“Broccoli-breakfast advocate Madam Whiskers led me astray when the storm hit Pawsburg today. Dodged grooming parlors & made a beeline for sushi in the downpour. Upside? Vacuums broke, dreams of chicken-patties intact. Just your average day in a dog’s life. Little Man 🐾”

Listen to the story here.

Being Baxter isn’t a day at the beach. Or maybe it is. If the beach is Dalmatian Desert and the sand is hot enough to toast my precious paws. Nobody in Pawsburg understands my struggles.

This morning, in Fawn Cream Maltese Meadow, I sneaked off for my habitual sunbathing and bumped into Madam Whiskers at Pawsitively Purrfect Pet Store. She insisted on trotting around the meadow, yapping about the newest line of broccoli based pet foods. Can you imagine? The audacity to even suggest such a thing, broccoli for breakfast!

I let her ramble and pretended to take an interest, whilst eying the Bark Burger across the street. My mouth watered as I dreamt about a juicy chicken patty, but Madam Whiskers awkwardly interrupted my food reverie with, “Baxter, isn’t this amazing? A revolutionary diet for us!”

“Madam Whiskers,” I gave her an appalled look… well, as appalled as you can look with one eye. “Broccoli isn’t revolutionary,” I quipped, “It’s downright revolting.”

A giggling eruption from a nearby table told me my friends had been eavesdropping. I turned my head just in time to see Mr. Fluffles, the local Collie, splattering his pancake onto his face at Pawsome Pancakes; perhaps he found my disdain for broccoli amusing.

My day, however, had a particular turning point when a thunderstorm broke out suddenly. Pawsburg doesn’t handle rain very well, especially not Upper Collie Canyon. It started pouring, and panic set in. I hate the rain – it makes my fur heavy and cold. Suddenly, it seemed everyone in Pawsburg was scrambling, running hither and thither to avoid the disaster that was quickly unfolding.

There was no plan, no directions; it was chaos. I glanced around for the safety of the indoor shops. The Groom Room? Definitely not! The Fetching Feline Pet Emporium? Not the worst place to be, but not the best either. I made my decision and bolting towards The Cat’s Meow Sushi.

The storm that day left the whole Pawsburg shaken up. But amidst all the unhappy, wet fur, and slippery lanes, there was one silver lining I found. Unbelievable to some, but true – the temporary dysfunction of vacuum cleaners throughout Pawsburg!

So yes, being Baxter was tough, especially today. It involved avoiding veggie fetishes, managing panic during a storm, and running for cover. But it also meant finding joy in spectral malfunctions. As for this fiasco of a day, I’d chalk it up as a win and retreat into a daydream of Chicken sushi, because Broccoli is still a big NO. And madam Whiskers, well, she can yap on.

The End.