“Hey, Mum. I can’t get inside. There’s this orange meshy thing across it. Lift me over, please?”
“Hey Mum, look. I’ve climbed over the orange thingy across the door! Aren’t you glad? Can I have a cuddle?
“Hey, Mum? There’s a big flat sheet of wood across the door. I can’t climb it. Lift me over for a cuddle, please?”
“Hey, Mum, look! I jumped over the wood! I’m so proud of myself. Aren’t you? Can I have a cuddle?”
“Hey, Mum! I managed to get through the cat door, and find you. I’m so happy to see you! Can I have a cuddle?
“Hey, Mum! I like my new house on the porch! Come out and give me a cuddle?
“Hi, Mum. Let’s just sit here while you do that smoky thing. Then we can go for a walk, yeah?”
“Hey, Mum, there’s a weird animal over the road, making loud shouts at me, Can I walk right beside you?
“Hey, Mum, I stopped at the kerb, like you wanted. Will you be telling me ‘Toffee…Run home!’ today?”
“Hey, Mum. I beat you home. Can I have a cuddle now, or a treat?”
“Hey Mum? Someone shouted ‘Toffee, run home,’ and I did – but you’re here. So who shouted? And can I have a treat? Or a cuddle?”
“Hey, Mum…I did what you said. I went up the steps and waited on the platform, Thanks for the treat!”
“Hey, Mum. I climbed the steps like you said. But there’s only one treat. Can we go for a run?”
“Okay, Mum, I’m not climbing the steps for just one treat! Can I chase the cat instead?”
“Hey Mum, why is he building a higher fence around my yard? Shall we sit together and watch him, and have a cuddle?
“Hey, Mum. I can see he’s left a gap. I could get through that. Can you take my chain off, please?
“Hey, Mum…my paw’s hurt. There’s red stuff all over my blankets. Can I have a cuddle?”
“Mum! That’s water! You know I don’t like water! Let go of my collar, Now!”
“Mum, what’s this blue thing that man put around my paw? Can I take it off?”
Mum, I got the bigger blue thing off. I’m going to pull the little black things out.”
“Hey Mum. I can’t get this thick white thing off.”
“Morning, Mum. It’s so cold, and I’m too tired to wake up for breakfast. I’ll just sleep a bit longer.”
“Hey, Mum. Don’t cry. I just could not wake up this morning. It was too cold. It’s not your fault, Mum. I’ll see you, later, and we can have a cuddle.. Don’t cry.”
Written as a “quick-write” exercise at Rotorua Writers Group, then extended. The starter was “If your pet could talk, what would s/he say to you. Toffee was my basenji, and my favourite of all pour family dog’s, as he was mine. Died 2016. Much missed