The Tracking Dog

“Hey there Midge,” said Booker-T as he entered the yard and joined her on the front porch. “What are you doing?”

“I'm tracking,” said Midge.

“Tracking?” asked Booker-T with a puzzled look. “What is tracking?”

“I'm trying to find someone,” said Midge.

“Who are you trying to find?” asked Booker-T.

“I don't know yet,” said Midge.

“How can you try to find someone if you don't know who they are?” asked Booker-T.

“I'm tracking the person,” replied Midge.

“What are you two doing?” asked Jake as he entered the yard.

“Midge is tracking someone she don't know,” laughed Booker-T.

“Why?” asked Jake.

“I don't know,” said Booker-T.

“Have you been watching TV again?” asked Jake.

“He was a really smart dog,” said Midge. “I want to be like him.”

“We are all smart dogs, don't you think?” asked Jake.

“And I'm a smart cat,” added Booker-T.

“Yes,” said Midge. “I think we are all smart and I think I can be like that smart dog on TV. I'm practicing.”

“Practicing what?” asked Jake.

“The smart dog was a tracking dog,” said Midge. “If someone was lost, the dog went out and found the person.”

“How?” asked Booker-T.

“The man showed the dog a piece of clothes of the person and that dog ran out there and looked for the person,” said Midge. “He was so smart and I think I can do it too.”

“Who are you going to track?” asked Jake.

“I could track my owner,” suggested Midge.

“But she isn't lost,” said Jake.

“Can you track animals like people?” asked Booker-T. “I could run and hide and you can try to find me.”

“I don't know if they track animals,” said Midge. “In the show, they were tracking people.”

“Why do you want to be a tracking dog?” asked Jake.

“I'm just as smart as they are,” said Midge. “I want to find people too.”

“I don't think they will come ask you to track anyone,” smiled Booker-T.

“I guess they won't,” said Midge.

“What do you want to do today?” asked Jake.

“I don't know,” said Midge. “What do you want to do?”

“I don't know,” said Jake. “How about you Booker-T?”

“I don't know,” said Booker-T.

“Midge, you always have fun things you want to do,” said Jake. “What happened?”

“I did,” said Midge. “I wanted to be a tracking dog.”

“Lets go to the playground,” said Jake.

“Okay,” agreed Midge. “I want to ride the merry-go-round again.”

“You fell off last time,” said Booker-T.

“I guess we spent more time, running around it to make it go,” said Midge. “I can try to swing on the swings again.”

“Maybe you can swing in the baby swing,” said Jake.

“What baby swing?” asked Midge.

“They put a new little swing in the park for babies,” said Jake. “You can jump in it and I will push you.”

“Okay!” smiled Midge. “Lets go.”

The three left the yard and walked along the sidewalk, singing “We are going to the park. We are going to swing on the swings.”

“Where are you guys going?” asked Gabby as he swooped down and landed on Jake's head. “Hi Jake.”

“Hey Gabby,” said Jake. “We are going to the park. Midge wants to swing on the baby swing.”

“You fell off the swing last time, Midge,” laughed Gabby. “You are going to try again?”

“These are baby swings and she will jump in and won't slide off,” said Jake.

“Do you want to go swing with us?” asked Booker-T.

“No,” said Gabby. “I swing all the time on the tree limbs when the wind is blowing hard. Ill come watch you swing.”

“Okay,” said Jake.

“Did you see the signs on some of the trees in town?” asked Gabby.

“No,” said Midge. “What signs?”

“There is going to be a fair in town next month,” said Gabby.

“A fair what?” asked Jake.

“It's called a fair,” said Gabby. “There will be all kinds of food, and rides and shows there.”

“Will there be a dog show?” asked Midge.

“I don't know,” said Gabby. “Maybe there will be one.”

“Oh no,” said Jake. “You can't be in the show.”

“But,” said Midge.

“No,” said Jake. “Unless your owner enters you, they won't let you in. Remember what happened the last time you tried to get into the dog show.”

“I want to go,” said Midge. “We can have so much fun there.”

“Doing what?” asked Gabby. “The fair is for people.”

“I'm a people dog,” said Midge. “Maybe I can wear my little sweater and walk in on my back legs.”

“I don't think that will help,” laughed Booker-T.

“Maybe the fair will be open all around it so we can just walk in,” said Jake.

They ran to the swings and Midge jumped into the baby swing. “Push me Jake.”

Jake pushed his nose against the swing and ran really fast and then laid down to let the swing go. Back and forth it went while Midge sat in the seat. “Again!”

Jake again put his nose against the swing and ran fast. When he got the swing up a little, he let go and quickly laid down and let the swing go.

“Do you want to try it?” asked Midge as she leaped out of the swing. “I can try to push you.”

Jake tried to get into the swing, but he was too big to sit down.

“Stick you legs through the holes,” suggested Booker-T.

Jake slid forward and poked two of his legs through the holes. “OH!” said Jake. “I'm stuck in the holes.”

“Can you pull your legs out?” asked Gabby.

“No,” said Jake. “I'm stuck. What am I going to do?”

“Back up,” said Midge. “Sit on the back of the swing seat and then pull out the legs.”

“Wait,” said Jake. “Let me try that.”

Jake sat on the back of the seat with his front legs stuck in the hole. He slowly pushed backwards and before he knew it he fell over the back of the seat and fell to the ground.

“Jake!” called Midge. “Are you okay?”

“I think I'm too big for the baby swing,” said Jake as he sat their on the ground. “Lets go home.”

“Okay Jake,” said Midge as they started to walk back home.