Pal's Day at School

Chapter 2

2/14/09-3/11/09

"Oh, Pal. I just don't know. Are you sure it's such a good idea?" Baby Kate sighed worriedly.

"Of course it is Kate. If humans can go to school, then why can't I?" Pal wagged his tail with glee.

Kate and Pal were having a discussion in D.W.'s room.

Kate was settled in her playpen, whilst Pal strolled around the room, thinking on how he was going to plan his trip.

"We live in a world where animals and human babies can talk to each other." Pal thought. "What's so absurd about dogs participating in educational stuff?" He nodded fervently at his belief.

"What if you get caught? You know that animals aren't allowed in schools." Kate said. She remembered when her big sister D.W. once threw a tantrum because she couldn't bring Toady, her pet toad[1], to her preschool on show and tell day. D.W. had wanted to show the class that she had taught Toady to roll over!

"Hmph!" Pal stuck-up his nose. "I'm more trained then some swamp creature!"

"I'll tell Toady you said that." Kate laughed.

"I'm sorry, I got too excited." Pal lowered his head and started to wander around the room.

Baby Kate felt bad for Pal, all he wanted was a little freedom. Kate had sometimes dreamed of going to the science museums she had heard so much about on television commercials. She yearned to discover new things everyday too. But, sadly, all the adults mistook her as just a baby, and she surely could not go by herself.

Kate groaned at the unfair thought and came to the conclusion that she should not suppress Pal from his simple curiousity.

"Ok. Pal, you can go."

Pal stopped pacing and looked at Kate.

"I can?"

"Yep, I give you my full support. I'll even distract Mom enough tomorrow so she won't wonder where you are."

"Hoorah!" Pal barked with delight. "This will be so much fun!" He started to run in circles, imagining the wonderful day he would have tomorrow.

"Oh, but how are you going to get there?" Kate questioned.

Pal screeched to a halt. He didn't even think about that!

"Oh dear." Pal's face quickly scrunched into disappointment.

"I'm… not sure."

Then his ears perked up with an idea.

"I could squeeze into Arthur's backpack!"

Just after he said that, Arthur came up the stairs, dragging said backpack to his room. Kate and Pal turned their heads to him. He was grumbling about the amount of homework Mr. Ratburn had given him, and how heavy it was to lug around.

"Well. So much for that…" Pal returned his disappointed gaze to the floor.

Pal and Kate went back to formalize their plan when Arthur shouted from his room.

"Mom! Are my gym clothes dry yet?!"

No answer.

Arthur emerged from his room, with a red duffle bag in tow.

Again he shouted from the top of the stairs.

"MOM! ARE MY CLOTHES DRY YET?!"

A couple seconds later.

"Yes Arthur! They're in the clothes basket downstairs! Please don't shout!"

"OK!" Arthur yelled back. "Whoops!" He squeaked and covered his mouth and then whispered "Sorry."

The whole time, Pal was eyeing the vacant duffle bag.

"What do you suppose that was about?" Kate asked.

"I don't know." replied Pal. "But I do know about something…"

"And that is?"

"That big bag Arthur has!" Pal started. "I could use that as a way of getting to school!"

"That red thing on his shoulder?"

"Exactly. He carry's it with no trouble at all and clothes don't weigh that much. It's perfect." Pal gave a mischievous look, "too easy."

"You say that now." Kate intervened. "But how are you going to sneak your way into that bag?"

Arthur's footsteps were heard loudly coming up the stairs. He was carrying the clothes, dry and neatly folded, under his arm. He went to his room and stuffed the clothes into the duffle bag that laid at the foot of his bed, not bothering to zip it up.

"I'll think of a way…" Pal grinned.

Kate went over to her pile of stuffed animals and picked up a monkey and nervously squeezed it.

"Alright. If you say so." She stared intently at the fuzzy animal.

Pal looked over at Kate and saw her anxiety.

He went over to her pen and licked her hand that clutched the toy, She relaxed and smiled at Pal.

"I'm just worried about you. What if you get in a accident or a stranger dog-naps you… Or-"

"I'll be just fine, Kate. Don't worry. I'll bring something back for you. How about that?"

"A souvenir? I don't want you to go out of you're way for such a-"

"I insist. It's no problem at all." Pal wanted to relieve Kate of her worrying.

"Well… If it's not too much trouble. That sounds nice" Kate replied. She became less tense and placed the stuffed animal to her side. "Pal, what would I ever do without you?" She reached her hands past the bed bars and pet Pal on the head.

Pal and Kate heard a faint call from downstairs.

"Arthur! D.W.! Time for bed!" Jane hollered.

Her announcement was followed by the usual protest of D.W.

"Awww. But I don't wanna!" D.W. whined, even as she was walking up the stairs to her room. Jane followed close behind and proceeded to pick Kate up from her playpen and put her into the baby's crib.

While Jane was disassembling the playpen, Pal went over to Kate to say goodnight.

"Everything will be okay, Kate. I'll see you tomorrow after school." Pal winked.

"Have a good day at school," Kate giggled.

After Jane helped D.W. to bed, she turned off the lights and wished her two daughter's "sweet dreams." Pal tagged along with Jane out of the room and scampered over to Arthur's bedroom. He hopped up onto Arthur's bed and licked his cheek.

"Tomorrows going to be a fun day, Pal. Buster's going to show me his new Bionic Bunny trading card's and after school we're going to play baseball against Mighty Mountain!"

Arthur laid his head on his pillow and stretched out.

"I'm going to have such an exciting day!"

Pal barked his approval.

'So will I,' Pal thought as he curled up next to Arthur's feet.

'So will I.'

Sorry it took so long for me to update! I'll try to finish the next chapter soon. See you then!

Edited 2/28/13