Lindy Kato (Writer)

We have a visitor! He smells like creamy milk and friendly dog – I should be cautious, the boy who smelled of pig and blood came to visit and snatched me away. But now my tail is wagging and I just want the Cream Man to notice me.

Big Sister tries to pull me away, she hasn’t recovered from the Pig Boy incident, but this visitor is as snuggly as he smells, I love him and he tickles my tummy.

“This is my dream Big Sister and I am not listening.”

Cream Man gets his screen out and points it at me. I try to look my best. The screen says, “not the black boy, don’t get the black boy get the sable girl.”

My heart sinks and my bottom collapses to the ground. I am the black boy. I know I am because I have heard it over and over and over again “Oooh you have a Black Boy” visitors say to the Kind Lady with the smell of sickness who looks after us all.

Cream Man says, “the Black Boy has chosen me, what can I do?” The screen is silent and the Kind Lady with the smell of sickness chips in “take them both, they are best buddies, I don’t mind them going early if you take them together, it will save you a road trip.” I try to sit up straight and look like a Good Boy but I tumble over and grab Cream Man’s shoes laces as I fall. Pleeeease notice me.

The Kind Lady sat with Mum as I was born, thirteen hours after Big Sister, the last of eight. I am supposed to be the runt, but everyone says that they can’t believe the little Black Boy is the runt. I don’t know what a runt is but the Kind Lady let Pig Boy and his badly stitched dog take me away. Pig Boy said the Badly Stitched Dog is my Dad but I don’t think so! He growls and he doesn’t look like me. Mum licks me and snuggles me tightly. Mum and my brothers and sisters smell like me, the Badly Stitched Dog doesn’t even smell right.

I was put in a cage by myself and left all day. Doesn’t the Pig Boy know that puppies need their Mum? Mum must feed them all the time. Pig Boy yelled at me for my crimes, barking, peeing and crying. Pig Boy says I am not a Good Boy. The Badly Stitched Dog ate my dinner and the Kind Lady came and got me. She yelled at Pig Boy and took me home. Mum was a bit hoha but Big Sister stuck to me like glue and made me feel better.

Cream Man is cuddling us.

“I wasn’t expecting to take a dog right now, they are very young, how can I transport them, it will take the rest of the day to get home.”

My heart is thumping, he said them will he take us both?

The Kind Lady gives him a crate. She says he can bring it back when he next comes this way. He talks to his screen again but I can’t hear. Suddenly I am swooped up and placed gently in a crate lined with soft towels, Big Sister is plonked on top of me and the door is shut.

Cream Man thanks the Kind Lady and tells the screen to start thinking of names. The crate goes in a car smelling of pine trees. We haven’t gone far when Big Sister does a sick! I lick her nice and clean – Cream Man must think she is a Good Girl or he will send her back. Then I lick up all the sick and make it smell nice. Pig Boy’s Jeep was so bumpy that I got battered and bruised, Cream Man’s car is so smooth and we fall asleep.

When I wake up Big Sister has sicked again and I have to give her another good wash. I try and clean up the crate but the towels are a bit piddled, I hope Cream Man doesn’t notice. He stops the car and gives us a cuddle. A boy smelling of drugs and crooks cuddles us too. If Cream Man notices the damp towel he doesn’t say anything. He puts us gently back in the crate.

It is dark when we stop at Cream Man’s house. The towels are wet and whiffy so we don’t smell as good as we could. There is a big dog to give us a feed – yippee! But she gives us both a smack as we jump for her teats. Cream Man makes us some puppy meal, and soon our tummies are full and round. The not very motherly dog doesn’t know what to do and hides behind a lady that smells of fruit salad. Cream Man puts us in a chair but the Not Very Motherly Dog tries to shove us off with her nose. Cream Man growls her. Fruit Salad makes her a comfy bed. It has been a very long day, Cream Man is already snoring in a chair, Not Very Motherly Dog is asleep on the comfy bed and Fruit Salad surveys the scene. We must be supposed to sleep in the chair.