Hey there, it’s Taco! Just thought I’d check in to say we’ve been on quite an adventure. Mr. Cuddles got a one-way ticket to Trouble Town, courtesy of Felina, but don’t you worry your whiskers—I sniffed out her apple-scented schemes. Long story short, your favorite furball is back home safe, and I’m off to bury the hatchet…and maybe a bone or two. Over and out, T 🐾

Listen to the story here

In a town as marvelous as Spencerville, it’s no chore landing yourself in the dog house. I mean, wouldn’t you, if your dog house came equipped with fluffy cushions and a premium view of Maltese Meadow? Take it from me, if I’m howling about a dog’s life, I’m surely referring to Taco’s.

However, don’t let the serenity fool you; our quiet town has recently been humming with talk of a perilous rescue mission. Well, it’s not every day that Spencerville’s unlikeliest duo, Taco and Lily, becomes embroiled in a daring escapade. Mr. Cuddles, Taco’s inseparable chum, had gone missing, presumed nabbed by unknown parties.

And Lord, you’ve never seen a spectacle like Taco reacting to the loss of Mr. Cuddles. A dog who could rub noses with a disobedient skunk and shrug it off, now walking round with such a forlorn look. She’d been doggedly reading ‘How to cope with loss’, taking it literally, mind you, lying on the floor whimpering into the centerfold.

“Look here, Taco,” Lily had comforted her, her usually jovial tone now somber but resolute. She explained their mission, and might I add, had started to sound less like a Basset Hound and more like Ethan Hawke. “We will get Mr. Cuddles back. It’s not our first rodeo. Remember the time you rescued my favourite bone from the evil clutches of the dumpster?”

The duo sprung into action. Like master hounds to the scent, sniffing out leads (and a trail of Mr. Cuddles’ fur). Journeying through the bustling streets of Spencerville, from the fragrant aura of Pup ‘n’ Go Taco Joint, to the hipster tunes escaping Paws-A-Latte.

“Apples!” Taco suddenly whimpered, upon reaching a suspicious pile of the wretched fruit. Remember, Taco would rather lick a porcupine than nibble on an apple. There was only one villain who’d dare to bait Taco with her least favourite delicacy, Felina, the cunning Persian with a taste for melodrama.

After a chase filled with near misses and dangled eyelash-flaps of suspense, they cornered Felina at the Siberian summit. “Hand over the bear, or it’s a free pass to the Scratch Lounge!” barked Taco, her usual calm demeanor replaced by a fiery determination.

“Please, can’t stand the suspense,” squealed Felina, reluctantly relinquishing Mr. Cuddles. Mission accomplished. And as Taco and Lily returned home victorious, the town erupted into cheers, their adventure the new stuff of Spencerville legends.

Now, as a storyteller, I’ve seen a thing or two, but this, this was something. Sitting here in this dream called Spencerville, watching Taco nuzzle Mr. Cuddles, I can’t help but think…would I want to come back as a dog? Of that, I am certain. But only if I came back as a dog like Taco. Fun-loving, steadfast, and with a friend like Lily. Oh, to be a dog living in Spencerville.

The End.

Share This Story: