Chet The Dog

Posts Tagged ‘It’s A Wonderful Woof’

Fisticuffs (More)

Many thanks to everyone yesterday who chipped in on the Boxing Day issue! Speaking of boxing, Bernie’s uppercut comes into play from time to time in the Chet and Bernie series.

Oh, dear. That was my thought at the moment. Not “oh, dear” on account of Bernie being in trouble and there I was, his partner, standing by with a trash can lid in my mouth – although let me point out that I quickly dropped the trash can lid and got right back to looking like a total pro. But my “oh, dear” was more about disappointment at the big guy’s technique. An enormous windup like his meant the fight was already over. Bernie stepped inside and threw that sweet, sweet uppercut. Click! Right on the point of a too-large chin. Not bang or boom, but simply a click, very neat and tidy. Then came the part I love the best, how speedily Bernie’s fist gets back to the starting position, just as speedy as the actual punch or even speedier, in case another uppercut was needed – which would still be a first, in my experience. Meanwhile the big guy’s eyes were rolling up and he was slumping down, one of those interesting sights you see in our line of work. And all at once I understood what humans meant when they said they were having an up and down kind of day! Wow! You could learn so much in this life just by being there.

Last Minute?

Last minute holiday-themed stocking stuffers of a digital nature required? Here are two possibilities: Santa 365, a Chet and Bernie short story – $2.99. And It’s A Wonderful Woof, a Chet and Bernie novel on sale for the next two days for $2.99. That’s under 6 bucks for both! There’s a beer I like at a local spot that costs that! (Not including tip.)

Snow Dog

We’re interested in dog-related nephelococcygia but what would you call this? Just pareidolia in general? I wish there was a more specific word to cover snow shapes. Many thanks to Nancy in snowy North Dakota for this!

Meanwhile the digital version of It’s A Wonderful Woof, the Chet and Bernie Christmas (with a dash of Hannukah) novel will be a part of the HoliDaily Reads promotion from now until Christmas Day. A frugal way to introduce friend to C&B at – $2.99! at all outlets!

Hannukah

I believe last night was the second night of Hannukah. The second night of Hannukah comes up in It’s A Wonderful Woof, the Chet and Bernie holiday novel now available in all formats. (Context – Chet and Bernie are searching for Elise’s missing son.)

Elise handed Bernie a book of matches. “I want you to light them.”

“Me?” said Bernie. “I don’t know how.”

“You don’t know how to light a candle?”

“It’s not that,” Bernie said. “It’s the ritual. Do you do them all? Is there some order? A special prayer?”

“This is the second night,” Elise said. She shook her head the way people do when they’re not happy with themselves. “Last night I didn’t light the first one. When Victor didn’t come and didn’t come I …” She went silent.

“So I should light two?” Bernie said.

Elise took a deep breath. “Just light ‘em all up, Bernie. And say whatever you want.”

Bernie struck a match and began lighting the candles one by one. You might have thought that with so many candles one single match couldn’t do the job, but you’d have been wrong. That match hardly burned down at all, and at the end it was still plenty long, maybe as long at it had been before Bernie lit it, or … or even longer, which was kind of crazy. He blew out the match flame – not so easy since it didn’t seem to want to go out – and looked a little surprised.

His gaze went to Elise, then to me, and finally to the burning candles. “We’ll do our very best to find Victor,” he said. “But if there’s such a thing as …” He paused for what seemed like a longish time, candle flames flickering in his eyes. “… such a thing as outside help, that would be nice, too.”