001Hello, boys and girls. We're going to continue reading our really good summer book, Dog Town. And we're on chapter 51. Make sure that if there's anything you need, like your glasses to read or water to drink while you're reading, stop the video now and then you can go get those things and then come back and start the video. Okay? Chapter 51. It's called a tail out. I asked Mouse to run over to the office and check the clipboard, but he shook his head no. Then he pointed at Metalhead. I motioned for Mouse to hurry, but he crossed his arms and glared at me, his tail thumping the ground. For a little guy, he sure was stubborn. I gave up and hopped over to find out what Metalhead was yapping about. I've been trying to tell
002you. I know we can assist Geraldine. Please hear me out, Metalhead said. I'm all ears, I said. If I share my idea with you, will you and the little guy assist me in my pursuit? Middlehead asked. I considered my answer carefully. I didn't want Metalhead to leave Quinn. Quinn needed him, and I knew Quinn would be back, but I couldn't stand to lose Geraldine either. "If your idea works, if it saves Geraldine," I said. Metal Head nodded and we touched noses, which is how dogs make a promise. "We needed to initiate a tail out. Get everyone involved," Metal Head said. A what? I asked. A tail out. When Dog Town opens tomorrow, every dog turns away from the patrons. No tricks, no nuzzling, no puppy eyes. If a human gets close, we growl. Only Geraldine
003is friendly. Only Geraldine does her act. Only Geraldine sticks her nose through the fence, licks, and loves up the humans. This was a lot to ask. It meant all the dogs in Dog Town would have to give up their dreams of finding a forever home just for one day. But still, maybe it was a trick, an opportunity for the robot dogs to get the upper hand. What about the other E dogs? Can you get them on board? I asked. Probably better if we get Mouse to unplug them. My mouth dropped open. What a brilliant idea. Management plugged them in every night. Why not unplug them? Do we have a deal? He asked. Yes, I said touching noses again. We do. Chapter 52. Diva of Dog Town. Most of the humans who came to Dog Town
004wanted a little dog. Only a few were looking for a big dog. Especially a 220 pounder like Geraldine. Nobody wanted an old dog either. Old dogs had big vet bills. They were set in their ways and they didn't have long to live. If they got a puppy, they'd have fun for 10, 12, 15 years. If they got an old dog, it might only be one or two. But Metalhead's idea was the only one we had. So, I threw my heart into making it work. Getting all the dogs on board would be a tall order. Every dog woke up in the morning dreaming of being chosen. Nobody wanted to give up that chance. I started with Gerald Dean's best buddies, Trooper. The mastiff was all in before I even got the question out. I wasn't surprised.
005We all suspected Trooper had a thing for Gerald Dean. Soon all the big dogs had signed on. The reception was surprisingly good with the medium-sized dogs, too. They looked up to the big dogs. Everybody said yes until I got to Dasha, the diva of Dog Town. Dasha, an Irish setter, had been a show dog once. She spent most of her dogs days grooming herself and telling everyone who would listen about the time she got second place in her category. When I explained the plan to Dasha, she said, "Who?" "Geraldine," I said. The St. Bernard in 22. "Oh, her. Yes, she says. I'm beautiful." Dasha said. Dasha was like a foxtail in your ear. All she could talk about was Dasha. I was about to go on a rant about how the whole world didn't revolve
006around her when mass mouse wpped me with his tail. He bugged his eyes out at me and I held my bark. Instead, I said, "Of course she did. We all do." It was true, Dasha was stunning. No one could figure out why she hadn't been adopted. Even so, there's nothing more difficult than giving a dog a sincere compliment when you want to take a bite out of her leg. "Does she?" Dasha asked. Mouse's tail continued to hit my leg. So, I nodded. If there was a best of Dog Town, you'd win, I said. Dash's ears perked up. "You think so?" "I do," I said. "Is there a best of Dog Town trophy?" she asked. She was in her dog show stance, back straight, ears perked, tail straight out. Mouse wrapped his tails around my leg
007and pulled it so tightly it squeezed the blood out of my only front paw. "Not yet," I said. Oh, she said. So, what about tomorrow? I asked. Tomorrow? Yes. You know, I've noticed the hair on my hi hind legs. Could use a trim. I should get that taken care of before the best in dog town competition. Dasha said, licking her back leg. Thank you for helping me out, Geraldine, I managed to say before Mouse's tail yanked me out of there. Before we start chapter 53, I want you to think about who are the characters in the story. Is there a main character? Who are the supporting characters? Where is the setting? All of this is very important in order for us to truly comprehend what we're reading. Time for chapter 53. And this chapter is
008called a love fest. By the time we opened the next day, everyone had agreed to the tail out. Now we just needed one human to fall in love with Gerald D. The first family who came in was only interested in E dogs. Since the robot dogs had not been charged, the family decided to come back another day. Next, a big lumbering man with muscular arms bulging out of a black leather vest stroed in. He had a scar on his lip and a nose that looked like it had been broken a few times. He was drinking a soda, and when he was done, he crushed the can into a tiny ball in his fist. But when he saw Bear curled up sleeping, the man's scary face melted, and I saw the little boy he had once
