Chapter 4. Snoop and the Professor: Meeting Tom and Ava
My third day in Florida was becoming routine. I like routine. Mom leaves for work and I have to wake up the Professor with my patented sit, stare, cock my head at the right angle, and send out my Beagle brain waves. Once again, Mom is the best as she had the Professor’s coffee ready for him. I was very patient, at least as patient as a Beagle can be, while the Professor drank his coffee. Before we left, I did explore the second bedroom for a third time and then I discovered the loft. I am not sure how I had missed it since arriving. I had never before seen a loft. It was up a set of steps. It was part office, part little bedroom. I had a neat view of the kitchen, dining room, and living room. As I sat on the little bed in the loft, I put my paws up on the half wall, and looked down over the rooms below. The Professor waved at me. I think this will be a great hiding place for me. The Professor yelled “Vamos a caminar.” That was my cue for a walk.
The Professor and I started our walk today by going past the community exercise room and the pool. But, the best thing was the big dumpsters for trash and recycling that were behind a fence. Wow, great smells! It reminded me of my favorite day in Indiana, garbage day. My Beagle nose was on high alert. The Professor had to pull me away from all the smells. We found our way to the now familiar walking and jogging path through the trees and around the ponds, lakes, and creeks. We met 3 ladies who were walking their dogs. The ladies made over me just as I expected since I am so handsome. I smelled their dogs but I really wasn’t very impressed with them. We continued on as I scared away a couple of big birds. I got so excited when I recognized the place where we saw the alligator on Wednesday. We approached the edge of the pond with caution. No alligator was to be found. I must have scared him off the other day. Who would have thought that an alligator is scared of a Beagle? I felt pretty good about myself.
We came out on one of the main streets and walked down the sidewalk although I wanted to walk down the wide center median that was full of flowers and trees. I stopped walking and forced the Professor to stop. The Professor understood. We walked down the median. Yes, I have the Professor so well trained. The Professor told me we were going to visit Ava and Tom Prebys who lived on this street. He said I could also meet Chondor. I had no idea what a Chondor was.
We knocked on the door and I sat down to see who would answer. Ava came out on the porch and gave the Professor a big hug and made over me like I was part of the family. I liked her immediately. Tom finally made it to the door and invited us in. Tom also made over me. I like these people. Then I met Chondor. Chondor is Tom and Ava’s dog. Chondor came charging at me like a 6 month old pup and Tom tried to stop him. Tom fell down and the Professor had to help him up. Tom is OK. Chondor is friendly but a bit high strung for me, so I backed toward the door. It will take a bit to get used to Chondor. Anyway, Tom and the Professor immediately started talking politics, something about Trump. Boring. Tom gave the Professor a book to read. That’s all he needs, another book to read. We decided to all have dinner soon and Ava said I could play in their backyard the next time I come over. I really, really like her.
We made it home and I started to take a nap on the cool floor.The Professor asked if I wanted to go to the beach this weekend. I had no idea what a beach was but if I can frighten away an alligator then a beach should be easy. The Professor started reading a book called The Secret Son by Laila Lalami. He told me he had read another book by Lalami called The Moor’s Account a couple of years ago. He started telling me about the book. The professor was beginning to bore me, so I dozed off. I dreamed of the Professor’s hamburgers.
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