Susie is Excited

 “Good morning Susie,” said Booker-T. “You are awake early this morning and sitting out here on the porch all by yourself. Are you okay?”

“I am fine Booker-T,” said Susie. “I think today is the day my owner is coming home.”

“I thought it was tomorrow,” said Booker-T. “Are you sure it is today?”

“I have been watching your owner mark off the calendar every day and I think she will be home today, but I don't know what time she will be here.”

“I know you will be happy to see her,” said Booker-T. “It has been a long time she was gone.”

“Hi you two,”: called Midge as she walked up the steps to the porch. “How are you this morning?”

“We are good,” said Booker-T. “Susie has been out here since really early this morning.”

“Why did you get up early Susie?” asked Midge. “Are you okay?”

“Yes, I am okay,” said Susie. “Today, my owner is coming home and I am watching for her to come.”

“Oh, that is good,” said Midge. “I know you will be happy to see her when she gets here.”

“I'm so excited,” said Susie. “I can't wait to see her.”

“I know she will be happy to see you too,” said Midge.

“Do you think she will be happy to see me?” asked Susie. “You don't think she forgot about me do you?”

“Oh no, Susie,” said Booker-T. “I think she missed you too and will be happy to see you.”

“Hi you guys,” called Jake as he strolled up the steps to where everyone was sitting. “What are you all doing this morning? Are we going to the park today?”

“No,” said Midge. “Susie is waiting for her owner to come home today.”

“Oh,” said Jake. “That is nice. I know you are happy that she will be home today.”

“Yes,” said Susie. “I am very excited. She has been gone very long time.”

“But I think the time went by little fast,” said Booker-T. “We kept you busy at the park every day and Snappy was good at making you laugh.”

“I know,” said Susie. “Snappy was always very funny. He made me laugh every day.”

“He is a funny little guy sometimes,” said Jake.

“Hi Susie,” said Gabby as he flew down from the tree limb above. “Hi everyone. Are you going to the park today?”

“No,” said Jake. “We are all sitting here with Susie. She is waiting for her owner to come home.”

“She is coming today?” asked Gabby.

“I think so,” said Midge.

“You aren't sure?” asked Gabby.

“Yes, I am sure,” said Susie. “She will be here sometime today.”

“You don't know what time?” asked Gabby.

“No,” said Susie. “I don't have a way to know the time. She not tell me before she left.”

“She probably didn't think you would understand if she did tell you,”: said Jake. “I don't think our owners know that we understand more than they think.”

“You are right,” said Midge.

“I know,” said Booker-T. “My owner will sometimes say, 'I know you don't understand what I'm saying but you be good boy when I am at work' and then she pats me on the head and smiles.”

“Mine does the same thing,” said Jake. “But we do know what they are saying. We are smart.:”

“You are right Jake,” said Midge. “I understand a lot of what my owner says. But she don't understand some of what I am saying when I bark at her.”

“I know it,” said Jake. “Humans only understand other humans and not so much us animals.”

“And we understand humans and animals,” said Midge.

“I guess that makes us smarter than they are,” said Booker-T.

“Maybe you are right,” said Susie. “We need them to take care of us and they need us as a companion.”

“True,” said Midge. “There are some dogs who are more than just a companion. They do work for their owners.”

“I know,” said Jake. “I had a neighbor one time who was a seeing eye dog. He helped his owner walk around the city and all because his owner was blind.”

“I watched this show on TV with my owner one night about working dogs,” said Midge. “There are dogs who work on farms helping round up sheep. Dogs who are seeing eye dogs. And there are dogs who sniff out drugs for the police. They are smart dogs.”

“We are smart too,” said Jake. “We just don't have to work. But we could if we had to work.”

“But I like it here,” said Midge. “I'm glad we don't have to work.”

“Me too,” said Jake.

“Are there working cats too?” asked Susie.

“Not really,” said Jake. “I think most of the cats just take it easy and sleep and play.”

“We are lazy?” asked Susie with a little sigh.

“No,” said Midge. “Cats weren't raised to work. I think all the cats do when they work is chase mice out of the homes they live in for their owners.”

“That is work,” said Booker-T. “Chasing after those little guys is hard to do sometimes. They are fast.”

“I know,” said Susie. “I had to chase two of the from the house three months ago. I had hard time with one of them. I was chasing him and my owner had the broom trying to hit it.”

“Oh that would be funny to watch,” said Midge.

“She was funny,” said Susie. “When the little mouse went near her, she would scream and try to hit with the broom.”

“Did you get the mouse to go?” asked Jake.

“I finally got it out of the house,” said Susie. “My owner sat down and patted me on the head for my hard work.”

“Look Susie!” said Gabby. “Your owner just pulled into the driveway.”

“Oh good!” smiled Susie. “I'm so excited to see her. I'm going to run over there and welcome her home.”

Susie jumped up and ran down the steps before anyone could slow her down. She was running fast across the yard and out the gate. She was so happy to see her owner home again. Her friends stood on the porch and watched her running for home.