I’m your greedy, badly trained lab,
sniffing at something rotten.
We lock eyes.
I grab a huge mouthful.
You desperately yell:
“Drop it! It’s bad for you!”
sprinting towards me across the yard.
You pry at my jaw.
I grin
and chew faster.
Down it goes.
Later my tummy starts to hurt.
Oh no, consequences.
I whine about the pain,
like it’s a surprise.
You sit beside me,
petting my head
while I curl up like I’ve finally learned something.
I haven’t.
Oh look!
Another thing I shouldn’t chew.
What comes first?
Do I choke,
or do you get tired of the vet bills
and put me down?