When Cats and Dogs Dream

Bernard stretched, front legs and paws then back legs and paws.  He settled down on the fluffy rug and wagged his tail.  Thump thump thump.  He’d had a really good dream.  It was all about chasing squirrels and getting muddy and digging around in the garbage.  It was marvelous.

He jumped up.  He needed to tell somebody about his amazing dream!  Where was Sasha?  She would understand.  Cats liked chasing things, right?  And who didn’t like garbage?  It was full of hidden treasures.  Everybody liked treasures.

Bernard checked the living room.  No Sasha.  She wasn’t in the spare room, either.  Maybe she was in the kitchen eating breakfast?  Food sounded good.  He really should go check the kitchen right now.

He rushed into the kitchen.  His bowl was full of food.  This really was a great morning.  Chomp chomp chomp.  His bowl was empty.  Food always disappeared so quickly.  He looked over.  There was still food in Sasha’s bowl.  Would she mind if he took just one little bite?

He leaned over and heard a hissing sound from behind him.  Feeling a little guilty, he turned around.  Sasha was crouching on the counter, and the end of her tail was twitching.  “Sasha,” Bernard said.  “Good morning!”

“What’s good about it?” Sasha asked.  Her eyes narrowed.  “Were you going to eat my food, Bernard?”

“Well maybe just a taste,” Bernard began.  Sasha started to growl.  Bernard backed up a step.  “No!  I meant, of course not.”  He walked away from the bowls and around the edge of the counter.

“Hmmmm,” Sasha said.  Her tail continued to twitch.

“Actually, I was looking for you,” Bernard said.  “I wanted to tell you about this great dream I had.  There was a squirrel and I got muddy and then the garbage was there and it was really really great.”

“Hmm.” Sasha turned her back on him and started licking a paw.

“You’re in a bad mood today, Sasha,” Bernard said.  “Did you have a bad dream?”

Sasha turned and crouched low again, looking down over the edge of the counter.  “I had a very good dream,” she said.  Her voice was low and angry.

“Then why aren’t you happy?  Did someone step on your tail again?” Bernard asked.

“I’ll tell you what happened,” Sasha said.   Her tail flicked from side to side.  Flick flick flick.  “I woke up.”

“Well, it was a dream,” Bernard said.  “You can’t stay in them forever.”

Sasha growled.  “Are you making fun of me?”

“No, I just don’t understand,” Bernard said.  “Why are you angry?”

“I had a wonderful dream where everything was perfect, and then I woke up,” Sasha said.  “And none of it was real.  It was horrible.”

Bernard scratched behind his ear with a paw.  “Huh.”  He scratched behind the other ear.  Sasha licked her paw again.  Suddenly, Bernard sat up.  “Wait, I get it,” he said.

Sasha rolled her eyes.  “Do you?”

Bernard wagged his tail against the floor.  Thump thump thump.  “I do.  I do.  It’s like that glass of water on the counter.”

Sasha looked at the glass.  “What about it?”

“When I look at the glass, I see it as half full.  But you’re the type who looks at it and thinks it’s half empty,” Bernard said.  “That’s what happened.”

Sasha darted out a paw and knocked the glass of water off the counter.  It spilled all over Bernard.  “You don’t make any sense at all,” she said.  Then she leapt off the counter and started eating her breakfast.

Bernard shook the water off his fur.  That was refreshing.  Today was such a great day.  Maybe he could find someone to take him on a walk.  He hurried out of the room, wagging his tail.