“Hey mom, guess what? I’m buzy being the pres of ‘Pup n’ Poodles’, the top dog MC in Spencerville – yep, dogs ride motorcycles here! We chow down at doggy diners and hit toy shops hard. Miss you tons but this afterlife gig ain’t so ruff. Rockin’ the roads and keepin the loneliness at bay. Y’know, the usual. Tail wags and love, #GingerStrong”

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Before you ask, yes, dogs can ride motorcycles, at least in Spencerville. So there I was, Ginger, a Toy Shih Tzu with jet-black fur and mischievous specks of white, so small you’d think I wasn’t capable of anything more than napping by the fire. How you’d be mistaken.

We might be a bit post-life here, but spirits run high in Spencerville, and I had just rocketed to fame as the first president of the “Pup n’ Poodles,” our canine motorcycle club. Under my reign, Spencerville’s rustic charm and kitschy pet-oriented locations were the stars of this mysterious realm.

Undeniably, our favorite watering hole was Ruff-n-Ready. A rather reserved name, considering it served the finest ham, gingerly roasted, and an assortment of high class ‘kibbles n bits’. You’ve never seen a Toy Shih Tzu chow down ’til you’ve seen me dive snout first deepest into a bowl of ham.

Our rides were as legendary as the wind beneath our floppy ears. Gasoline? Nah, we fueled our rides with cheer, camaraderie, and a dash of anarchy. Down the trotting roads, often leading us to Boxer Beach with its surf made of sunshine, sand as warm as a bed restored with electric blankets. Rumbles of our motors echoed on Husky Hill, leaving the air stirred.

Day trips hence were incomplete without a stop at Fetch! Toys and Treats, the Wheel of Fortune for us pets. My eyes would always steer their course towards the squeaky balls, the texture and sound enough to raise my tail in excitement. Those squeaky balls, supposed canine equivalents to a human’s obsession with vintage Beatles records.

The Fetching Deli was another one of our regular stops, notorious for its dog-gone gourmet servings of sausage, chased down with a cool bowl of water. Each of us placed our orders, bow-wows and woofs, to the canine-friendly cashier. And yes, there was always a little something extra for the president – a slice of deli ham, tender, and juicy as a summer afternoon.

But every piece of ham and every squeaky toy isn’t enough to negate the pangs of loneliness gnawing at our doggy hearts. We might run on four legs, drink from bowls, and wag our tails, but we’re residents of Spencerville at the end of the day, waiting for reunion with our human pals.

In the meantime, we have the freedom of the open roads, a motorcycle club-turned-family, and memories, mightier than any force beyond Spencerville’s borders, waiting to be etched into existence.

So here I am, Ginger, the brave black-and-white Toy Shih Tzu, spearheading the Pup n’ Poodles Motorcycle Club. Life, or afterlife rather, is a journey, and I intend to make the most of it, cruising down Spencerville’s endless roads, continuing to create legends, as the motorcycle echoes in perfect harmony with my beating heart, intertwined with the rhythmic vibrations of Spencerville’s charm.

The End.