by David Lewman
Duke poked his big head out of the open window. “Hey, Max. This is no big deal. No need to overreact. But Liam just left.”
“WHAT?” Max yelled, freaking out. “Where’d he go?”
“I don’t know,” Duke said, shrugging his furry shoulders. “They never tell the dog any specifics.”
Max rushed back through the open window into the apartment. He headed straight to a basket of dog toys. Digging through them, he quickly found a toy walkie-talkie. Max pressed a button on the walkie-talkie with his paw and said, “This is Home Base to all units! The package has left the building! Does anyone have eyes on him?”
Up on the building’s roof, a long black-and-brown dachshund named Buddy peeked over the ledge, watching the front door of the apartment building. “I don’t see him,” he said into his walkie-talkie. “Over.”
In an apartment, Mel, a pug dog who loved to bark at squirrels, was eating a bag of chips. He tapped the button on his walkie-talkie. “He’s not in this bag of chips,” he reported. “Over.”
“Okay,” Max answered into his walkie-talkie. “Keep looking for— Wait a minute. Why would he be in a bag of chips?”
Before Mel could explain any further, Norman the guinea pig’s voice came over the walkie-talkie. “Home Base, this is Eagle Eye. Don’t you worry. I had eyes on the package as soon as he left the building. Over!”
With a walkie-talkie strapped to his head, Norman was driving a remote-control car out on the street, following Chuck and Liam as they walked to an outdoor café. Norman parked his car and stealthily moved in closer as Chuck sat down and offered Liam a cookie shaped like an animal.
“Subject is safe and sound,” Norman hissed into his walkie-talkie, “enjoying what looks to be a cookie shaped like a moose. No, wait—it’s a reindeer!”
Back in his apartment, Max let out a long breath, relieved by Norman’s news. “Okay,” he said. “Thanks, Norman!”
Max scratched himself intensely with his back paw, working a spot just behind his right ear. He’d been scratching himself a lot lately.
Duke noticed. “Scratching again there, buddy,” he pointed out.
Max kept on scratching, ignoring Duke’s observation. Muttering to himself, Max said, “I just really don’t like it when they take Liam out without me.”
Katie entered the room, holding up a rubber ball. “Hey, Duke!” she said in an excited voice. “Ooooo! What’s THIS?”
“Oh, I know this!” Duke replied as though Katie could understand him. “It’s a ball!”
Katie threw the bouncy ball into the bedroom. “Go get it!”
Duke ran into the bedroom. Katie heard him crash into something as he chased the ball. But instead of going to see what Duke had slammed into, Katie clipped the leash on Max’s collar. “Hey, Maxie!” she said. “What say we go for a walk?”
Max wagged his tail happily. He and Katie headed out of the apartment. Out on the sidewalk, Max thought, “I gotta say, this is nice! Good to stretch my legs!”
But as they approached a doorway into a big building, another dog was pulling away from his owner, trying to go in the opposite direction. “I don’t wanna go to the vet!” he cried.
“THE VET?” Max said. “No! No, no, no, no, no!” But Katie led Max right to the door of the vet’s office and put her hand on the doorknob. “Aww, not cool,” Max moaned. “You tricked me.”
“Maxie, come on, boy!” Katie pleaded. “You’ve been so stressed lately, but this vet is gonna help you! Let’s go, buddy!” Katie and Chuck had noticed all of Max’s scratching and decided to ask the vet for help.
But Max did not want to go to the vet! He dug his claws into the ground, trying to stay outside the dreaded office. Katie had to drag him inside by his leash. She hated to do it, but she knew it was the best thing for Max’s health and comfort.
Inside, they crossed the room to a row of seats, and Katie sat down. Huddled by Katie’s feet, Max shook with fear. Katie lifted him up onto her lap, trying to calm him.
Max looked around and saw a skinny cat with his owner in the next chair. The skinny cat noticed Max trembling. “First time here?” he asked.
“Uh, yeah,” Max admitted.
“Oh, Dr. Francis is the best veterinarian in the business,” the cat assured Max. “You’re gonna love him. He specializes in behavioral disorders.”
