed. 

She had often kidded her husband about his having big feet, but for once she was especially glad he did. Reaching up to the top shelf she found an old shoe box. It was perfect ! She opened  the lid and carefully removed an old pair of suede shoes. 

Kay laughed out loud as she read the label inside one shoe ….”Oh my God !” she said to herself. …“They’re Hushpuppies !”.

She placed the Terry cloth towel and the sleeping  puppy carefully into the shoe box. 

“A perfect fit” she said to herself smiling. 

Hushpuppy raised one ear slightly  yawned and drifted back into a deep sleep. 

Kay looked down at the tiny sleeping puppy and smiled. 

That night Kay set the sleeping puppy, box and all, next to her pillow. She could hear him scratching the side of the box, whimpering and snoring softly as he slept. She wondered to herself if puppy dogs dream. 

Kay no longer felt alone or lonely. ….Today she had made a new friend. 

As Kay drifted off into a peaceful slumber she smiled  as she thought about how her young son was certain to react when she gave him Hushpuppy as a birthday present …

but for the next several days …Hushpuppy was all hers …..

Life was good !