“I wish I were a Labrador Retriever,” I say to Fleegle.

“Because we’re always so happy?”

I nod. “Yeah.”

“And always having so much fun?”

I nod again. “Or resting contentedly from all the fun you’ve had.”

“You can be a Lab, Raud. Anyone can be. It’s a state of mind, an outlook on life, not four paws and a tail.”

I think on that. “I can see that.”

Fleegle licks his chops with his big tongue. “Your first lesson in achieving Labrador nirvana is this: Fun requires energy and food is energy, so let’s go to Hamburger Heaven and talk to the burger god through the little carhop radio. Then the burger angel will bring us our greasy stuff to eat and we’ll have fuel for fun, though we may need a short nap first.”

“Do you ever wish you were a person?” I ask.

“What? And start counting calories?”

Next: Negotiating with Cookies – Fleegle Goes Shopping

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