It was at the next morning and Debbie, Jenny, Chris, and Danny went off to church and then lunch.
Mike and Rascal sat in his backyard and stared at Louise's old house, which was now the Cooper home.
“That poodle will eventually have to go to the bathroom,” Mike told Rascal while they waited and stared at the back of the Cooper house.
An hour later, Mike and Rascal were about to give up when they heard the screen door to the back porch of the Cooper house open.
They soon saw Mrs. Cooper, talking into her cell phone, while she held the screen door open while Napoleon walked into the backyard. Mrs. Cooper went back inside the house.
Mike watched while Napoleon finished his backyard business. “Hey, buddy. I need to talk to you,” Mike called out to Napoleon while he walked over to his property line. Rascal followed behind Mike.
Napoleon walked over to Mike and Rascal.
“I'm Mike, and my friend here is Rascal,” Mike said.
“I'm Napoleon. What do you need?” he answered in a French accent.
“The big dog that use to live in your house,” Mike replied.
“Do you mean Boodro?” Napoleon quickly replied.
“Yeah, him. Do you know where he moved?” Mike responded.
Napoleon thought for a few seconds. “Somewhere around here, as I remembered my master driving over to his house to drop off something his master left in our house. But I don’t remember exactly where,” Napoleon said then he thought for a few seconds. “It was somewhere over in that direction,” Napoleon pointed at the direction of their front yard with his nose.
“Thanks, buddy,” Mike said.
Mrs. Cooper opened the screen door of the back porch and saw Napoleon with Mike and Rascal, and she frowned. “Get away from those dogs Napoleon, you might catch fleas, worms or some other type of disease!” she yelled at her poodle.
“I better go. Good luck with finding that mean dog,” Napoleon quickly said then he turned around and ran back to his back porch.
“Disease? I don't have fleas, worms or some other type of disease,” Mike said while he watched Napoleon go inside his back porch. Then his eyes widened. “Wait. That sounds familiar. Oh yeah, that's my line,” he added and felt a little ashamed.
“Let’s go,” Mike told Rascal while he got up and walked back to his side yard.
Rascal followed Mike.
“What's next?” Rascal asked while they headed to the front yard.
“We roam the streets and find her house,” Mike replied.
Mike and Rascal walked through the front yard.
Mike stopped on his sidewalk and looked up and down his Kiscoe Avenue. “We’ll start in that direction and walk around until we hopefully see Boodro,” Mike told Rascal.
Mike and Rascal ran headed left to the end of Kiscoe then turned right and ran down Fay Avenue. They looked at the homes on both sides of the street. They didn’t see any signs of Boodro.
Mike and Rascal turned right and ran down Ember Avenue. They looked at all the homes on both sides of the street and didn’t see Boodro.
Mike and Rascal turned to the left and ran down Dock Avenue. They looked at all the homes on both sides of the street and didn’t see Boodro.
Mike and Rascal turned right and ran down Peabody Avenue. They looked at all the homes on both sides of the street then Mike suddenly stopped. He sat in the street and looked depressed. “He’s not around here,” he said.
“Don’t give up. We’ll find him,” Rascal said while he placed a paw on Mike’s shoulder for comfort.
“Let’s head back to the house,” Mike said then he got up.
They walked off down Peabody.
An old eighty-year-old snoop of an old lady peeked out her living room windows. Her eyes widened when she saw Mike and Rascal walking down her street. She quickly ran to her phone in her kitchen and called the dog pound.
Mike and Rascal ran down the streets and eventually got back to Fay Avenue.
They headed down Fay.
Then Rascal’s eyes widened while they walked down Fay. “It’s Ginger!” he cried out in joy then ran down the street.
Mike looked and saw Ginger while she sat on the sidewalk, two houses down from them.
Ginger looked and saw Rascal running over to her and saw Mike lag behind.
“Mike! I thought I'd never see you again. Hi Rascal. Are you guys back on the streets?” she asked curiously.
“No, we're looking for someone,” Mike responded while he walked up to her.
“His name is Boodro. And he’s big mean Cajun dog,” Rascal replied while he sat down next to Ginger.
Mike walked over and sat down by Ginger’s other side. He noticed her bandage fell off her wound from the dogfight, but it looked all right.
Ginger thought for a few seconds while she recalled all the dogs she encountered while she roamed around this neighborhood. Then her eyes lit up when she remembered. “I know that name. I remember this weird spooky-looking human lady walking him down a nearby street. He wanted me to marry him. In his dreams, maybe!” she replied.
