Tabula Rasa

This is the first thought that leaps into my mind and it is a good one to wake up to. I love my dog. I believe it will be a fantastic day, until I roll over and see the time. When I wake up at 6:15am in the morning, the sun is barely awake either. I peek at the window and of course, it’s raining outside - my excitement to walk Scooter was depleting with every passing second. Still, I tried to force good thoughts into my brain ‘I love my dog, I love my dog, I love my dog’, I told myself. I dragged my whole body out of bed and threw on some messy dog walking clothes. Groggily heading down the stairs, it was weirdly quiet in the house. There’s usually some kind of commotion from somewhere, but the entire house was totally still. "Scooter?" No dog came scurrying. "Mum? Mama May? Ellie?" I yelled into the empty hallway. No mums and no sister yelled back. I checked the note wall but nobody had written anything there. Weird. I guess they had all left for the day already and taken Scooter with them. Sweet, no dog to walk for me this morning. I spent this unexpected, precious time watching cartoons, threw back a bowl of cereal and headed out to grab the bus to school. To begin with, a typical school day unfolded - awful teachers, cool kids parading around, awkward pre- and post-pubescence filling the halls. Then my phone went off. It was Mama May asking how Scooter was on our walk this morning. “How would I know?” My blunt question as a response to her question was met with a strangely drawn out silence. “What do you mean?” A third question. I was getting more and more confused with every exchange. “I mean I woke up, nobody was home - not even Scooter - so I assumed one of you had taken him, I watched telly, ate some breakfast and I got the bus. Why? What happened?” “Oh my god, and that van was there this morning again. I’ve got to go.” I was miles beyond confused now. I went to text her and saw there was an unread message from an unknown number - it had a mysterious address and a picture. It was Scooter. My stomach dropped as I realised he had been stolen. I forwarded it to Mama May immediately. “Nobody takes my dog for a walk without my permission!” I screamed into the school hall. Grabbing an unchained bike from the bike store, I bolted to the address. I pulled up to the house at the same time as Mama May when we saw a crooked old lady emerge from a van. “Oh hi, May! Doesn’t Scooter look dashing?” She beamed from ear to ear. My confusion trebled. I looked at the side of the van. AUNTIE SUSAN’S MOBILE DOG GROOMING A mobile dog groomer. I was going to be in so much trouble at school.