009been. "Why, hello, little one." He clapped his hands, his scarred face as gentle as it could be. When Bayer didn't respond, the man's massive shoulder slumped and his eyes got watery. At Dasha's pen, the big man whistled. "What a beauty!" Dasha, being Dasha, could not resist a compliment. At first, she pined for him, then remembered what she had promised and turned her tail out. The big man waited for her to turn around. When she didn't, he moved on, the chains around his massive boots clinking with every step. Trooper, who still had on his reading buddy sweater, was doing very well, ignoring the man. Here, boy. The man wiggled his big hand into the pocket of his black leather pants and pulled out a dog biscuit. Trooper's nose twitched. Drool dripped from his mouth. "Come on,
010fella. I'm not going to hurt you," the man said. Trooper stared at the biscuit, transfixed. Then his eyes moved to Geraldine, and he set his chin down in his pool of drool and did not get up. The man's face grew long. His step slow, his great shoulders sagged. I was worried he was going to leave before he even got to Geraldine. But he kept walking. Oh, how he smiled when he saw her, his eye shining with kindness. Why, hello, Geraldine, he said, reading the whiteboard sign. A volunteer brought Geraldine out and she wagged her tail and nuzzled him. "Aren't you a sweetheart?" he said, petting her. He watched her do her tricks. He scratched behind her ear and under her chin and gave her a belly rope. It was a love fest. He was there
011for the better part of an hour. Geraldine had found a home. Now, boys and girls, I think that we've had some happy times so far, but we've also had some sad times. And do you think the characters in this story are making the right choices? Think about that before we go on to the next chapter. It's me again. I want you to really think about this next chapter because I can hear sounds in my head. And sometimes when I can visualize what I'm reading or I can hear the sounds when I'm reading, it makes the understanding of the chapter a lot easier. So, are you ready? Chapter 54, the motorcycle. Are you hearing the sounds? Then suddenly, I heard the sound of a motorcycle starting up. Uhoh. You couldn't take Geraldine home on a motorcycle.
012She simply wouldn't fit. Maybe he had a car at home. Maybe he had a friend with a car. Maybe he would come back wearing hiking boots and walk her home. But as 2:00 became 3 and then 4, my stomach began to hurt. If he came back tomorrow, it would be too late. Chapter 55. When I was a kid By this time, the dogs were getting antsy. They'd given up their chances for a home, and it hadn't helped Geraldine. They were ready to abandon the plan. I didn't blame them, but I wasn't going to give up on Geraldine. We had to at least give her one entire day. As the minute ticks by, I did what I could to hold the coalition together. The clock said 4:15. A rush of humans came in and then left.
0134:30. 4:35. 4:45. Border collies are good with numbers. Some of us can even tell time. And I have a lot of border collie in me. But on that day, I wished I didn't know what the numbers meant. Dog Town closed at 5. Even if someone wanted Gerald Dean, there'd be no time to get the paperwork done. I sat down next to her, wondering what to say. Geraldine spoke first. "You got a big old heart chance," she whispered in her deep voice, her big black nose near my ear. You gave this your all, dog. First thing I do when I get to doggy heaven, I'm going to snag one of them cloud beds for me. And the other I'll save for you. We'll see each other again, dog. You bet we will. I tried to breathe,
014but the air wouldn't go in and it wouldn't go out. I had so many feelings welled up in my chest. I almost didn't hear the commotion by the front desk. It sounded like more folks had arrived. I hopped over to check it out. I'm sorry. We're about to close. Front desk announced and the people turned around. It was all I could do to keep from nipping front desk's ankles. Didn't she realize this was Geraldine's last day? And then suddenly a tiny woman in a baseball cap came through the door. She had a great mass of curly gray hair and a big smile set into soft wrinkled cheeks. By her side was a small boy with a half hop to his step. I'm sorry. Front desk hurried to the door. We're about to We won't be
015long. the grandma said, plowing by a front desk. I like this little old lady's attitude. Grandma types generally head for the small dog pins, but not this one. She and the boy walked by the poodles and Pomeranians as if they didn't exist and then pass the medium-sized dogs, the bulldogs and the beagles. They walked by all of them until they got to Geraldine. Geraldine was tired. She had done her Adopt Me routine more times than we could count that day. I could hear her knees creek when she stood up. The grandma opened Gerald Dean's pin door, and when she leaned down to to pet Geraldine, I couldn't tell whose knees were groaning, the woman's or Geraldine's. Then the tiny lady said the words that every dog in Dog Town knew were magic. I had a
016St. Bernard when I was a kid. Best dog I ever had. Continue reading, boys and girls. Reading builds knowledge, and knowledge is power. Have a good summer.