Part 2:
“Do you think maybe ... we could float?” Dale asked.
“What?"
“You know, just float up and get out as it rises?”
“I don't know. Give it a try.”
“BLOOP!” splashed the syrups as he pulled into a ball and sank beneath the surface.
Rising and shaking his head, his wet face hid embarrassment.
“What?"
“You know, just float up and get out as it rises?”
“I don't know. Give it a try.”
“BLOOP!” splashed the syrups as he pulled into a ball and sank beneath the surface.
Rising and shaking his head, his wet face hid embarrassment.
I ran a hand through his mane to slick the drizzle from his eyes.
Bolder action would be needed.
Ideas were judged and discarded in rapid order. Our deadly dessert-bath kept rising higher and higher.
“Um, Josephine … what are we gonna do?”
“OK, we need a plan” I said, eyeing the top of the vat. “Hmm. Maybe you could jump for it? Doesn't look impossible."
Bolder action would be needed.
Ideas were judged and discarded in rapid order. Our deadly dessert-bath kept rising higher and higher.
“Um, Josephine … what are we gonna do?”
“OK, we need a plan” I said, eyeing the top of the vat. “Hmm. Maybe you could jump for it? Doesn't look impossible."
“I'll never reach that."
“Not on your own. But what if I gave you a boost? If you got on my shoulders … you might have a chance.”
Right away I scooped him up.
No easy move.
He’s kinda big.
Not as big as a real lion, of course. More like a large Chow.
Or a super-sized Weiner dog with big bones?
He started getting into position on my back.
Now sure, I'm pretty fit. A guard on the JV basketball team (also marching band drum captain). But I'm no Breanna Stewart.
My legs buckled for balance.
Dale's matted chest pressed the back of my head.
I held my hands high, palms up, a paw in each.
“You ready?"
In a blur of syrup and fur, he sailed skyward.
Headed for freedom.
Graceful and beautiful and amazing.
“Not on your own. But what if I gave you a boost? If you got on my shoulders … you might have a chance.”
Right away I scooped him up.
No easy move.
He’s kinda big.
Not as big as a real lion, of course. More like a large Chow.
Or a super-sized Weiner dog with big bones?
He started getting into position on my back.
Now sure, I'm pretty fit. A guard on the JV basketball team (also marching band drum captain). But I'm no Breanna Stewart.
My legs buckled for balance.
Dale's matted chest pressed the back of my head.
I held my hands high, palms up, a paw in each.
“You ready?"
In a blur of syrup and fur, he sailed skyward.
Headed for freedom.
Graceful and beautiful and amazing.
Front legs easily cleared the rim, but his back end slumped and smashed the wall.
Failure!
Dale rebounded in a spiral, twisting upside-down as he splashed into my arms.
“I didn’t – AAHPP! – didn’t make it.”
“Almost.”
“I’ll get it. Help me back up.”
My elbows now felt the tickle of the tide. Dale’s sopping body dripped into my eyes.
I was barely ready when – like a fearless fighter jet – he zoomed off again.
Up through the air.
Toward the vat’s hard edge.
Failure!
Dale rebounded in a spiral, twisting upside-down as he splashed into my arms.
“I didn’t – AAHPP! – didn’t make it.”
“Almost.”
“I’ll get it. Help me back up.”
My elbows now felt the tickle of the tide. Dale’s sopping body dripped into my eyes.
I was barely ready when – like a fearless fighter jet – he zoomed off again.
Up through the air.
Toward the vat’s hard edge.
Once more he crashed, but this time … this time he caught himself, draping his front half atop the rim.
Squirming with great care, my companion slipped up, over and out of sight.
Dale was safe!
That was all that mattered.
Dale was safe.
His face quickly popped into view.
Squirming with great care, my companion slipped up, over and out of sight.
Dale was safe!
That was all that mattered.
Dale was safe.
His face quickly popped into view.
“Hang tight. I gotcha.”
“Really? What’ve you got?”
Golden eyes peered silently into mine.
What could he do?
There was nothing.
And right at that moment … I knew I was probably gonna die.
“Really? What’ve you got?”
Golden eyes peered silently into mine.
What could he do?
There was nothing.
And right at that moment … I knew I was probably gonna die.