A DAY IN THE LIFE OF MOSSY THE DOG
GABRIEL COONEY
Lately I have been lounging on my soft, handmade bed without a single worry or care until Mom comes and moves me into the cold damp Kitchen. “Come on, Mossy,” she used to say but now it’s all sorts of names like Pickle O, Bitey Bitey or even “Come on, Silly Winkle!”
Also I never get to see Sarah, because she has a spiral staircase to her room and she is the only one who seems to live up there. “Ooow ooo,” I howl but the response is only “Shush I’m working!” If I could, I would climb up those stairs and tell her the story of “The Boy Who Cried Wolf” – this is nothing to do with not being able to go in her room, but at least it teaches her a lesson.
Ben is okay but he is unfair. If I come into his room he will fuss me to death but if Tom follows me he will get kicked out of the room. Ben is always working but he stops when I come in. I love a good bit of a stroke.
One day, Tom and Dad took me to Sutton Park for a run. The car ride was dramatically bumpy but the run was terrific. We went round the bend and there was a rabbit! As a hunter I was ready for the chase. I belted off.
“Where is he?” Tom would say.
“He is like a rocket!” Dad always said.
As I sped past them, I jumped up and play-bit Dad’s arm. We do this a lot. To tell the truth we do it so much that in the garden all the grass is ripped up.
There was once a time when Dad was taking me to the local park and I dashed off. My heart was pounding. I had spotted a squirrel, when – splat – I banged into a little old lady going for a walk. I saw Dad making his way towards me- I was in big trouble.
“Sorry about that,” Dad said soothingly. “My dog is very wild when he is hunting,” he added as he helped the lady up. I knew Dad would be furious. (Luckily he was not).
I also remember the time when I pee’d on Ben’s dressing gown but let’s not go that far; it is, as I would say, simply gross!
As you can see I am a very active and silly dog. Not as silly as my family though! Shhh.