“Hey Mom, just another sunny day in Spencerville trying to find my owner. Found out I have a real thing for Turkey but baths, still not my jam. I promise to stay optimistic! Also, I made a pitbull detective friend who’s quite a hoot! Love, Chlobo.”

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I am seated on the mahogany bar stool at K9 Kebabs, nursing a small cup of gravy, spying on Chloe through the corner of my eye. She struts her way across Maltese Meadow, a pug of majestic bearing, her ash-dusted fur gleaming under the perfect Spencerville sun.

“Detective, you got a fix on Chloe yet?” Jack, the bar of K9 Kebabs’ pitbull proprietor, grunts at me without ever raising his eyes.

“Never take your eyes off a valued client, especially if she’s as treasured as Chloe,” I reply. I secretly admire Chloe’s vivacious spirit, as well as the fidelity that brightens every gaze she directs towards the Golden Gate garden. Could she be waiting for her owner, I wonder. Her unwavering optimism is a constant reminder of our belief in the reunion.

From behind, I hear the curious sound of a familiar wagging tail. I turn around and find Cody, the Retriever, one of Chloe’s siblings, and a notorious town gossiper. He stands at the door, with a soaking wet hat – a result of his daily battles with the river, no doubt.

“She’s not much for swimming, you know,” he speaks of Chloe. “Give her a ball or some tantalizing rawhide, and she could amuse herself for hours. But toss her in the pool, and the endearing stubbornness shines through.”

A smirk finds its way on my face. “It’s not the pool she dreads, it’s the bath and the ear-cleaning sessions.” I recall, remembering instances where Chloe would exhaust her arsenal of tricks to escape the undesirable rituals.

“I must say, Detective,” Jack interjects, a hint of amusement in his tone, “I’ve seen Chloe’s penchant for Turkey. But from what I can recollect, she shares your distaste for vegetables.”

This takes me by surprise. We share more than the dining habits. For a moment, I am guilty of considering her as another pet on a passerby street. But the reality is, Chloe is the best darn pug I have ever seen. This pet detective will work tirelessly, in this strange, small town, till this beloved Fawn Pug of Spencerville is reunited with her owner. Until then, we will continue to live our human-like existence in Spencerville, where everyday feels like the clear part of a fractured glass.

The End.