Max looked confused. “Behavioral disorders?”
“Yeah,” the skinny cat confirmed conspiratorially with a single nod.
“But I don’t have a behavioral disorder!” Max protested. “I mean, sure, I worry a little. But it’s a dangerous world. You’d be crazy not to worry!”
The skinny cat looked sympathetic. “Yeah, I’m fine, too. It’s my human that’s nuts. I mean, I bring her a dead bird—she throws it out! I bring her a dead mouse—right in the garbage! IS NOTHING I DO GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU, MOTHER?” Hissing, the cat swiped at his owner.
“Okay…,” Max said slowly, realizing he was talking to a very strange and possibly unwell cat. He looked around the room and saw a hamster running on a wheel.
“I run and I run and I run and I run and I get out, and I’ve gone nowhere!” the hamster said with a disturbed look in his eye. “NOWHERE!”
Next, Max saw a dog hiding between his owner’s legs. He seemed worried. The dog looked up at Max and asked, “My owner always says, ‘You’re such a good dog,’ and I feel like a good dog. But what if deep down I’m a bad dog? What if I’m a bad dog?”
Max laughed nervously. “Heh heh.” He didn’t know what to tell the worried dog. How was Max supposed to know whether the dog was good or bad? He looked around and spotted two adorable kittens. They smiled at him, and he smiled back.
Then they spoke in cute, high-pitched voices. “We start fires!”
Max screamed and fell off Katie’s lap. “Max?” Katie asked.
* * *
A little while later, Katie and Max returned home. The vet had put a white plastic cone around Max’s head to stop him from scratching himself. Max walked into the apartment slowly with his head hung low. Katie leaned over and gently petted his head. Max looked up at her with big sad eyes.
“I know, buddy,” she said.
Katie headed into the bedroom, leaving Max alone. He tried to scratch behind his ear, but the cone stopped him. He hated the cone! It smelled weird. It felt uncomfortable. And he was pretty sure it made him look ridiculous.
Searching the room for something to cheer him up, Max spotted his favorite toy under the coffee table. Busy Bee! Just the thing to make him feel better! He’d play with Busy Bee!
Max trotted over to the coffee table and tried to grab Busy Bee in his mouth, but the cone stopped him. BONK! He tried going under the table at different spots, but the cone stopped him every time. He tried stretching his front paw to reach the toy. Snatching it with his tongue. Blowing it out from under the table. Reaching for it with his back leg. Tunneling down into the table itself. None of this worked.
From down the hallway, Duke called, “Max! Max!”
Duke barreled into the room and knocked into the coffee table. Max flew off, but once he scrambled to his feet, he saw that Duke had bumped the table away from Busy Bee. He could reach it. Finally!
“You’re never going to believe it!” Duke said breathlessly. He noticed Max’s new headgear. “Oh, hey, I like your cone.” Then he went back to his exciting news. “Listen, I heard Chuck tell Liam that we’re going on a trip!”
“Really?” Max asked, thrilled. “We’re going in the car?”
“WE’RE GOING IN THE CAR!” Duke replied.
“Car, car, car, car, car, car!” Max chanted.
At the same time, Duke yelled, “Car! Ho ho ho ho ho! Car!”
They grinned at each other.
“Man, you know, life is funny,” Max said. “One minute y
ou’re getting fitted for a cone, and the next you get to go in the car!”
“I feel like that’s very specific to you, but totally, yeah,” Duke agreed.
“This is incredible!” Max said. He scooped Busy Bee into his mouth. “I’ll be right back!” he managed to say with his mouth full.
Still carrying Busy Bee, Max climbed through the open window onto the fire escape and made his way to Chloe’s apartment. He found his friend playing with a springy doorstop. She batted the doorstop with her paw so it made a rattling THUUUUUNK sound.
“Chloe?” Max said with his mouth full of his Busy Bee toy.
THUUUUUNK.
He set Busy Bee down. “Chloe, I’m going on a trip, and I—”
THUUUUUNK.
“I was wondering if you’d—”
THUUUUUNK.
