“I packed cheese, salami, crackers, carrot cake and Kool-Aid.” Doodles hands Disco the sweating Thermos, then reaches back into the basket, a tiny furrow in his brow. “And Benadryl, in case you have an allergy attack.”
“But my throat doesn’t close up,” says Disco, lightly patting Doodles’ knee. “Remember?”
“Oh, right! I forgot! I’m sorry.”
“That’s okay, Doodles! I forget things about you, too!”
“Like what?”
Leaning in close, Disco grins. “I can’t remember!”
Erupting in laughter, they hug and fall back on the blanket together, sending the food flying.
Doodles and Disco Go for a Hike
“Did you hear that?” asks Doodles, eyes wide as he stops on the trail.
Disco stops beside him. “Hear what?”
“I heard something in the woods.”
“Probably a squirrel.”
“Something bigger.” Doodles shifts his weight nervously.
Disco giggles. “An elephant?”
“Probably! We should go back.”
“How about we hike for a little bit longer? If we run into an elephant, I’ll ask her why she’s so far from home. Maybe she has a good story to tell us.” Disco smiles reassuringly. “You like good stories, Doodles.”
“Not when an elephant is the one telling it.”
“Okay—let’s walk a bit more. If we see the elephant, I won’t ask her why she’s so far from home. I’ll just tell her I hope she’s having a good time out here, and that if she gets lost trying to find the parking lot, we can point her in the right direction.”
“That sounds good, Disco. Thank you.” Doodles relaxes his shoulders.
“I’m the one who should be thanking you! I know hiking isn’t your favorite thing.”
“It’s not,” agrees Doodles. “But you are.”
“Aw, Doodles.”