Hey Mom and Dad,

Just a quick paw-date: I’ve been on a bit of a journey in Spencerville, honing my inner alpha. I’ve diffused tensions at Daycare, showed restraint at Bow Wow Burgers (yep, no burger theft!), sparked intellectual debates among art-savvy pets, and even trained in Collie Canyon in honor of Elliott. Every day is a step towards being the dog he always saw in me. Still chasing treats, but now, also chasing personal growth. Miss you both – catch you when I catch you.

Licks and wags,
Normiekins

Listen to the story here

Okay, Spencerville, listen up, because this is the story of how I, the illustrious Norman, went from good dog to great dog in the afterlife. No, not like ‘roll-over’ great – although I totally nail that one – but soul-deep, tail-wagging, woof-woof great.

So there I was, padding my way down the golden roads of Fawn Cream Maltese Meadow, the whole place buzzing with paws and purrs, when I realized, as much as cheese had been my life’s mission, maybe it was time to find a new kind of satisfaction. I mean, Spencerville is all about living your best life until you reunite with your humans, right?

I’m not gonna lie, life without my brofur Elliott – who could make even a grumpy cat smile – left a giant, bone-shaped hole in my heart. I really missed having my furry sounding board around. But Elliott was all about being a good boy, and I figured, what better way to honor his memory than by becoming a better doggo myself?

Step one of my plan: tackle the Dachshund dilemma at The Doggie Daycare. You see, every afternoon, it was like the Wiener War I over there. I don’t want to point paws, but let’s just say not all of us were playing fetch nicely. My mission? To become the four-legged Gandhi of this dog-eat-dog world.

I breezed into the Daycare like I owned the place – because, in my mind, I totally did. “Listen up, pups! We’re doing things differently today,” I barked. And would you believe it? By the tail-end of the day, those yappy hounds were sharing their toys like it was Christmas.

Next on my list: The Treat Temptation at Bow Wow Burgers. The art of resisting a juicy burger is not one that I had mastered, nor cared to, frankly. But a wise Beagle- Boston Terrier blend once said: “Growth comes from change, and biscuits shouldn’t be one’s only Achilles’ paw.” Or, you know, something like that. Did I drool at the sight of those flipping patties? You bet I did. But not a single fry was pilfered by yours truly that day. Progress, my friends – salty, savory progress.

Now, let’s not forget about the Spencerville society scene. I purrsonally – and I know I’m mixing animal metaphors here, but bear with me – thrived among my fellow furries at The Furry Friends Art Gallery. It’s where the elite pawssociates came to ponder the medium of chewed-up accessories. Groundbreaking. But could I elevate the conversation from “Look, I buried this bone” to a more philosophical “Why do we bury bones?” I wagged my tail at the thought.

Last but not least, in the honor of my brave brofur Elliott, I took up defense classes in Collie Canyon. This was no walk in the park, let me tell you. But facing that agility course, nailing the jumps, and mastering the hoops, I could practically hear Elliott’s bark of approval from the celestial fire hydrant above.

I guess what I’m saying is, in Spencerville, even the goodest boy can become a little gooder. Sure, cheese and ham are still my everything, and my orange ball remains my sun and stars, but as I wait to one day reunite with my humans, I’m living the fetch – er, stretch – of becoming the dog Elliott always believed I could be.

So keep your tails high, pups, ’cause each day in Spencerville is another chance to sniff out the best in all of us – and maybe, just maybe, score a sneaky treat or two along the way. Because even in the afterlife, it’s important to remember: it’s not about being the best, but being your best.

Alright, enough of my barking. There’s a Pupsicle with my name on it at the Pupsicle Palace. Catch you on the fluffier side!

The End.

Share This Story: