Curiosity Helps The Dog

Just as the ram-branded truck drove by the farmland, we leaped off its compartment and softly landed on the soft grass below us. A few metres ahead lies a life, an adventure. A new world.

I really don't understand why most of us would rather prefer to live comfortably in our owner's home rather than venturing out to the unknown. I mean, is dog food what we really think it is? Are there trees we don't know of that are better than what we do know? Well, I guess you could say my sudden disappearance occurred thanks to these questions. Curiosity apparently. Lucky for me, I hear it only kills cats. But let's start from the beginning. Where this all came to be.

The sun's premature light streams into the kitchen and gently strokes my eye. The whole family were already up. My female owner was in the kitchen, frying eggs and bacon for her husband and her son. Once breakfast was constructed, I gently stood up from my bed and ambled on all fours towards the meal for this hour. Once they all had their fair share, I got the rest of it. For half the day, I was able to chase squirrels, cats, weird looking people that walk up to our lawn holding packages, and check out dogs new to the neighbourhood. Sniffing them if you'd like. Real productive if you ask me. The other half is spent stalking my owners and strengthening my jaw muscles by chewing on things. This lifestyle was repetitive until the day I met him.

On a warm afternoon in the populated city of New York, I lay down on the soft grass which always seems to stroke my back behind my owner's home. Pondering on the thought of me flying in the air. I begin to sleep only to be shook awake by a shadow figure above me. I know it's a dog since I sniffed it before it approached me, but to be sure, I rolled over and glanced up to notice a dog without a collar.

"Who are you?", I questioned.

"I'm Oscar.", he responded.

"Right. What are you doing in my home?"

"Well I see that you're a dog with an owner. I am here to change your view on your whole life."

"Hmm. I don't know if you can but I'll give you a chance."

"Great! Let's start off with this. Do you know there are more trees out there than you realize?"

Just like that, Oscar and I became good friends. He taught me what life was outside my home. Outside my comfortable living area. The more he told me about it, the more my curiosity intensified. After three months of Oscar's speaking, I decided to take my chance and go on an adventure with him to anywhere but here. The set day was on a Friday which was tomorrow so before leaving, I made sure to passionately lick my home owner's goodbye as they were kind people who treated me with care and love. It was Friday, the day of my departure. Apparently, Oscar was able to plan how we leave this city by riding inside a large truck's compartment delivering canned dog goods which was to leave New York this afternoon.

We were able to reach the truck and get in without being noticed. A few minutes after, we sensed motion. The truck has begun its course. Oscar told me that its destination was a province in Canada called Saskatchewan although we would be making stops to states and provinces before reaching there. But to me, the destination of this truck was an adventure regardless of where we land.

I watched day pass into night and into day again. Every few hours, the truck stopped for some reason. Oscar and I used these opportunities to get some fresh air, eat the canned dog foods provided, and unwind.

Oscar asked, "Have you visited any countries?"

"No.", I responded.

"I guess your owners didn't think travel was a priority."

" I mean they considered it." I hesitated. "But that doesn't count does it?"

"Of course not." He swerved his head around. " I guess this trip helped you understand the meaning of travel. You're welcome."

We were able to get back on the truck and resume our journey. After a few days of napping, eating, talking, and unwinding, I began to notice the transition from cities to grassland. The green and yellow grass seemed to want to tower over us and run through the flat land for miles simultaneously. We watched the grass wave side to side as if it was greeting us. We reached Saskatchewan. Land of the living skies. The beautiful scenery was worth it. Never have I seen such landscape sitting right in front of me. The truck halted and we took some time to relax and play within the grass. The sensation of the land was different than the city. The grassland enveloping us was quieter than the city. The air was cleaner. I felt more alive here than I ever did anywhere else. Unfortunately, we had to eventually get back into the truck because we were not at our fixed destination.

"This place is a real wonder!", I remarked.

"That's true.", Oscar responded. " I've been here before though, so I'm not as surprised as you are right now."

"I'm surprised after all these past days, the truck driver hasn't discovered us yet."

"That's exactly why I chose this ri-"

"Ok, ok, ok."

Oscar gave me a look of irritation before sleeping off. I thought to myself if leaving my beloved owners behind was for the best. I was always a curious dog since birth but I never imagined it would take me this far. I guess I can blame Oscar for further igniting my curiosity. If not for him, I would have still been at home eating delicious leftover meals and sleeping comfortably in my cotton bed. Well it is what it is. Although, some dogs don't believe that journeying is their purpose and living under the work and care of their owners is the best purpose they can live. I disagree. We are capable of so much more than just being idle in our comfortable living conditions. Anyway, that's probably just a few dogs out there and I. My head popped out the compartment to watch the glittering stars watch me before dozing off into the dark space beneath me dreaming of the adventure and amount of curiosity growing inside of me that is about to be quenched. As I say, curiosity helps the dog.