Viva Las Vegas
I am a dog. A dog who is tired of being a house dog and wants to explore the world. My name is Stewie. I have been a stay-at-home dog my entire life. On the day before Halloween I am running away from home to become a dog model. I’m gonna be on Wheaties and Beneful packages. I’m tired of dog food so I am going to eat people food now. I’m taking my laptop and dog bed with me in my owner’s suitcase. I am going to Las Vegas. I wonder if they will let me ride a plane alone. I will just have to sneak into someone’s carry-on baggage. By the time I walked all the way to Norfolk Airport I was gased. I had to find someone going to Las Vegas quick. I found a lady named Angie who was going to Vegas. She let me come with her and I was on my way. When I got to Vegas, I figured I’d hit some casinos and see some live shows. How wrong I was. They don’t let dogs do anything in Vegas. So I figured I’d get Angie to get me in a dog fashion show. Maybe I could launch my operation Wheaties campaign if I was in a fashion show. So Angie got me into a fashion show. All the cereal box scouts were there. I had to be beast. It was a sports fashion show. They made me come out in a Penn State Nittany Lions Jersey. I almost quit the show, but I had to get on Wheaties. The Wheaties scout came up to me after the show and offered me a one year contract worth 300 million. Angie said I could so I said yes. Yes! Finally, I was the superstar dog I knew I could be. My owner back in Virginia had been holding me back.
Meanwhile, in Virginia Brad got home from his job at Petco and saw a note:
I’ve gone to pursue my dreams of dog modeling in Las Vegas. I’ve borrowed some money and your computer. And your mini-fridge. Sorry, Stewie.
Brad was devastated. He had taken care of Stewie since he was a small pup. How could Stewie betray him like this?
Back in Las Vegas…
Stewie was getting ready for a photo shoot on Time magazine for the dog obstacle course he won that week. One day Stewie was walking on the Las Vegas strip. He had his rec specs on and he couldn’t see and he got hit by an Escalade. They rushed Stewie to the hospital immediately. Stewie was taken to the emergency room. Stewie lay lifeless on the hospital bed. They revived Stewie and his heart was pumping. In a few weeks Stewie would be able to be back in the streets. During his coma, Angie had left a note. It read:
Dear Stew,
I have gone to Paris to adopt some kids. Unfortunately, I will not see you ever again, but I left the house key under the mat. Sooooo…
Love, Angie
Stewie had been betrayed. He could not live alone. He had to find Brad. When Stewie got out of the hospital he looked all over for Brad, but Brad had gone. He flew to Virginia and went to Brad’s house. Brad was not forgiving. Brad turned him into the pound. The bulldogs in the pound ate him alive.
Fin.
My notes: I talked to Za’id about why he decided to change point of view once he flashed to Virginia. “Mom, can’t stories do that,” he asked. I did not push the issue. After all, the story came from a journal entry and he had no intention of revising it. He thought the story was funny. His composition teacher told the class to write from the perspective of an inanimate object. When Za’id asked if he could put the story on my blog, he read it to me first. He said, “Mom, we may not be able to put it on the blog because my character’s name is Angelina Jolie.” I laughed. After he read it, I asked if he’d consider changing the woman’s name to Angie. He said yes, but added that I needed to ask permission if I wanted to change something else. He said, “I have to protect my work.” I laughed and said, “Za’id, maybe you should be a writer.” He wants no part of the profession, or so he says.
