Hidden in a Closet

This morning I got up and went downstairs as usual.  Cambridge was in his cage, which was unusual.  The Man and I put him in his “house” when we go to bed so he doesn’t tear the house apart while we’re asleep, but Josh always lets him out when he gets home so he can sleep in his room or on a cushion next to the couch where Josh sometimes chooses to sack out.  So I let the dog out of his cage and went to work thinking that Josh would soon be up to take care of him.

Fast forward several hours.  I’m now at work.  My cell rings.  It’s Josh.  He says, “Oh—by the way, I didn’t come home last night ‘cause I stayed at my apartment.”  (His apartment—another story altogether….)  Josh hadn't been home yet and it was now the afternoon.  “What!”  I’m thinking.  “You mean that puppy has been loose in the house all this time with no one there to snatch important items out of his little puppy mouth?”  I felt sick.  But then I figured it was too late to do much about it.  I was glad I had rinsed out the plastic milk container for him to chew on before leaving the house.  Maybe that had kept him occupied…..hope, hope, hope.

Well, what do you know?  The milk jug did the trick!  When I got home, I couldn’t find a single mess anywhere except the pieces of chewed up plastic that were spread across the living room rug.  Yippee!  What a relief.  Good puppy!

But later, after The Man asked about some missing cargo shorts, I went into Josh’s room to see if maybe they’d been delivered to the wrong room by the laundry fairy.   (My friend, Margaret, told me her husband always says, “Oh, the laundry fairy’s been here when he finds his underwear drawer has been replenished.)  On my way past Josh’s open closet door, something caught my eye—I thought, “What the heck is that?”  Before it registered in my brain, I knew it was out of place in a 21 year old man’s closet.  I’m used to seeing basketball sneakers residing there, but not this.   I looked closer and my brian caught up.  Hmmm, that’s a woman’s shoe.  Hey wait.  That’s THIS woman’s shoe!  And do you know what?  That shoe was chewed to a pulp—and I don’t think Josh was the chewer.

That was definitely the work one naughty little dog.  I realized I hadn’t seen that shoe for a while.  I  don’t wear that pair often because they make me so tall…but still—it was a shock to see it hidden in Josh’s closet.  The poor kid.  It probably happened quite a while ago and he didn’t know how to tell me.   He was probably afraid of being treated to my “devil voice” (as he lovingly calls it) which is reserved for such occasions.   Oh well. The shoe was old and didn’t cost much anyway.  What can a person do but be happy it wasn’t the corner of the leather couch, right? 

Well, I hope it was worth it!

That little rascal!