Chapter Eight

It’s been a nice two weeks.

I’ve made sure the mice are at bay

Scared off a few birds

Patrolled the whole farmyard every day, more than twice a day

And even found Dad’s tire jacket laying on the ground

Just perfect for me to play hide and seek in.

Hide the Mindy

Run out

Run back in…jump on it to hear the crackle

Run away

What a blast!

Then yesterday, Black Beauty and Loki showed up.

“Hey, Mindy!  Where is Boomer?  I haven’t seen him for a very long time” Black Beauty woofed at me.

“Yes, Where IS Boomer?” Loki echoed

Their question just stopped me in my tracks.

“You don’t know, Black Beauty?  You came every day to visit Boomer.”

“Yes, yes, I did.  But then Mom stopped bringing me. Where is Boomer, it would be good to play with him again.  To go sniffing around the farmyard seeing who and what has passed through.”

“ME TOO!”  Loki yelled.  “I haven’t seen Boomer since July when I was here last.  Tell him to come out and play.”

I just stared at them.

They don’t know.

They really don’t know.

It shocks me how many love Boomer and are missing him.

Geez.

I sat down, wrapped my tail around my feet, cleared my throat—and began.

Afterward, Black Beauty just hung her head and walked over to her Mom’s car and sat waiting for her Mom to come out.

Loki just looked at me with a huge stunned look on his face.

“But he was HEALTHY in July!  Healthy!” Loki sputtered.

“I know. In October he wasn’t healthy.  And he left us. Mom cried for days.

I tried not to cry.  But there are times when the whole farm just seems lonely.”

“Wow, I can imagine,” Loki exclaimed. “Gosh, it just doesn’t seem right.”

“No, it doesn’t.” I agreed.

About that time Loki’s Mom and Black Beautys’ Mom came to the back door.

“What’s wrong with Black Beauty?” Black Beauty’s Mom asked.

“Gosh, she acts like she is afraid you are going to leave her.” Loki’s Mom replied.

I just looked at both of them.  People just never really understand animals, I thought.

My Mom walked out with Shannon and Misty; stooped down and picked me up.

We watch everyone get into the car and drive off.

“I’ll bet you had to tell Boomer’s friends about Boomer, didn’t you, Min-Min.” Mom said while she petted me.

We stayed there a short while.

Then Mom sat me down and I went back to work.

Mom headed into the house.

Boomer’s friends. I thought.  How many more do I have to tell. How many friends are Boomer’s friends who don’t know?

Let me count— Freddy Fox,

Oreo the Skunk,

Freddy’s Mom (Shudder),

all the Raccoons…

OH, PLEASE DO NOT MAKE ME TELL THE COYOTES!!! I yowled up into the sky.

I don’t even want to tell the fox family, or Oreo, or the raccoons…

I DO NOT WANT TO TELL THEM! I wailed.

PLEASE, Boomer, Help!

I ran as hard as I could toward the log pile and screeched my plea to the heavens.

PLEASE HELP!