Fenway and Hattie

Fenway and Hattie by Victoria J. Coe Read Free Book Online Page B

Book: Fenway and Hattie by Victoria J. Coe Read Free Book Online
Authors: Victoria J. Coe
there. My ears try to catch sounds of jingling, panting, frolicking dogs. But all I smell are chipmunks. And all I hear are more bees and birds.
    Which is weird, because we’re almost there. I can hardly wait! I practically drag Hattie along the fence.
    I’m searching for the gate when my ears droop. My tail stops wagging. It’s a park all right. A plant-y,shrubby sort of park. With a path that leads up to a porch and a house. Just like ours. No bench to climb on. No dogs to romp with.
    Hattie does not smell concerned. Apparently, she knows the way.
    We pass more houses, and I sense a pattern. Clusters of trees, grass, a driveway. More clusters of trees, more grass, another driveway. Where’s the traffic light where we wait and sniff? Where’s the fire hydrant covered with pigeon poop? We must have a lot farther to go.
    We come to another plant-y, shrubby park when I do a double take. There’s an animal about my size. A Perfectly Still Dog? He’s got containers on either side of his back. With flowers sprouting out of them. I know every dog has his job, but let’s just say I’m glad my job is not holding a bunch of flowers.
    The Perfectly Still Dog is standing perfectly still, his ears spiked, his head focused forward. As if he does not even notice us. How rude!
    Hattie must see him, too, but she refuses to stop. Probably for the best. We’re searching for dogs to play with, and this guy doesn’t seem like any fun at all.
    We pause at a dense cluster of shrubs, and I take the opportunity to pee. We go past a couple more houses and driveways. Then, off in the distance, I hear a roaring, clanking sound. It grows louder and louder and louder.
    Something is approaching. Hattie pulls me to the side of the road just as it appears.
    I know this thing! It’s the Big Brown Truck that prowls the streets and leaves packages in the lobby downstairs. But somehow it got bigger and browner. And it’s truckier than I remember.
    What’s it doing here? Did it follow us all the way from our other neighborhood? In any case, there’s no time for questions—I have a short human to protect.
    I lunge at the monster, baring my teeth. “Go away, you beast! Or pay the consequences!”
    Hattie gasps and yanks me out of the street. “FEN-way! Sit! Sit!
Sit!
” she yells, obviously upset by this menace.
    I’m ready to attack the truck if it comes to that. I jump and growl, showing him just how serious I am. And my work pays off!
    The Big Brown Truck rattles on by with a bang and a roar and a boom. Fumes linger as it cruises away—stinky, sinister fumes. “And don’t come back!” I bark.
    But instead of thanking me, Hattie looks annoyed. “Oh, Fenway,” she says with a frustrated sigh. She must be eager to get to the Dog Park.
    Hey, I’m eager, too. It’s not like I asked for the interruption.
    As we continue on, all I smell are birds, squirrels, andthe occasional chipmunk. I spot nothing more interesting than a stone wall, a telephone pole, or a planter of roses. My tail sinks with a terrible thought—this is not the way to the Dog Park.
    Where are we going?
    I redouble my efforts. I sniff every tree, every shrub, every driveway. Wait a minute! We’re on the same street as before. We are passing the same trees and grassy parks we’ve already gone by. We pass by the Perfectly Still Dog, who’s in the exact same spot as last time.
    Before I know it, we end up back at our own home. Hello! We didn’t go to the Dog Park. Or the place where short humans with backpacks go. Or anywhere! And we didn’t come back with bread or milk. Or doughnuts. What did we do? Just wander around?
    But instead of smelling frustrated or ashamed or sad that we didn’t get to play, Hattie skips up the front walkway, perfectly satisfied. What is that about?
    We’re almost to the porch when, off in the distance, I hear the rattling, the

Similar Books

Cowboy PI

Jean Barrett

Detective Partners

kate hopkins

Carousel Nights

Amie Denman

Cabal - 3

Michael Dibdin

The Unloved

Jennifer Snyder

Patient Privilege

Allison Cassatta

The Buried

Brett Battles