Mike’s eyes widened with hope. “Do you know where they live?” he asked.
“Yeah,” she replied.
Mike licked the side of Ginger’s face. “You’re the best!”
Ginger loved Mike’s kisses.
“Great, can you show me?” he asked her.
“My pleasure, she replied, then got up.
Ginger ran down Fay Avenue in the opposite direction from Mike’s home.
Mike and Rascal ran after her.
They ran past numerous streets then Ginger turned right down Jumper Avenue.
She ran down Jumper Avenue.
Mike and Rascal ran after her.
She stopped halfway down the street, where there was a light purple painted house.
“Right there,” Ginger said while she sat down on the sidewalk and Mike and Rascal joined her.
Mike looked at the purple house. “Yep, that’s her color!”
“Get away from my house!” Boodro yelled while he looked out his living room window.
“Yep, that’s the house,” Mike said while he saw Boodro’s large head in the living room window yelling at them. Then Boodro went away from the window.
“Why are you interested in his spooky place?” Ginger asked Mike.
Mike got up and walked back to the street.
Ginger and Rascal followed.
“Boodro’s owner used some Voodoo potion on me that turned me into a dog. I believe she has a potion to reverse it. We have to get inside her house,” Mike told them.
“That’s easier said than done,” Ginger replied while she remembered past encounters with Boodro.
“You better stay off my property!” Boodro’s voice bellowed behind them, but this time, it was louder.
Ginger, Mike, and Rascal looked a little concerned when they heard his voice. They slowly turned around and saw Boodro standing in the street, ten feet from them.
“Oh, no!” Ginger said with a concerned look.
Then Mike looked happy when he saw the Dog Pound truck drive up and stop six feet behind Boodro.
“I’ll eat you alive if you step one paw into my home!” Boodro yelled at them and growled with drool dripping out of his mouth.
Ginger, Mike, and Rascal watched while Dog Catchers, Ernie, and Peter, got out and rushed over to the side of their truck and quickly removed two long snare poles.
Ginger, Mike, and Rascal stuck out their tongues at Boodro to taunt him while Ernie and Peter both quietly inched their way to Boodro.
Then the two snares were quickly dropped around Boodro’s neck the second he lunged at Ginger, Mike, and Rascal.
Boodro brought Ernie and Peter down to the street, but they still clung onto their poles. Boodro slowly dragged them down the street while he tried to get at Mike, Ginger, and Rascal. They were quickly able to get up and used all their strength to stop Boodro while he clawed his way down the street after Ginger, Mike, and Rascal.
“We better git!” Ginger said knowing the Dog Catchers would come after them.
Ginger, Mike, and Rascal turned around and ran off down the street.
“You can run, but you can't hide from us, as we always get our dogs!” Peter yelled at the three dogs while they ran away.
“We’ll be back!” Ernie yelled at the dogs.
The older man, Robbie, who lived three houses down the street, mowed his front yard. He stopped his mower when he saw Boodro being dragged to their truck. He went back to mowing his yard with a smile.
Mike, Rascal, and Ginger stopped at the end of the street and looked back. They saw Ernie and Peter drag Boodro to the rear of their truck.
“Great! My luck is finally getting better. We can sneak in her house tonight,” Mike told Ginger and Rascal.
“Come along with us, Ginger,” Mike offered.
“Where we going?” she asked curiously.
“Home,” he replied.
Ginger loved hearing that word. “I would love to try home again!” she replied with a sparkle in her eyes.
Mike and Rascal walked away, then Ginger followed.
Later that day, Mike, Rascal, and Ginger walked to the back porch screen door.
“Are you sure I'm allowed inside?” Ginger asked a little apprehensive.
“Of course, my wife will love you. Trust me,” Mike said then he went through the doggie door on the porch screen door and went into the porch.
Rascal went through the screen door doggie door and went into the porch.
Ginger went through the screen door doggie door and went into the porch.
Mike went through the screen door of the kitchen door and went into the kitchen.
In the kitchen, Mike waited while Rascal went through the doggie door of the kitchen. He watched while Ginger went through the doggie door.
Ginger looked in awe at the kitchen. “Wow! I forgot what it’s like to be in a home. It's so huge!” she said.
Debbie walked into the kitchen, and Ginger got scared and shook a little in fear.
