Stick Dog Dreams of Ice Cream by Tom Watson Read Free Book Online

some ice cream. Here’s what we know: Karen’s favorite flavor is light brown. It’s very hot out today. The ice cream truck is no longer where it was before. And the ice cream drips are drippy. Is that right? Did I forget anything?”
    â€œNope,” answered Mutt with satisfaction. The others seemed pleased with their answers too. “That about sums it up.”
    â€œOkay, then,” said Stick Dog. He paced a bit, thinking to himself. “I have a couple of observations that might be helpful as well.”

    â€œDon’t you think the four of us have already covered everything?” asked Poo-Poo.
    â€œOh yes. Yes,” said Stick Dog. “I’m just going to try to fill in a few details, that’s all.”
    â€œSounds okay to me,” replied Poo-Poo matter-of-factly. He plopped down to listen, as did the others.
    â€œThere’s definitely a pattern here. And maybe we can take advantage of it by knowing and predicting that pattern,” Stick Dog began. He seemed to talk to himself as much as to the others. He listed the order of things the way he remembered them happening. “The driver gets into the truck and turns on the music, and the truck starts moving. It rolls along very slowly for about seven minutes.”
    All the running and chasing from the previous hour had worn everybody out. Poo-Poo, Stripes, Mutt, and Karen were all now down on their bellies with their chinsresting on their front paws. They watched Stick Dog pace back and forth in front of them. It was sort of like watching a gold pocket watch go back and forth when someone is trying to hypnotize you.
    â€œThe humans follow the truck on their bikes on the sidewalk. Some of them just walk or run,” Stick Dog continued. “The truck stops. The music stops. The driver gets out.”
    Poo-Poo’s eyes closed.

    Stick Dog said, “The driver climbs through a door in the back of the truck. A few seconds later he appears in the weirdscreen window to speak to the humans who have gathered there.”

    Mutt’s eyes closed.
    â€œOne by one he brings each human the ice cream circles, opens the screen window, and hands them out. Some humans stay by the truck and talk as they lap at the circles. Others wander away from the truck.”
    Karen’s eyes closed.

    â€œWhen they all have their ice cream, the driver closes the windowand comes out the back. He walks around the other side and climbs back in behind the steering wheel.”
    Stripes’s eyes closed.

    â€œAfter he gets in, the annoying music starts, and the truck slowly drives away again,” Stick Dog concluded, and stopped pacing. He looked at the others—who were all now asleep. “Is that about it? Is that the pattern?”
    Nobody answered.
    Stick Dog turned away and gave a sudden loud cough. Without turning back around,he repeated, “Is that about it? Is that the pattern?”

    Everybody sighed, “Mm-hmm.”
    â€œDid I forget anything?”
    â€œHmm-mm.”
    â€œOkay,” Stick Dog said. “We’re going to catch up to that truck and pass it. We’re going to try to predict where it will stopnext. Then we’ll figure out a way to get into that truck and get the ice cream. Got it?”
    â€œGot it,” they all sighed as they rose up and stretched.
    â€œSince we rested a little, we should be able to catch up to it pretty easily,” Stick Dog commented.
    â€œWe weren’t resting!” they all said quickly.
    â€œOh, okay. My mistake,” Stick Dog said as he took off.
    â€œI was dreaming of light-brown puddles,” Karen whispered to the others before they chased after Stick Dog. “Mmm-mmm. I love the flavor light brown.”

Chapter 10
DANCE PARTY
    Stick Dog and his friends raced after the truck with increased energy and enthusiasm. They knew they were running toward the potential of a huge and delicious ice cream treat.
    The dogs remained