001Hey there boys and girls. It's Dr. Blake Lewis, superintendent for Henry County Public Schools, and we are wrapping up this year's summer reading book, Dog Town. I have really enjoyed this book, and I am super anxious to see how it ends. So, let's jump in. Chapter 129, New Tricks. She's learned new tricks, Jesse said. But why is she doing them now? She's singing for her supper. Professor Bester sat down on the floor and ran her hand over my head. Good job, Chance. But you don't need to perform for us, she whispered. We have to take her to the vet, Jesse said. We'll get her checked out, but it's it looks like she's doing just fine with three legs. Jesse stroked my head. Hey, there's something under her collar, she said, pulling out Metalhead's note. Your
002heart is a muscle. Jesse read aloud. It grows stronger the more you use it. I wonder who wrote that. One of Chance's friends, Jesse said. Professor Besser laughed. Jesse's hands flew to her hips. She could have friends. You don't know. You're right about that, Jesse Besser. I do not know, Professor Besser said. And then I lost control of my licking. I licked the both of them from head to foot and when I was done I licked them all over again. Chapter 130. The smell of ink. We missed you so much, Chance. I lost count of how many times Jesse said those words that day, but I never tired of hearing them. At Dog Town, I'd seen plenty of humans give up their dogs. I knew the posture, the cold, hard stairs, the clipped voices, the
003fast walk away without looking back. The Bessers were not acting like they were going to give me up. They were behaving like the happy families who leave Dog Town with a new puppy. That evening, I lay on Jesse's bed. Oh, how I'd missed that beautiful bed, and I watched her unpack. I liked seeing Jesse's clothes and smelling the Jessie smells I'd forgotten. Peanuts, chocolate fudge sauce, laundry detergent, and an ink smell coming from the bottom of her bag. What was that? I peered down at the suitcase. There, under Jesse's hairbrush was a poster with my photo on it. Missing brown and white dog. it read in Jesse's careful printing. Now, if you look at the picture here, it actually says missing world's best brown and white dog. Did you guys see that when you were
004reading? That tells me that Jesse really loved Chance. Chapter 131, three friends. If people ask what happened to me, the professor and Jesse always said, "Our dog ran away from the dog sitter." When we came back a whole year later, she was waiting for us on the doorstep. She was skinny, she was shivering, and she'd lost a leg. The bessers never tire of telling that story, and most humans who hear it walk away searching their pockets for a tissue. But then dog park humans are like that. Mushballs in spandex. Even so, the tale is true. Their short version and my long one. But what's it all mean? I think it's about how hard it is to operate that thumping thing in your chest. A manual is not such a bad idea, you know. And how
005nice it is to have besties who are beasties, not the least bit like me. I wouldn't trade all the milk bones in Michigan for mouse and metal head. I will miss them, but I'll find a way to visit. The border collie in me is resourceful. The Aussie is persistent. Luck helps a lot, too. Didn't I tell you three legs were lucky? Three friends, that's lucky, too. Oh my gosh, guys. I have loved every minute of reading this book. Now, if you want to finish out, there's some extra pieces in the back of the book. Seven things kids can do to help shelter dogs. And we do have a shelter right here in Henry County. So, you may want to read some of that. And then there's also a section at the back of the book
006called acknowledgements. And this is where the author um basically said thank you to all of the people who helped her writing this book. So I think that's a pretty cool way to end this story. I've enjoyed reading Dogtown with you this summer and I look forward to seeing you all back at school on Tuesday. And if I see you in the hallway and you recognize me and you want to have a conversation about Dog Town, let's do that. Take care, guys. See everyone at school on Tuesday.