Toni Is Home

Dear Gavin,

Toni came home. Finally. She is right behind this door. I can smell her. I can hear her. I can hear Gramma talking to her. Gramma is talking very softly and telling her that everything will be alright. Everything will be alright?? What is she talking about? I have tried to jump high enough to touch that door knob, but even when I touch it, I find that I cannot turn it and open the door!

Toni stayed in the store with Gramma. Gramma said she was still goofy from the stuff they gave her at the vet. Gramma let me take a peek and I did not think she looked goofy .........

Okay, maybe just a little. She watched a fly crawl on her blankee for a long, long time. She did not even know we were there! Gramma read the instructions they sent home with her and it said that she had to stay away from us other dogs for a minimum of 10 days. Gramma laughed about that a lot.

Later when Toni came in the house she told us that she slept while she was gone and that when she woke up, Papa was there. She said she was really happy to see Papa, cause she thought that she was going to go live in another place. She said this had happened to her before. All of us dogs felt bad for her. Even Emmy was nicer to her.

Oscar told her not to worry because Gramma and Papa won't let anything like that happen. Oscar says that he has lived with Gramma and Papa for as long as he can remember. He said that he heard that he lived in a pet store when he was just a tiny little pup. Then he went home with Jill and she gave him to Gramma. He says that he is a one person dog and that Gramma is his person. He said that when he came to live with Papa and Gramma there were already other dogs and a cat in the family. Then he told us that one day he got into the car with Gramma and Papa and they drove to a place where this lady had lots and lots of puppies in her yard. He said that he stayed in Gramma's arms the whole time while Papa picked out a puppy. That puppy was Emmy. Oscar says that except for Zeke, the bloodhound that bit Gramma, all the dogs that come into this family stay in this family. That is just the way it is.

Is that why you wanted me to live here with Gramma and Papa when I couldn't stay with you? Was it because you wanted me to be safe and you wanted to know where I was? I would say that you are one smart boy! Papa told me that until I came here to live, he had never had a dog that loved him more than Gramma. Papa says that I am special. Don't tell the other dogs, but sometimes Papa gives me extra treats. He thinks Gramma doesn't know ...... but she does. But, we have talked about this before ..... Gramma knows everything!

Your special dog, Wall-E