Hey fam! 😎🐾

Just a quick update – Leo’s turned detective in Spencerville! 🕵️‍♂️ Saving the town from unnecessary doggy laws, sniffing out politicians with my non-existent tail, and defending our right to bark freely. Will bark the tale to you soon – over some Pupparonis, of course. Wish me luck!

Love,
Kiki 🐕💖✨

Listen to the story here

Ah, Spencerville. You might think a town of such repute, where every lamp post is practically a monument to canine bliss, would be devoid of intrigue. Not so, for even in this paradise of perpetual tail wagging, the paws of power weave a tapestry as complicated as any feline’s ball of yarn. But I digress—let me introduce myself. I am Leo, a gallant Pitbull mix, navigating the underbelly of political machinations with a finesse that could only be matched by a squirrel on an agility course (a sight to behold, I assure you).

It all began on a day much like any other. I was in the midst of enjoying a languorous slurp of my beloved Puppacino when the faintest twinge of espionage tickled my amputated tail. The air at Pup ‘n’ Go Taco Joint had become electric with whispers, and not just because of the new electric squeak toys on the market. It was something… bigger.

“Sammy,” I mused to my clandestine comrade as we lay belly-down on the linoleum, “have you noticed a particular type of hum in the hubbub?”

Sammy, a Dachshund of no small reputation, merely cocked an ear and mumbled through a mouthful of taco, “You mean, besides the hum of contented digestion?”

“No,” I went on. “There’s talk of a new arrival. A politician of sorts is coming to shake things up. Says he’s going to clean up the streets.”

“But the streets are already clean,” Sammy pointed out with astute articulation. “The sanitation squad here is relentless. Why, you couldn’t find a single errant kibble from Labradoodle Lake to Yellow Tan Dalmatian Desert.”

It was then that I realized that our idyllic existence might be under threat by the most heinous of doggy deeds: unnecessary regulation. North Chihuahua Castle’s open gates policy could crumble, K9 Kebabs could have their skewer sizes scrutinized, and worse yet, my dear Pupparonis — my culinary delight — could fall foul of some new health mandate.

Armed with nothing but my whitened chest of charisma and a nose for subterfuge, I decided to take the lead. This town needed a guardian, and I would sniff out this political scoundrel. Plus, with no tail to wag, I was rather adept at maintaining a poker face.

Twilight had fallen on Spencerville as I trotted toward Canine Couture Clothing, the reputed meeting ground for the political elite. I recognized whispered tones, clearly not intended for the ears of a casual bystander, emanating from behind a rakishly angled fedora display.

“I tell you, once I’m in charge, Spencerville will be a model of efficiency,” boasted a voice as oily as a sardine caught in a sunbeam.

“Yes, but what of the dogs? The enjoyment? The character of our town?” The second, less assured voice must have belonged to one from the old guard, a proponent of laissez-faire lounging.

I consider myself rather a diplomatic fellow, but something in the timbre of the ambitious voice made my hackles rise like dough entrusted to a baker’s tender care. This newcomer, I surmised, was not just here to clean kennels—he sought to sanitize our very souls.

A cunning plan formed in my mind as deftly as a cat’s escape from a bathtub. I would gather Spencerville’s residents, lay bare the political machinations of this alleged ‘cleaner-upper,’ and ensure that our way of life endured. I imagined the speech now — a bark that would resonate from The Furry Friends Art Gallery to the hallowed halls of Chihuahua Castle. It would be a bark to remember; it would be my opus.

And should things go south, I could always retire to my cherished backyard, where politics are as distant as the phantom sensation of my once-there tail. But for now, there is adventure to be had, plots to be uncovered, and fishy bites to be savored. Until then, I remain your ever-vigilant, eternally inquisitive, and slightly peckish narrator, Leo.

The End.