Puppy Kids Are Too Loud!

             

            Mallory loves playing with her puppy, Chico. They love to run and jump around while they play. They bark, hop, and chase their tails. Mallory and Chico play some pretty silly games together. It was like Chico understood Mallory better than anyone else did.
 

            Mallory has a baby sister, too. She doesn’t play with Mallory very often. Mallory’s baby sister was always so busy crying, and making Mommy change her diapers. Every time Mallory wanted to play with Mommy, or Daddy, they would be busy feeding her baby sister. So Mallory just played with Chico.

            The two were very close. Chico slept with Mallory every night, at the foot of her bed. In the morning, she let Chico outside to go potty. Chico listened to Mallory better than anyone. Everyone else yelled at Chico, too much. Even Mallory knew that just made him scared.

            After they both were done using the potty, Mallory made them both breakfast. Chico likes to eat a can of soft food in the morning. Mallory likes having cereal. Every day the two of them have the same routine. Mallory and Chico wouldn’t have it any other way.

            Mallory hardly ever gets in trouble, but when she does it’s usually because she and Chico were playing too loud. Sometimes, Daddy tells them they are being too loud. Daddy especially doesn’t like when Mallory, and Chico, are barking when he’s on the phone. He doesn’t like them barking when he has a headache, either.

            Mommy tells Mallory to quiet down, too. She always says, “There are people that live downstairs, Mallory. They don’t want to hear you two jumping around all day; believe me.” Mallory knew that people were under her, but she just forgot sometimes.

            One time, Mallory woke up her baby sister when she was barking like a puppy. Mallory’s daddy was very mad. He grounded Chico to the doghouse outside for a whole day. Mallory was lonely without Chico to play with. She didn’t see what the big deal was, anyway. All Mallory’s baby sister did was sleep.

            Mallory gets babysat by her grandma sometimes, too. Mallory’s grandma has two puppies, and a kitty. Even Mallory’s grandma has to tell them all to be quieter. Mallory thinks it’s funny to get both of her grandma’s dogs howling, but it just ends up hurting grandma’s head, too.

            Mallory knows she being loud, but that is what puppies do. After all, she had never really seen a puppy that didn’t bark. Even when they were just playing they were too loud for the neighbors downstairs. Mallory didn’t know how to be a quiet puppy.

            One night, Mallory had the strangest dream. Mallory dreamt that someone came and told her dad that Mallory was not being quiet enough. Her dad begged and pleaded, but the strangers ended up leaving with Chico! It felt so real to Mallory.

            When Mallory woke up, all she wanted to do was hug Chico. She was so relieved to see he was still there. What could she do without her best friend? Mallory missed him when she went to her grandma’s house. She would surely miss him if he got taken away.

            “Oh, Chico. I’m so happy you are still here, buddy. What would I do without you?” Mallory asked. She was so relieved to find him lying at the foot of her bed. Mallory told Chico she loved him, and Chico even smiled a puppy smile.