Once upon a time it was a match made in dog heaven when Kenny came home to meet Larry. Kenny was still a young puppy, but Larry was big enough to help him learn all ways of being a dog.
First things first, Kenny was a gray American pit bull with white splotches all around his face. With his gray eyes, Kenny was usually serving looks of longing and modeling when anyone shows him attention. Kenny was thick and his well-toned muscles seem as if he lifted weights at the gym on heavy. His floppy ears frame his face and give him a playful side. He liked to shake his butt side to side whenever he walks with his family, making his large middle appear wrinkled and firm at the same time.
Larry was the opposite of Kenny. He came from the Siberian Huskie family and was covered in white fur and had icy blue eyes that seem other worldly. Larry was a runner, with his long body and pointy ears. Larry was the older of the two and can be mistaken for a fierce wolf whenever the snow covers the ground. Larry was all about the speed and his genes makes him want to mark his territory on every tree he finds.
But why do we need to know about Kenny and Larry, the buddies of Skylark Lane? It was simple. These two dogs were officially on the case of a missing poodle named Winston. It was not the first time, Kenny and Larry have been pulled in to solving something for the neighborhood pet watch. The two buddies were famous for saving a newborn kitten who wandered into the street, for burying a stick that a little boy was hitting his sister with and providing a class for how to walk across the street safely to the local ice cream store. It was still a growing partnership but really, there wasn’t anyone else to turn to.
An unarmed source, aka the neighbor dog told Larry about it through the wooden fence when he was making his rounds in the backyard.
“Hi Larry...did you hear?”
“Hear what?” Larry asked.
“Winston is missing!”
“Missing, are you sure? Maybe he just went on vacation or something.”
“No man, I saw his girl hanging up posters with his face on it.”
“Oh ok, then that is serious. Thanks for letting me know?”
“Are you going to do something about it then?”
“Like what?” Larry asked.
“Find out where he is. Winston is a good dog to have around.”
“He is. He left us a squeaky toy and a big bone last year at the park party. I was surprised we got anything, but Kenny is the new dog on the street,” Larry said.
“See! That is why you need to find him, just put your feelers out.”
“Well, we’ve got the human family coming over today to fry fish so it’s already a busy day.”
“No, Larry. You have to do something. I need Winston’s hookups if I will ever get a message to Ruffles.”
“Maybe I don’t want to know but who is Ruffles?” Larry asked.
“You don’t know who Ruffles is? That’s the cute, fluffy Pekingese that our neighbor likes on 34th Street. Winston walks that way and usually leaves notes for her,” said Kenny as he ran up to the fence. “What are you two talking about anyways?”
“Winston is missing,” said the neighbor dog, who didn’t want to be named. He hated his name, so it wasn’t allowed to be spoken. “I just asked Larry if you two would look into it.”
“Of course, we will. Anything for our man, Winston!” Kenny said, bouncing with energy at the idea. “I hope everything is ok but if its not, we are the right dogs for the job.”
Larry shook his head no and looked down.
“No, Kenny! It’s not that easy. We have a lot going on today and I don’t want to miss our fish party. What if they drop all that food while they are eating? Maybe tomorrow.”
Kenny considered what Larry said for a moment.
“I definitely want to eat whatever our humans throw down, but we can do both. We must help our friend. Even if it takes all day. We won’t be going out for awhile though.”
Larry and Kenny discussed the plan for the day. Kenny, as usual had all the energy for taking on the Winston case while Larry wasn’t ready to take on anything new. And that is how it was for the two friends. Larry was the brains of the operation and took time to consider his decisions and think through what was possible while Kenny was all heart and energy. Helping a friend out was something both connected on together.
Larry relented and decided if they could get in touch with Otis, the kitty on Clark Street, they could understand the gravity of the situation and any possible leads. But Otis was fickle and never around when they needed her. She was a farm cat at birth and never adjusted to suburban life. Her human was the same way. A fancy-free Army sergeant who made sure Otis had whatever she wanted and needed most which meant freedom and a stable source of food. Two things one should never take for granted.
“Kenny, you’re in charge of finding Otis because I need to clean up the year before they take back our bones. I think Gus is coming over.”
“Yay! Gus is the best. He’s so cute and cuddly,” Kenny said. “Someone needs to show him the way.”
Larry closed his eyes. Gus was still a puppy and Larry was over training puppies unless it was an official training class. Kenny was the one with the soft spot for babies. Gus tore up the yard and was really into biting. So, Larry could look forward to cleaning up Kenny after Gus had his fill.
“I wish the other Gus were coming over. He’s much more reserved and has a sense of decorum,” Larry said.
“Decorum, really, Larry?” Kenny said. “Have you ever saw the way he treats outsiders? Chihuahua’s are mean.”
“No, Kenny, that’s Roo, the other Chihuahua who lives with Gus. Don’t put Roo’s transgressions on Gus. Gus is the only Chihuahua I’m going to be friends with,” Larry said, finishing the conversation. “I should call him sometime.”