Debbie saw Ginger. “Well, did Buster bring a friend home?” she asked while she walked up to Ginger.
“Buster? Your name is now Buster. How funny!” Ginger quietly said while she looked over at Mike and quietly snickered.
“Watch it!” Mike replied with a chuckle.
Debbie knelt at Ginger who shied away.
“I won’t hurt you,” Debbie said while she held out her hand.
Ginger sniffed Debbie’s hand and felt safe.
Debbie petted Ginger’s head. “I’ll have Kenny take you to the shelter,” she said while she continued to pet Ginger’s head who loved it.
Debbie stood up when Jenny and Chris ran into the kitchen.
“A new doggie!” Jenny cried out all excited. “Let’s play!” she added.
“Whew! I'm off the hook for another tea party,” Rascal said with sparkling eyes.
Debbie looked at Ginger. “Let’s give the new dog a bath first,” Debbie said while she bent down and picked up Ginger.
Ginger didn’t have a clue what was a bath while Debbie carried her into the bathroom.
Thirty minutes later, Ginger had her bath.
“I never knew how good you could feel when you get one of those baths,” she told Mike in the kitchen while they ate some dog food.
“Plus you smell better,” Mike said while he munched on his food.
“I hate baths,” Rascal mumbled with a mouthful of dog food.
They finished their food while Jenny walked into the kitchen.
“Let’s play with our new doggie,” Jenny said while she bent down and picked up Ginger.
Debbie walked into the kitchen and saw Ginger in Jenny’s arms. “We need to give her a name,” Debbie said while she tried to think of one. Then she snapped her fingers when one came to mind. “Well call her Missy,” Debbie said.
Jenny’s eyes lit up. “I love Missy,” she said then hugged, Ginger.
Mike snickered and Ginger who gave him a stern look.
“Come, Missy, we need to have a tea party,” Jenny said when she walked out of the kitchen with Ginger in her arms.
Debbie walked out of the kitchen.
Mike and Rascal looked at each other, then chuckled. “No more girly tea parties for me!” Rascal said.
Mike and Rascal high-pawed each other.
“Let’s take a peek,” Rascal said.
“Okay,” Mike replied.
They walked out of the kitchen and walked down the hallway.
They walked to Jenny’s bedroom and peeked inside. They both quietly chucked while they saw Ginger at Jenny’s table.
Jenny just placed the wig on Ginger’s head. Then Jenny sat down and grabbed a small teapot. She poured ice tea into two little teacups. She grabbed the cup in front of Ginger and brought it to Ginger’s mouth.
“Drink Missy,” Jenny said.
Ginger wasn’t sure of the liquid in that cup. She smelled the ice tea, and it smelled good. She licked up some tea and liked the taste. She slurped up the rest of it out of the cup.
Mike and Rascal walked away down the hallway.
Mike and Rascal walked into the living room and jumped up on the couch. Mike got up on the top of the couch and lay on the top of the back cushions. Rascal got on the seat cushions and curled up by the pillows at the couch arm near Mike.
“Get some rest for tonight,” Mike said while he closed his eyes.
Rascal closed his eyes.
They were soon fast asleep.
Later that evening, Ginger, Mike, and Rascal ate their dinner in the kitchen.
Ginger gulped down her food then she burped. “Sorry. I’m not acting like a lady again,” she said, then sat down and looked around the kitchen. “I could get used to living like this,” Ginger said with bright eyes.
Mike and Rascal finished their meal.
“Yeah, it sure beats living on the street,” Rascal said with bright eyes.
“This food isn’t the greatest, but it sure beats eating out of the garbage,” Mike said while he looked at Ginger and Rascal then remembered he’s still a dog. “Okay, we’ll slip out of the house once everybody goes to sleep. Let’s go get some rest,” Mike told everybody.
Ginger and Rascal nodded in agreement.
They all walked out of the kitchen.
Rascal went into Chris’ room and curled up at the base of his bed while Chris played a game on his Wii station.
Ginger went into Jenny’s room and jumped up on her bed while Jenny read a book. “Come Missy. Let me read to you,” Jenny said while she grabbed Ginger and shoved her under the covers and made her comfy. This is the life! Ginger thought to herself while she loved the comfortable mattress.
Mike went into the living room where Debbie sat on the couch and watched The Ugly Dachshund movie.
Mike jumped up on the couch and curled up next to Debbie. She patted his head while she watched the movie. All he could think about was becoming a human again and loving his family.