Snappy Tries to Cheer up Susie

“Hey there Snappy!” called Jake as they ran to the pond. “Where are you buddy?”

“Hello Snappy,” said Midge. “Where are you hiding?”

“Hey you guys,” said Snappy as he poked his head out of the water near the small log in the center of the pond. “What are you doing this morning?”

“We came to play,” said Booker-T.

“Oh, that is great,” said Snappy. “I am always happy to see you.”

“We like to play in the pond too and it is always good to see you too,” said Midge.

“You haven't been here in a week though,” said Snappy.

“I know, we've been playing in the back yard at Jake's house. Didn't want to go far from the house with the rain and all in the area,” said Midge. “But today the sun is out and it is nice.”

“I am glad you came today,” said Snappy. “Gabby was just here but he left a few minutes ago and said he will be back later.”

“Good,” said Booker-T.

“Hi Susie,” said Snappy. “Why are you looking sad this morning? I don't think I ever saw you so sad before.”

“Hi Snappy,” said Susie. “My owner just left for the airport and she will be gone for two months. I am already missing her.”

“That's because you know she will be gone for a while,” said Booker-T. “But it will be okay Susie. Really it will.”

“I know in my brain that it will be okay,” said Susie. “But in my heart, I miss her already and she will be gone for two months.”

“It is hard,” said Midge. “It is easier when humans miss each other because they can pick up the phone and talk to each other or they can send a text message these days, but for a pet to miss his owner, it is harder because we can't call them.”

“You are right Midge,” said Susie. “It would be easier if I could talk to her when she is gone, but we don't have a way to do that.”

“They can call on the phone and leave a message for you that you can hear when the phone rings if you are in the house at the time the call comes in,” said Jake. “My owner does that sometimes when she is at work. She will call home to say 'Hi Jake' and then she tells me to be a good doggie.”

“That's pretty cool, Jake,” said Susie. “Maybe my owner will call Booker-T's house and do that too,” said Susie. “But I think she will be a lot busy with her job and I think I heard her tell her brother that there is a time difference between here and Germany.”

“A time difference?” asked Midge. “What is a time difference?”

“Germany is a long way from here so her time is different than we are. I don't know what the difference is. Maybe when it is night time there, it is daytime here.”

“Oh, I thought we were all the same,” said Midge. “I guess I never heard anyone say anything about a time difference before.”

“I heard my owner talking about that to her brother when he came to pick her up this morning,” said Susie.

“That must be really strange,” said Jake. “Being somewhere and the time is different than at home. You won't know when to get up and when to go to bed.”

“Oh, I'm sure you will know when it it time to go to bed because it will be dark and in morning will be light outside,” said Susie.

“So when it is light here, it is dark there?” asked Midge.

“Yes,” said Jake. “I think that is how it works. I saw something on TV one time on a travel show my owner was watching. They were talking about a time difference.”

“I think it would be hard to get used to having the times change and not the same as at home,” said Midge.

“I don't think I would like having my times messed up,” said Booker-T.

“It's okay, I think,” said Jake. “I think you get used to it, but think when you get used to it and all is good, then it will be time to come back home.”

“Ha ha,” said Snappy. “You are right. I think I would rather just stay in one place and not travel.”

“Me too,” said Booker-T.

“Me too,” said Midge. “I think our time here is bad enough when they keep changing it in winter and then change it again in Summer time.”

“I know it,” said Susie. “Why don't they just leave it as one time all the time? I get so confused when my owner goes around changing all the clocks.”

“Me too,” said Booker-T.

“I don't have any clocks out here at the pond,” said Snappy.

“You are lucky,” said Midge. “No worries about what time it is. You see the time as day and night and nothing else.”

“Cheer up Susie,” said Snappy. “It will be okay. She will be home soon and we will all keep you occupied so you don't get lonely. Where are you staying when she is gone?”

“I am staying with Booker-T at his house,” said Susie.

“That is good,” said Snappy. “Booker-T will be there all the time for you and you won't be lonely.”

“I know,” said Susie. “I won't be lonely, but will be sad because my owner not here with me.”

“Try not to think about it Susie,” said Jake. “Just try to have fun and keep in your mind that she will be hone soon.”

“I will try Jake,” said Susie.

“Where did Snappy go?” asked Booker-T looking around.

“I don't know,” said Midge. “He was here a minute ago.”

Susie walked over and sat beneath the tall oak tree on the water's edge and her face was filled with sadness. They all just sat watching her and wanting her to be happy. From the middle of the pond, they heard Snappy.

“Help!:” yelled Snappy. “Get me off this log!”

They all turned to see Snappy trying to run along the log and it was turning and turning over and over and Snappy tried to stay on top. The faster Snappy's little legs moved, the faster the log turned over and over.

“What are you doing?” called Midge.

“I can't hold on anymore,” said snappy. “I am going into the water.”

They all heard Susie laughing under the tree. They looked at each other and smiled. It was good to hear Susie laughing. They now understood what Snappy was doing. He was trying to cheer Susie up.