snappy and which dogs were putting on a little too much winter weight I didn’t really care what she had to say but I did like to hear Mrs Tramill talk Her voice was very soothing And she knew a lot about the dogs in town but also about the world I did go to Harvard Mrs Tramill told everyone whether they asked or not Mrs Tramill would giggle as she said it but the tagline on her website and business cards said BEST-EDUCATED DOG GROOMER IN THE WORLD Oh people think I’m showing off she would say But I hate it when people assume things about me you know I love to surprise people Her love of surprises is probably why she loved transforming raggedy poodles into perfectly coiffed that means hair-done dogs After blowing my hair dry Mrs Tramill 4
said Ah much better You’re a proper poodle now She slid a mirror in front of me and said Whatcha think Now that was the Louis I knew Back to my usual amazing self Mrs Tramill had worked her magic and made Harvard proud and not a moment too soon While I was enjoying one of Mrs Tramill’s homemade and organic chewies in my waiting kennel Lisa came back to get me Mrs Tramill snapped open the cage and handed my leash to Lisa I wagged and wagged Lisa told me how handsome I looked and how nice I smelled It’s the spray Mrs Tramill said I add a bit of lemon Wonderful And sorry I was late Lisa said But I got a phone call as I was leaving Oh Mrs Tramill said A new case 5
Mrs Tramill loved hearing about our cases probably so she could tell her next client all about them Actually yes Lisa said Though it’s a rough one Oh really Mrs Tramill said Her eyebrows raised high on her face This isn’t something to be gossiped about Lisa said These are real people with real feelings Of course Mrs Tramill said I only repeat this stuff to the dogs Lisa laughed Of course I can’t tell you details Helper Hounds work is private but a boy is being teased because of his race Mrs Tramill gasped That’s horrid Yes it is The kids in his class laughed at him when they heard him speaking Danish They thought it was funny to see a Black kid speaking it 6
Mrs Tramill shook her head That’s awful Kids can be so mean and foolish That child should be celebrated He knows two languages Three actually His dad is from Denmark and his mom is from Jamaica So he speaks English Danish and Patois Lisa said He’s a real international kid I wish I could meet him I studied languages a bit you know at Harvard Lisa smiled and cut her off before she could continue It’s so hard when kids are mean Lisa said I think that’s why I like dogs so much Dogs don’t judge or care what people look like Mrs Tramill said But then her eyes drifted away Well except for And then Mrs Tramill told Lisa all about Duke the miniature schnauzer and how he barked at anyone in a baseball cap Just hated those things and anyone who wore them 7
