I am feeling nervous again. Mom is throwing clothes from her closet into “that” box again. She thinks I don’t know what she is doing. I do. She’s going on another trip. She always puts her clothes in the black, square, wicker basket just outside the closet door. She doesn’t want me to get sad. I am on to you mom.
Out comes the black suitcase. The one mom always takes with her. She doesn’t like checking in her luggage. She carries her backpack and her suitcase on the plane. Wait a minute! My blue bag is sitting next to the suitcase. Mom is putting my food, snacks, and pillow inside. “Am I going to the Raintree Resort?” They have pools, private rooms, and friendly aids.
Wait! There is the red ice chest. This only comes out if we are going camping or on a long road trip. Like the 4,000 mile trip, we took last summer. Mom is loading it with ice, pre-cooked curry, yogurt, and onigiri (rice balls). Mom likes rice balls. Dad did too.
Mom pats me on the head and says “Don’t worry Chloe. You are going with me.” Mom never lies. Well, sometimes she does. She says she will be back in a minute. She comes back in three hours. She loads everything into the car. I wait patiently for my time. Not really! I am wiggling my but so hard. I really wish I had a tail. It would be easier to wag. She comes into the house. She is all sweaty. It is 104F outside. That is why we are leaving for a week.
She says “Cmon Chloe. Jump.” I jump into the car and onto my seat. I am so excited. Wait! Maybe I am just going to the kennel. I start to whine. This drives mom crazy. She says “Stop whining Chloe.” I can’t stop myself. I continue to whine.
It’s been one hour. I am still in the car. Mom stops. She has to use the bathroom at the gas station. So do I. She gets out of the car and leaves me. I really start whining.
One time I was sitting in the car and mom ran into Starbucks to use the restroom. They are cleaner. She left me water and the windows were down. She said, “Don’t whine.” I did very loudly. When mom came running out of Starbucks three ladies were standing by the car. They said, “Lady, is this your car?” Mom said, “Yes, why”. “Your dog was crying. It is too hot to leave a dog in the car.” “We are going to call the police.” I felt so bad for mom. She couldn’t take me in the bathroom with her. I wanted to tell them “Don’t call the police!” My mom is good to me. If she goes to jail, who will take care of me?
Mom was mad. She said, “Get away from my car now!” The ladies backed away from the car. “Way to go, mom!”
Mom came out of the bathroom at the gas station. It was my turn. I jumped out of the car and we found a small patch of grass. I did my business and jumped back in the car.
I fell asleep and three hours later we arrived at a cabin in the woods for eight days.
I am on vacation with mom!
