#1 SCOOTER SUBLIME TRAVEL JOURNAL (SSTJ)

Friday

“Explain,” signaled Scooter. “What’s with this stack of stuff? Why are my treats in this leather bag? 

“We’re going to be traveling soon. This ‘stuff’ is going with us.”

“In the car?” He asked.

“In the car.”

“For a long time?”

“Yep.”

“Does this have something to do with those booties with the Vibram bottoms you forced on my feet?

“It does. You won’t be sorry. We’re headed to the SW and sidewalks there are hot as heck.”

“Heck being?”

“Never mind. You may need these booties for walking outside. It is pretty funny, you getting used to these.”

“Funny to you,” he says, gnawing on a Velcro strap.

 “May I share the video of your Bootie walk?”

“You may, if you’ll also show the Donkey video we watched.”

“Where the Donkey, for the first time in a long time, sees the girl who raised it?”

“Yes.”

“I’ll put both right here.”

The Donkey video link: https://youtu.be/_q9VfFFVeCw

“We were talking about our trip, and you asked for this video. Why?”

“We’re headed for California and New Mexico, right?”

“We are.”

“You thought about flying, yes?”

“We did. But we won’t.”

“True.”

“Because,” he said with great assurance, “you won’t leave me, and you won’t put me in an airplane’s Cargo compartment.”

“True.”

“Because we love each other.”

“It’s silly, isn’t it, Scooter.”

“It isn’t silly. You see how that donkey loves the girl? We know that feeling. We don’t put family in cargo.”

 “Let’s be honest,” I said. I worked hard against tears brought on by the video.

I said, “Studies have shown that some animals do ‘attach’ to people, very much as baby people attach to caregivers. This attachment is considered a form of love.”

“Not cats,” he said. Then he added, “You’re attached to me enough to drive to Santa Fe rather than fly.”

“But . . .”

“See?” Scooter was regal in his proof of significance.

“But Scooter, we are driving to Santa Fe so we can bring home a very large rosewood chest that will fit in the back of our car.”

He studied me for a bit before saying, “Shall we talk about the Hurricane, and our delay?”

“Tomorrow. We’ll know more about Hurricane Hilary tomorrow.”