Max spoke quickly, trying to slip in his whole request before Chloe hit the doorstop again. “Will you watch my Busy Bee while I’m gone?”
THUUUUUNK. After a moment, Chloe stopped staring at the doorstop and looked at Max, noticing him for the first time. “Oh, hey, Max. Were you saying something?”
“Yeah,” Max said. “I was wondering if you could—”
THUUUUUNK. Chloe had gone back to hitting the doorstop.
Max grunted with frustration. “Okay, never mind.” He picked up Busy Bee in his mouth and headed back toward the open window he’d come in through.
As he walked away, Chloe asked, “What’s that stupid thing on your head?”
* * *
Max passed through another window into the apartment where his friend Gidget lived. Gidget was a puffy, little white Pomeranian dog whose owners loved her so much they had several painted portraits of her on their walls. Gidget had a not-so-secret crush on Max.
“Gidget?” Max called. “Gidget, you home? Gidget?”
In the kitchen, Max noticed steam rising from the closed dishwasher. Suddenly, its door dropped open, and he saw Gidget with a towel around her head, taking a nice steam bath. “Oh, hi, Max!” she said, delighted to see him. “You wanna join me?”
“Oh, you know, I really wish I could,” Max said. “But, get this…I’m going on a trip!”
Gidget’s wide eyes opened wider. “Wow! Really?”
“Yeah, it’s a big deal,” Max explained. “I was wondering…could you watch my Busy Bee while I’m gone?”
He showed her the stuffed chew toy. “He is so cute!” Gidget gasped.
“I know,” Max agreed. “It’s my favorite toy in the whole world. That little face? I mean, come on, look at that little face! Oh, and listen to this!” He tapped Busy Bee with his paw. SQUEAK!
Gidget’s jaw dropped. “Oh, WOW!” she gushed. “I love him! Oh, I just love him immediately! It’s like we’re his parents. It’s like you’re the dad and I’m the mom, and we’re in a relationship and this is our baby.”
Max looked doubtful. He didn’t think it was quite like that. But he really wanted Gidget to take good care of Busy Bee while he was gone. Choosing his words carefully, he said, “Well—”
“It’s exactly like that!” Gidget insisted fiercely. “Exactly!”
Max gave in. “Okay, yes, that’s exactly what it is. So you’ll watch Busy Bee while I’m gone?”
Gidget smiled. “Max, you go. Have a great time. I have got this.”
Max smiled a grateful smile. “Thanks, Gidget! See you later!”
He ran out. Gidget stood by the stuffed toy, alert and on guard. “I will defend Busy Bee with my life!” she pledged. Then she gave the bee a little tap with her paw. SQUEAK!
“Hee-hee!” she giggled, before going back to her serious guard pose.
* * *
Later that day, Chuck drove his and Katie’s car down the streets of New York City, heading out of town. Katie sat in the passenger’s seat, and Liam was in his car seat. Max and Duke were so excited to be in the car that they couldn’t stop climbing all over every inch of it.
From the back seat, Duke stuck his furry head over Chuck’s seat, putting his face right next to Chuck’s. “Good boy,” Chuck told him. But when Duke tried to climb into the front seat, Chuck had to stop him. There wasn’t room for the big dog! “Whoa!” Chuck said. “Come on, Duke! You know you don’t fit up here!”
Eventually, Max and Duke settled down in the back seat next to Liam. “Yes, yes, yes,” Max said happily. “How are we doing, Liam?”
Liam raised both fists in the air. “Woo-hoo!”
“Woo-hoo is RIGHT!” Duke agreed.
Max had an idea. He pawed at the window. “Okay,” Katie said, pressing the button to lower the rear window. Max and Duke stuck their heads out, their tongues flapping in the wind.
“Yes!” Max said, forgetting all about the cone he was still wearing.
“Here we go!” Duke added. “Wow!”
Max laughed with joy. Then he took a big sniff. SNURRRFF! “You smell that?” he asked.
“Smell what?” Duke asked.
“Everything!” Max answered. “All at once!”
As they sped along, Max noticed a dog sticking his head out the window of the car in the next lane. “Hey, man!” Max called to the other dog.
