Midge The Watch Dog

 “Hi there Midge,” said Jake as he strolled up the sidewalk to the front porch where Midge was sitting on the porch swing.

“Hi Jake,” said Midge.

“Are you all right?” asked Jake. “You sound a little down.”

“I'm good,” said Midge. “What time is the show going to be at the convention center today?”

“I think they are going to be there all day,” said Jake. “Did you change your mind?”

“Oh no,” said Midge. “I still want to dance. I didn't know it was going to be there all day. My owner will be going to work late this morning. The insurance man is coming to the house before she goes to work.”

“Why is he coming to the house today?” asked Jake.

“Because the bad guys damaged some things in the house and she is filing a claim with her insurance man so she can get some money back for them,” said Midge. “I don't know how long he will be here.”

“Oh, that's bad,” said Jake. “Does Gabby and Booker-T know we will be going late?”

“No,” said Midge. “I haven't seen them yet this morning.”

“We will wait around with you, Midge,” said Jake. “I'm sure it will be okay. We will get you into the building.”

“Hi guys,” smiled Booker-T as he joined Midge and Jake on the front porch. “What's going on this morning? Are you ready to go Midge?”

“No,” sighed Midge shaking her head.

“Is she sick this morning?” asked Booker-T looking at Jake.

“She is feeling a little sad this morning,” said Jake.

“Did you change your mind Midge?” asked Booker-T.

“No,” said Midge “I can't go until my owner leaves for work and she will be going late.”

“It's okay Midge,” said Jake. “They will be there all day doing auditions.”

“Don't worry Midge,” said Booker-T. “It will be okay. We will get you inside and you know Gabby, he is good at making a diversion.”

“I know guys,” smiled Midge. “I don't know how long it will take before this insurance man is gone and my owner goes to work.”

“You have gone for walks when she was at home,” said Jake. “Why are you waiting today to go?”

“I guess I don't know,” said Midge. “You re right. I've gone to the park to play when she works at home.”

“So, do you want to go now?” asked Booker-T.

“No,” said Midge. “I will wait and see how long the insurance man stays. Maybe he won't be here too long. I don't like to leave my owner here alone with a stranger.”

“She don't know the man coming?” asked Jake.

“I don't think so,” said Midge. “So I want to be sure she is okay before I go. That's part of my job, to watch out for her. I'm a good watch dog, I think.”

“You are good Midge,” said Jake. “I remember you really scared away a bad guy last year.”

“That's good Midge,” said Booker-T. “What did you do?”

“He was trying to break in the back door and I hurried out the doggie door and grabbed his leg and growled at him,” said Midge. “He tried to get me to let go but I wasn't going to let go and tore his jeans. I held on to his pants and my owner called the police and they arrested him. They told my owner that he had robbed a couple other houses that evening.”

“That's good,” said Booker-T. “I'm not a good watch cat. I don't think bad guys would be afraid of a cat.”

“You could leap on them and scratch them with your sharp claws,” said Jake.

“That's true,” said Booker-T. “And I could bite them. Okay, Jake. I'll be a watch cat. You are watch dogs and I will be a watch cat.”

“I think you will be a good watch cat, Booker-T,” smiled Midge. “And your owner will be proud of you.”

“Do you really think so?” asked Booker-T.

“Oh sure,” said Midge. “You will be great at it.”

Booker-T pranced around and smiled big. If you could see him under his fir, he was probably blushing a lot.

“Hey you guys!” called Gabby as he swooped down from the tree and landed on the porch railing. “What are you doing? I went to the convention center but you weren't there.”

“Hi Gabby,” said Midge.

“Did you change your mind about going?” asked Gabby.

“Oh no,” said Midge. “The insurance man is coming to the house this morning to talk to my owner about that burglar yesterday. He did some damage in the living room.”

“You have to be here for that?” asked Gabby.

“Yes,” said Midge. “After he gets here, if he is okay, I will go.”

“Why do you need to wait?” asked Gabby.

“Because I am a watch dog,” said Midge. “So I have to protect my owner the best way I can.”

“Oh,” smiled Gabby. “I guess I never thought of you as a watch dog. Jake is a big dog and can be scary to a stranger.”

“You don't think I'd make a good watch dog?” asked Midge. “I am not that small.”

“Size really doesn't matter that much,” said Jake. “Midge is a good watch dog. It is mostly about letting your owner know when someone is outside the house or trying to break in.”

“And just our barks can scare the bad buy away,” said Midge. “I bark pretty loud.”

“You definitely have a loud bark,” laughed Booker-T. “Here comes a car Midge.”

They all sat and watched the man exit the car and grab a briefcase from his back seat and approach the porch. He knocked on the door and Midge's owner opened the door and invited him inside.

“I'll be right back,” said Midge as she hurried down the steps and ran to the back yard. She entered the house through her doggie door and went to the living room. She sat in the doorway and watched and listened to the man. Her owner handed the man some papers and waited while he looked them over. She offered the man some coffee and Midge watched as she went to the kitchen to get the cups and return. She patted Midge on the head “It's okay girl,” she said. “He is okay. I know him.”

Midge sat a few minutes and watched and listened to them and then headed back out the door and ran around the house to the front porch where her friends sat waiting for her. “He's okay guys so we can go to the convention center now.”