Rocky sat under the umbrella watching the girls and Zuma play in the water. Needless to say, watching others have fun doesn't keep your interest for long. Rocky began looking around realizing that the beach was clearing as the day was soon turning to evening. Rocky looked around in disgust as he noticed all the trash left by beach goers.
"When will people learn to pick up after themselves?" said Rocky as he stood up and began picking up trash.
He had cleared a large section when he felt something weird as if he was being watched. He slowly turned around but there was no one there. He continued to scan the beach but all he saw was a couple of people sitting on the beach, a man and a large pup were much further down the beach walking along the shore, and of course Zuma and his pack of females, still yelling and splashing. Rocky shrugged and turned back to his cleaning. Once he had cleared the trash and separated all the plastic into recycling bins he looked around and saw that most of the volleyball team had picked up and left. Zuma and Sunny were sitting on their beach towels talking. Rocky walked over to where the two were sitting.
"Hey Rocky" said Sunny "You did great work. The beach looks amazing. It's nice to see someone put such pleasure in cleaning a beautiful place like the beach."
"T-thanks" stammered Rocky "I just can't stand to leave trash behind. I know it's silly of me to take it so personally but if more people would pick up their trash and maybe one extra piece, there wouldn't be so much litter."
"See that's the passion for a job I was telling you and Roxie about" said Sunny.
"That's Rocky" said Zuma "If he sets his mind to a task, you can't sway him. Rocky, are you hungry? We fixed sandwiches and I saved you a couple."
Rocky's stomach rumbled, "Wow, now that I think about it. I haven't eaten since this morning. I got so busy I just didn't think about it. Thanks for thinking of me, Zuma. But y'all didn't have to wait on me."
"Rocky," said Zuma "I invited you. I'm not going to just leave you and it's not like I didn't have pleasant company while I waited."
"Roxie said she was sorry but she had a paper she needed to get back to the motel to work on" said Sunny "She's a really neat person, but I don't think she'll ever slow down enough to have a real relationship." Sunny stopped and bit her lip, "I'm sorry. I really shouldn't judge her or gossip about her."
"It's ok," said Rocky "She said she hopes to make the Olympic Volleyball team."
"Oh she'll make it" replied Sunny ``What she didn't say was that she's busting her butt to get named team captain. We'll see her face on the cover of Sportpups Illustrated someday."
"Wow," said Rocky "She didn't say that. That's awesome."
Rocky finished the sandwiches that Zuma had saved him. He looked around then turned back to Zuma and Sunny, "I'll see you back at home. I think I'm going to walk the beach and take the long way back to the Lookout."
"You want us to come with you?" asked Zuma.
"No, y'all have fun" said Rocky "Bye Sunny, it was nice spending the day with you and your team. Thanks for inviting me, Zuma. I admit I had fun."
"If you're sure," said Zuma, gathering everything.
"I'm sure," said Rocky turning toward the edge of the shore.
As Rocky walked away Sunny turned to Zuma, "Did something happen?"
"No, he's just lonely and needs to find the right pup," said Zuma. "I try to help," continued Zuma "But he's on a different intellectual level than I'll ever be. I wouldn't know where to look for the right pup for him. Who knows maybe fate will drop the right pup"
Fate who knows, but nonetheless, a certain pup was in town and only time would tell.
They walked down the beach, her master looking out at the rolling sea. She loved the feel of the sand under her paws. It was so much warmer here.
She was a Tibetan Mastiff named Yeshe. Her master was Tsering Gelek, Tsering had assumed the nickname of Toby while they were in the regular world. Tsering had been serving as a junior member at his monastery in the Himalayas. He was quickly approaching the point where he would decide to fully take his orders and become an ordained monk or return to the regular world. His teacher had noticed doubt in Tsering's face and suggested a time of reflection in the world. Tsering had looked for a place where they could go among people but not too busy as he had never spent much time around big cities. Adventure Bay had seemed a beacon for some reason and currently it seemed like a perfect decision. The multiple climates around Adventure Bay created the perfect reflection place. When they left the monastery, Tsering's teacher had suggested he take a regular name as a nickname because it would be easier than explaining the meaning of his name repeatedly which translates, Long Life, Excellent Virtue. Tsering chose Toby because of a childhood pet.
Today was typical of their activities. Toby would sit and meditate for hours and then rise, eat and they would go for a walk. Yeshe loved the walks by the beach. It was such a change from the mountain paths near the monastery and much warmer.
As they walked, Yeshe flashed back to when she first met Toby. Yeshe had been presented to Toby at his going away celebration. Yeshe was to be Toby's companion and protector. She came from a long line of Mastiffs whose job was to protect the monastery and its occupants. She was spending time getting to know Toby when one evening she asked him about his life before the monastery. Toby at the time had never been around one of the huge mastiffs before let alone any other talking dog. He practically climbed the wall when she asked the question.
Yeshe had cocked her head and asked "Master is something wrong?"
"D-did you just talk?" stammered Tsering.
"Well yes," said Yeshe "All temple mastiffs can speak with their masters. Is this not common?"
"Uh, no" said Tsering, calming down and sitting once again on his bed.
"I've never met another dog" said Yeshe "Other than the others in the kennels, I've never even seen another dog. We were taught the ways of my ancestors and our duties. I guess I thought others were just like me."
"Can anyone else hear you?" asked Tsering.
"I don't know," answered Yeshe "like I said, I've never met anyone before I was presented to you master."
"First off, I am not your master," said Tsering "We are partners, companions in our future endeavors. We will face the world together as equals. Besides, when you are older you might outweigh me. Second, until I learn otherwise, we'll keep your talking to just between us. Who knows? There may be other talking animals in the world."
