Kenny and Lester’s Night-Time Adventure.
Dog parks are very different at night than during the day.
Kenny and Lester were two small, scrappy dogs who lived in a cozy house at the end of Maple Street. Kenny was a spunky pug with boundless energy and a mischievous glint in his eye. Lester, on the other hand, was a gentle Labrador Retriever, mostly black, but with a heart of gold and a tendency to follow wherever Kenny led. They were inseparable, and together they embarked on many adventures, whether it was chasing squirrels in the backyard or digging up buried treasures.
One summer evening, as the sun dipped below the horizon and the sky turned a dusky pink, Kenny had an idea that sent a thrill through his tiny frame. The neighborhood dog park was a magical place during the day, filled with other dogs to play with, interesting smells, the usual butt-whiffing, and wide-open spaces to run. But Kenny had always wondered what it would be like at night when the park was empty, and the world was quiet. Maybe it was even more magical!
“Kenny, what are you thinking about?” Lester asked, noticing the gleam in Kenny’s eye.
“Lester, how about maybe we go to the dog park tonight? Just the two of us. Imagine the fun we could have with the whole place to ourselves!” Kenny suggested, his tail wagging furiously.
Lester’s eyes widened, like Lab’s eyes do, with a mixture of excitement and apprehension. “But what about our humans? Our people will be worried if they find out we’re gone.”
Kenny waved a paw dismissively. “We’ll be back before they even notice! Besides, it’ll be an adventure. Let’s DO it!”
Lester hesitated for a moment but finally nodded. “Alright, let’s do it. But we have to be very careful.”
As night fell and the house grew quiet, Kenny and Lester eased through their doggy-door to the patio, and then snuck out through a small gap in the privacy fence that enclosed the patio, that they had discovered weeks ago. They darted through the shadows, their paws barely making a sound on the cool grass, and they quietly tip-toed across the parking areas. The moon hung low in the sky, casting a spooky, silver glow over the whole neighborhood.
When they reached the neighborhood dog park, the sight that greeted them was nothing short of enchanting. The park, usually bustling with activity, was now a serene oasis bathed in moonlight. The trees cast long shadows, moving in the evening breeze, but the play structures stood still, silent and inviting.
“Kenny, this is amazing!” Lester exclaimed, his eyes wide with wonder.
“I thought it would be,” Kenny replied with a grin. “Now, let’s play!”
The two dogs raced around the park, chasing each other and playing a game of tag. In fact, because of the difference in their sizes, Lester knocked Kenny over once or twice tagging him. They explored every nook and cranny, sniffing out new scents and discovering hidden corners they had never noticed before. It was a night filled with joy and laughter, and for a long while, it felt like nothing could go wrong.
But as they were racing around one corner of the fenced-in part, Lester suddenly skidded to a halt, his ears perked up. “Kenny, did you hear that?”
Kenny stopped and listened. In the distance, they heard the faint sound of footsteps and a low, gruff voice. “It’s probably just someone taking a late-night walk,” Kenny said, though he couldn’t shake the feeling of unease creeping up his spine.
The footsteps grew louder, and the voice became clearer. “Here, doggie, doggie. Come on out.”
It was the dog-catcher, a grisly, disheveled, overweight government public servant who was disliked categorically by almost every member of the public he “served.”
Kenny’s eyes widened even wider than pug-eyes are normally. “Lester, that’s the dog-catcher! We need to hide, now!”
They dashed behind a large shrub, their hearts pounding in their chests. Peering through the leaves, they saw the dog-catcher was holding a net and a flashlight, scanning the park.
“I know you’re out here,” the dog-catcher called out. “One of the neighbors called us.”
“Come on out, and it’ll be easier for both of us.”
Kenny’s mind raced as he tried to come up with a plan. They couldn’t stay hidden forever, and they certainly didn’t want to get caught. He looked at Lester, who was trembling beside him. “Lester, he probably doesn’t know if we’re little, or big and bitey. We just need to find a way to distract him. Let’s try something.”
Kenny darted out from behind the bush, staying low to the ground as he made his way towards the dog-catcher’s van parked near the entrance. Lester followed closely, his heart pounding in his chest. When they reached the van, Kenny thought of an idea.
“Lester, help me make some noise,” Kenny whispered.
The two dogs started growling at each other low and rustling behind the van and making a bit of a clatter like they were going to fight each other, or attack something. The dog-catcher’s flashlight beam swung around in their direction. “What was that?”
Kenny and Lester quickly darted underneath the van, staying hidden in the shadows. The dog-catcher approached the van, his footsteps heavy on the asphalt.
“May’ve been a raccoon,” the dog-catcher muttered, mostly to convince himself that he was not in any unseen danger, he moved the flashlight beam away from the van.
Kenny nudged Lester. “Now’s our chance. Let’s sneak out the other side and make a run for it.”
They carefully crawled out from under the van and, keeping low to the ground, made their way to the darker, far side of the park. The dog-catcher was still focused on the noise they had made over near the van, giving them the perfect opportunity to escape.
Once they were far enough away, Kenny and Lester broke into a run, their paws pounding on the ground as they raced back towards their home. They didn’t stop until they were safely back in their own back patio, panting and out of breath.
“We made it,” Lester said, collapsing onto the cool concrete.
Kenny nodded, his eyes still wide with adrenaline. “That was close. Too close. But we did it, Lester. We had our adventure.”
Lester smiled, his fear slowly melting away. “Yeah, we did. But maybe next time, we should stick to daytime adventures.”
Kenny laughed, a sound of pure relief. “Agreed. But it was still a night to remember, wasn’t it?”
“The big dog catcher’s van was both the danger AND the very key to our escape.”
Lester nodded, the memories of their moonlit romp through the park still filling his mind. “It definitely was. And we got away from the dog-catcher, thanks to your quick-thinking.”
Kenny puffed out his chest with pride. “We do make a great team, Lester. There’s nothing we can’t do together.”
As they settled down in their favorite spot in the patio, the first light of dawn began to creep over the horizon. They knew their people would be waking up soon, and they wanted to be back through their doggy-door and inside before anyone noticed their absence.
With one last glance at the night sky, Kenny and Lester squeezed back through the flap in the back door and quietly made their way into the house. They curled up in their beds, their hearts still racing but filled with the thrill of their nighttime escapade.
And as they drifted off to sleep, they knew that no matter what adventures lay ahead, they would face them together, side by side, ready for whatever the world might throw their way.