“I’m in a car!” the dog called back.
“Us too!” Max shouted gleefully.
“I love the car!” the dog yelled.
“It’s the best!” Max agreed.
“Ha ha!” The dog laughed. “YES!”
They drove over a bridge, leaving New York City behind. It was the first time Max had ever been outside the city he’d lived in all his life.
Chuck, Katie, Liam, Max, and Duke drove beyond the city. The dogs kept their heads out the window. They were panting, still excited to be in the car.
A little later, Liam generously shared his juice box with Max and Duke. They were thirsty after riding through the wind with their mouths wide open.
They’d taken care of their thirst, but now they had a different need….
Chuck pulled the car into a rest stop and parked. Katie turned around, facing the toddler and dogs in the back seat. “Okay, come on, guys,” she said. “Let’s be quick!”
Once they were out of the car, Max and Duke found a tree and lifted their legs. Liam ran over to the tree and lifted his leg, too. But Katie swooped in and scooped him up in her arms before he could do anything. “Oh no, no,” she said. “This way, buddy. Come on.”
“Nooooooo!” Liam protested. He wanted to be just like his dog pals.
* * *
Back in Gidget’s apartment, the little dog slept with Busy Bee cradled in her arms by an open window. A soft breeze blew in. She was dreaming a wonderful dream….
Gidget walked with Max down the sidewalk, pushing a fancy baby carriage with Busy Bee lying in it.
They arrived at a beautiful beach, where they lounged on folding chairs, soaking up the sun, listening to the crashing waves of the ocean.
That night, Gidget and Max cuddled on a couch while Busy Bee watched a program on TV. Just as Gidget and Max were about to kiss…
SQUEAK!
Gidget hit Busy Bee in her sleep and made the chew toy squeak. The sound woke Gidget up. “Oh no!” she cried as Busy Bee rolled away…
…and right out the window!
“Oh no, no, no!” Seeing what she’d done, Gidget jumped up and rushed out to the fire escape, watching in horror as Max’s beloved toy bounced down the metal stairs. “No, no, no, no!” she shrieked.
She tried to catch Busy Bee in her teeth, but it fell all the way down to a first-floor balcony and bounced through an open window into an apartment. “Gidget,” she said to herself accusingly. “What have you done?”
Gidget ran down the stairs of the fire escape to the first-floor balcony. In the window Busy Bee had bounced through, shredded curtains fluttered in
the wind.
The little white dog tried to peer past the curtains into the apartment, but it was too dark inside to see.
She pushed the ragged curtains aside and saw stacks of old newspapers. There was yarn everywhere. An old lady sat in an ancient upholstered chair, watching a game show on TV.
Gidget spotted Busy Bee on the floor near the open window. “Ah!” she said quietly. “Aha!”
She crept through the window into the apartment, a little afraid but determined to retrieve Max’s beloved toy. She paused for a moment on the windowsill. The place smelled weird…like old fur and canned meat. “Okay,” she said, reassuring herself.
But then—ZWWWIP!—a paw emerged from under the old lady’s chair and grabbed Busy Bee. A cat crawled out from under the chair, holding the stuffed bee.
Then another cat appeared. And another. And another…
The apartment was full of cats! They all started fighting over Busy Bee. The old lady didn’t seem to mind a bit. In fact, she didn’t seem to be aware of what was going on behind her at all. “Hello, pumpkin,” was all she said to the tangled ball of fighting cats.
As the cats continued to fight over Busy Bee, one of them glanced toward the open window, thinking he’d heard something there.
It was empty.
Outside, on the fire escape, Gidget was hiding just out of view. Wide-eyed and breathing heavily, she whispered to herself, “Oh, dear sweet Busy Bee!” How was she ever going to rescue Max’s favorite toy from all those cats?
* * *
Late that afternoon, in Molly’s apartment, Snowball was in the living room trying to lift a small pink hand weight. “You know,” he grunted, “I’m gonna be the first bunny with washboard abs!”
Chloe was visiting, calmly knocking stuff off shelves and barely listening to Snowball. “Oh, yeah, yeah,” she muttered, “that’s fascinating.”