Snapping back to now walking on the beach in Adventure Bay. Yeshe walked along allowing the winds off the surf to blow through her fur. She listened to the waves and took a deep breath, 'I could so get used to this' thought Yeshe. She looked around and noticed that no one was near them.
"So how are your meditations going?" asked Yeshe
"I'm not really sure" said Toby "I enjoy the meditations but this beautiful area easily distracts me away from my task."
"So do we need to move to a new location better suited to meditation?" asked Yeshe. "There are mountains nearby" continued Yeshe "We could find a place away from the bay."
"No, I don't think that's it" explained Toby "I feel a calling here. I'm not sure, but something is stirring in the air. I believe I am exactly where I'm meant to be. I'll continue to meditate until I feel directed otherwise."
"As you say Tseing, uh Toby" said Yeshe blushing.
"It's ok girl" said Toby smiling "I'm still not used to using this nickname either."
They continued to walk and Toby noticed Yeshe had turned her head and stopped. He looked back and saw a dog in the distance. It appeared to be a gray dog wearing a green shirt of some kind. Toby smiled, they had yet to meet or even approach anyone yet. Even the place they stayed at was prearranged and the key was waiting for them when they got off the train.
"See something interesting?" asked Toby.
"Wha, what, uh, no" said Yeshe startled back to reality "I guess I hadn't thought about meeting other pups. That one doesn't seem like regular dogs that I looked up before coming."
"Would you like to go introduce yourself?" probed Toby.
"Of course not," snapped Yeshe. "I have a duty to perform. I don't have time to go play fetch or whatever regular dogs do here."
"It doesn't always have to be about duty, Yeshe" said Toby "There is nothing wrong with making friends. You should go see what they are like."
"I uh, I don't know if they would freak out if I accidentally spoke in their presence" said Yeshe. "I would not want to cause you grief for having a weird dog."
"Ha! You're not weird" laughed Toby "You said it yourself, maybe other dogs can talk. Just because I never met one doesn't mean there aren't any. This is the farthest I've ever been from Tibet."
"No, not yet anyway, '' said Yeshe. She paused for a second and turned back to walking down the beach. Toby noticed as she turned the other dog stopped and was staring toward them. Toby shrugged and turned back to their walk.
"Did you notice" said Yeshe as they walked "He appeared to be cleaning up the beach. I love the environment and think we need to do more to protect it. It would be nice to see that others feel as I do."
"You should really have gone to meet them" said Toby "It was a boy dog wasn't it?"
"What does that have to do with" Yeshe stopped "You know better, we aren't allowed to interact with others. We must only perform our duty."
"That's only true at the Monastery" said Toby "We're not at the monastery. And I already said, it doesn't always have to be about duty. You're allowed to have fun and meet others. I didn't say go marry him."
"He did look like a nice pup" said Yeshe
"Oh so you did notice" laughed Toby.
"Shut up" laughed Yeshe "I'm celibate, not dead"
"Who told you that you had to be celibate?" asked Toby.
"I just always assumed that unless I was chosen for the kennels, that I would be expected to serve my master and nothing more" explained Yeshe.
"Well once again that was at the monastery" said Toby "Who knows where we'll be directed."
"I'm hungry, can we go back to the house? I think I'm being directed to my dinner bowl." asked Yeshe
"We've walked enough for the evening" Toby laughed "Let's go back and eat"
Rocky continued to walk along the shore. Occasionally he would notice trash or something and stop to pick it up.
'What am I doing' thought Rocky 'I'll just mope myself to death if I don't find something to do.'
"I'm sure there's someone out there" said Rocky to no one "But right now, I need a project."
Rocky turned and went back to his vehicle. He drove back to the Lookout and parked his truck, converting it back to his pup house. He went in and began pulling out paper and his drawing tools. He began planning for a project to collect trash floating in the bay. He was working for a while when he heard a knock on the door.
"Come in" yelled Rocky "It's not locked"
Zuma opened the door "Hey buddy" said Zuma "You ok, you didn't come to dinner."
Rocky turned and looked at the time "Oh, wow! I came back and started working on a project. I didn't even notice the time. Was Ryder mad?"
"No," said Zuma "Just worried that you weren't feeling well. I told him I'd check"
"I'm fine" said Rocky, "I just got distracted. Where's Sunny?"
"She had to get back to the motel" said Zuma "She offered to blow them off and stay. I told her that now is her chance to get her degree. Even though they'll leave soon, Adventure City isn't that far away."
Rocky stared at Zuma then finally spoke, "You're pretty serious about her aren't you?"
"I still don't know" said Zuma "I like her alot. I don't know if it will go anywhere or if I'm just a momentary friend."
"I never asked" said Rocky changing the subject "What is Sunny's major?"
Zuma laughed "She's going to school because it was what her parents wanted her to do. She hates it and is constantly looking for something else."
"Wow, to get an education because you are expected to" said Rocky "What I'd give to have gone to a university."
"If you were any smarter" laughed Zuma, "you wouldn't talk to a moron surfer dog like me."
"That's not true," said Rocky, "and I think you're very smart. You just have different interests than I do."
"Yeah well, I'd gladly give it up for a girl like Sunny" said Zuma.
"Ok, Wow!" saif Rocky, "you are serious. I think you should seriously think about your future. Just don't leave without saying goodbye."
"I'm not leaving" said Zuma "I could never leave Adventure Bay. Who knows, maybe she's not the one. But someday, I'll find a girl that is willing to live her life with a silly old surfer dog"
"One day, maybe we'll all find someone to spend our days with," said Rocky.
'To meet someone and live happily ever after' thought Yeshe, 'that would be nice.'
"Duty first" said Yeshe to the night, "But to meet someone would sure be nice."