Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Lucky

a Lulu & Friends story

500 words based on a sentence (in italics) selected by Dive. Click here for more info.


Lulu stepped in it barefoot on her way to the bathroom.


The dog sidled up to her and nosed the side of her leg as she sat on the edge of the tub washing her foot under the rushing water. “What’s a matter puppy face? Your tummy bothering you? We’ll go out in a minute.”


Lulu pulled on a t-shirt and jeans and grabbed a red leash. Outside the dog made his way to a tree, did what he needed to and pulled Lulu back towards the house. From that angle Lulu saw that he needed the back half of a bath.


Inside again Lulu parked the pooch in the tub, treated the stain with the carpet spray from under the sink and reached for the phone.


“Hi Lo. It’s me. Pupster’s gotta go to the vet. Can you pick us up? My car’s still in the shop.”


Lola got to Lulu’s just as Lulu shut off the blow drier.


“Wow – his hair’s really starting to grow in Lu. Why’d he have that other haircut?”


“I think the kids at the shelter thought he was a white schnauzer. Guess the pointy ears and carrot tail didn’t register. You’re looking more like a Westie every week, aren’t you poopy pants?”


“Uh, Lu? I think you got another problem over here behind the loveseat.”


“Crap!”

“Exactly. You need to shove his nose in it and yell he’s a bad dog.”


“No. He’s gonna learn that I don’t yell when he’s sick. He’s gotta learn to trust me and that he’s safe here.”


“Maybe when we’re done at the vet, Lu, we’ll go to McDonald’s and get him a sausage biscuit?”


“He’s already got diarrhea Lo. He really doesn’t need a sausage biscuit.”


“Well, maybe I’ll get one for me.”


At the vet’s office Lola picked up a magazine from a table and plopped down on a chair. Lulu and the dog fidgeted impatiently at the check-in desk. The receptionist wore white scrubs with a faded multi-colored paw print pattern.


“Have an appointment?”


“Yeah. I called a little while ago.”


“What’s the pet’s name?”

“Lucho Abril Marroquin.”


The receptionist looked up from her screen, eyebrows raised.


Lulu sighed. “Lucky. Everyone calls him Lucky.”


“You can take him into room two. Doctor Jeff will be right in.”


In the exam room, Doctor Jeff scratched behind the dog’s ears and made kissy-kissy noises.

“He’s got diarrhea? It’s probably just the bug that’s going around. We’ll do a quick exam just to make sure, then there’s a pill that will get him back to normal in no time. Eyes good. Ears look fine. Gotta take your temperature buddy. Our ear thermometer’s broken, so we’ll have to do this the old-fashioned way. Now where’s that tube of lubricant?”


But with the passage of the years Lucho Abril Marroquin was to tell himself that of all the instructive experiences of that morning the most unforgettable had not been either the first or the second accident but what happened afterwards.


##


copyright (c) 2009 Lulubelle B

9 comments:

Lulubelle B said...

This week's sentence is taken from Mario Vargas Llosa's "Aunt Julia And The Scriptwriter".

"But with the passage of the years Lucho Abril Marroquin was to tell himself that of all the instructive experiences of that morning the most unforgettable had not been either the first or the second accident but what happened afterwards."

Katherine said...

LMAO!!!!!

Oh my god, that was awesome! I can't believe the way you wrapped Dive's other assignment in there. You're great!

dive said...

Lulu: That is pure genius!
The first line pulled me in and then it just got funnier and ickier until the punchline and I will be giggling all day (and squirming with disgust).
I love the way you leave it up to our own sick imaginations as to what happens.
Brilliant!

MarkL42 said...

This was great. I had read Dive's sentence on the weekend but it was out of my mind when I read your story. The ending was a total surprise and a clever way to work it in.

And now we have a second piece of the Lu & Lo puzzle.

Scout said...

This really is great! Not just funny but so clever in leaving us to imagine "what happened afterwards." I'm so glad you started this new blog and joined the game.

Anonymous said...

Ok, that's twice in 10 minutes i have snorted. First with Dive's story and now with yours. Oh how I needed that at 4:10 on a Thursday afternoon.
Well Done.

neetzy said...

OMG was that funny! The writing was incredible, believable and hilarious. Do you have a little Lucho with digestive problems? Shazza is constantly lamenting about her two little guys! I can't wait to read your next one.

Lulubelle B said...

Katherine - Loved your story too, but could not leave a comment there.

Dive - Enough. Katie's gonna wonder...

Mark - You asked for more Lu & Lo. Who know's where they'll turn up next?

Robyn - This is fun. It's the first time I've tried fiction since college...and the prof made me drop the class!

Prudence - Glad to be of service. Hope you didn't snarf coffee!

Neetzy - I had a big ol' Daisy, a westie girl with a tender tummy and sensitive skin. Miss her every day.

MarkL42 said...

After the fine job you did with 'accident' who knows what we can expect from 'bucketdredger'!

all original content (c) copyright 2009-2012 Lulubelle B