The Puppy Who Lost His Things
by Jace Daniel (b. 1969)

Once there was a puppy who lived in a big house with many rooms. And in this house, he collected things.

To keep his things safe, the puppy would hide them in special places. Behind the bookcase, or between the couch cushions, or even under the pillows in the bedroom.

One morning the puppy woke up early to go find his hidden things. He first looked for the one behind the bookcase. But to his dismay, his hidden thing was not there.

“Where is my thing?” the puppy asked.

“What thing is that?” replied the goldfish, swimming in his bowl atop the bookcase.

“I hid it here, behind the bookcase. Did you take it?”

“Not me,” said the goldfish.

“Hmm,” said the puppy. “I guess I’ll go find my other thing.”

So the puppy went to the couch, searching for his hidden thing between the cushions. But to his dismay, his hidden thing was not there.

“Where is my thing?” the puppy asked.

“What thing is that?” replied the cat, purring on the couch.

“I hid it here, between the couch cushions. Did you take it?”

“Not me,” said the cat.

“Hmm,” said the puppy. “I guess I’ll go find my other thing.”

So the puppy went to the bedroom. He jumped up on the bed, searching for his hidden thing underneath the pillows. But to his dismay, his hidden thing was not there.

“Where is my thing?” the puppy asked.

“What thing is that?” replied the big dog, lounging on the bed.

“I hid it here, under the pillows. Did you take it?”

“Not me,” said the big dog. “Have you looked everywhere?”

“Yes,” the puppy said. “First I looked behind the bookcase, but it’s gone. Then I looked between the couch cushions, but it’s not there either. And now I’m looking here underneath the pillows, but my thing is nowhere to be found.”

“What does this thing look like?” said the big dog.

“I’ll show you!” said the puppy. “I have more in the kitchen!”

So the puppy leaped off the bed and dashed for the kitchen. Along the way, he passed the couch.

“Did you find your thing?” asked the cat.

“No!” said the puppy. “But I have more in the kitchen! I’ll bring you one!”

The puppy continued to the kitchen. Along the way, he passed the bookcase.

“Did you find your thing?” asked the goldfish.

“No!” said the puppy. “But I have more in the kitchen! I’ll bring you one!”

The puppy ran into the kitchen, grabbed three things, and dashed back to the bookcase.

“What are those?” the goldfish said.

“These are my things!” said the puppy. “This one’s for you!”

The puppy gave a thing to the goldfish and dashed off to the couch with the two other things.

“What are those?” the cat said.

“These are my things!” said the puppy. “This one’s for you!”

The puppy gave a thing to the cat and dashed off to the bedroom with the third remaining thing. He jumped up on the bed and dropped the thing next to the big dog.

“This is for you!” said the puppy. “And I gave one to the goldfish! And one to the cat! I got them from the kitchen!”

“Thanks, little fella,” said the big dog. “It’s good that you’re such a fast runner, because you didn’t have much time.”

“Not much time?” The puppy was puzzled. “Not much time for what?”

The big dog laughed. “Do you know what this thing is called?”

The puppy shook his head. No.

The big dog picked the thing up in his big mouth and bit down with a big CRUNCH.

“It’s called an ice cube.”

(Based on a true story.)