“How many times do I have to tell you? Not yet!” Millions of parents chided millions of school children home for the special occasion. Restless children counted the days, hours and minutes until the history-making event, "The Incredible Talking Dog," was to appear on live TV. During the final countdown, brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers, people who didn’t even know one another, competed for the best view.
The evening of the telecast, Herman waited nervously in the “eye” of the storm, Victoria’s dressing room. A whirlwind of broadcast activity revolved around him. Then he was alone.
“If only Bijou were here, I wouldn’t feel so lonely and afraid,” Herman confided to his likeness in the dressing room mirror. “I never realized how much she means to me. And now she’s gone.”
Gee, he thought glumly. I’m beginning to sound like Thomas. I can’t seem to shake the feeling that something terrible is going to happen tonight. Herman had reason to worry. A shadow darted among the gloomy passages of the studio’s basement intent on reaching a destination.
Several months ago, a clever man applied for a temporary position as one of Victoria Vickers’ bodyguards on board the Victory. He created fake documents that gave him a spotless false identity. “Twenty years as a police officer, commended for bravery…” the imaginary police captain wrote.
The crafty man gained access to key areas on board the Victory. Everything went smoothly and according to plan. Nabbing the poodle was a piece of cake.
And now a sinister grin crossed the man’s face. He listened carefully outside the door, his intended destination.
“Let’s see if the talking dog wants this silly white thing.” He laughed quietly into the terror-stricken face of the muzzled poodle clutched in his arms. “I bet we can do a neat little exchange. Then we can take up where we left off.”
Herman looked up, startled by the sharp knock on Victoria’s dressing room door. “Mr. Herman. I’m here to escort you to the set.”
So soon? They told me I still had twenty minutes a little while ago. That voice… where have I heard that voice?
Curious, Herman answered, "Come in."
Whistling a little tune, a guard in a crisp uniform entered and closed the door behind him. He carried a sack with something struggling to get out. Whatever was inside the sack was making a muffled gurgling noise.
The instant Herman’s inquiring gaze met the hate-filled eyes, he knew for certain who they belonged to. The dark hair was short and neatly combed, but those eyes and the voice were unmistakable. Herman winced from the memory, the choke chain once again chafing his raw neck. His first impulse was to hide under Victoria’s daybed. But the muffled cries and violent movement in the sack changed his mind. This time Herman resolved to stick it out.
“OK, Alex. You want me? You can have me. But the poodle stays.” Herman thrust out his chin in defiance.
“I knew you’d be smart about this. I always thought you were a smart doggie. I have big plans for my talking doggie. Sam’s gone, but I won’t lose another dog, no siree.”
Alex jerked Bijou from the coarse sack, offering her trembling body to Herman like a carrot dangling in front of a horse. Her delicate snout was taped shut with silver duct tape, but nothing could hide the pleading look in the soft brown eyes.
“Release her and I swear I’ll go with you peacefully,” Herman said. All the while, his gaze never left the quivering poodle. It must be time for the real guard to escort me to the set, Herman reasoned trying to remain calm. If I can just stall Alex a little longer.
Alex backed against the far wall. Many of Victoria’s prized awards decorated an upper shelf spanning the entire length of the wall. A knock on the door distracted Alex, which set off a chain reaction. He up-ended the shelf and its heavy contents crashed down on the startled man.
Temporarily stunned, he lost his grip on Bijou. Seeing her chance, she dashed behind Herman. But the worst was yet to come. The dogs braced themselves for the soccer-sized brass globe, dislodged from its pedestal, hurtling straight toward them. Herman shielded Bijou with his body. The ball thudded heavily, its thirty pounds denting the hardwood floor not eight feet in front of them. It bounced a couple of times, picking up speed. The brass globe targeted the dogs as surely as a bowling ball heads for a two-pin spare.
Sheer panic gripped Herman. He struggled against his fear more than any human enemy he’d ever faced. He realized in one split second that the ball was his fear.
“Nooooooo!” With the power and grace of a World Cup soccer star, Herman rushed to meet the ball with a head butt to rival David Beckham. A stroke of luck sent the spinning globe on a brand new path racing toward Alex’s head.
Rocky entered in time to witness the winning point. “Goal! Hey man, way to go!”
Guards carried the unconscious Alex to a waiting police van. Herman was more dazed than hurt. The steel plate implanted in his skull during the brain surgery proved to be a formidable weapon. Bijou gasped as they cut the last pieces of fur-coated duct tape from her tender snout. “Sniff, sniff,” she whimpered, relieved to be rid of the dreadful binding.
What seemed a lifetime to Herman had lasted less than ten minutes. “Now I know how Scrooge felt when he discovered he hadn’t missed Christmas,” he chuckled, rubbing his sore head with his paw.
Victoria pulled Herman aside, away from the well-intentioned crowd. “Herman, are you quite sure you want to do this?” Lines of concern furrowed her brow. “No one would blame you if you decide to put off your speech. You look exhausted.”
“No, Victoria. You’ve gone to considerable expense and people are expecting me. I can’t let them down.”
Herman took a deep breath, extending his body to its full stature. “I’m ready.”
“There’s just one more thing before you go on, Herman.” Victoria opened the door and five dogs of varying sizes bounded into the room, engulfing a startled Herman.
“Hey guys! How did you get here? I thought you were goners by now?”
All of his friends from the animal shelter tried to explain at once. Arf arf, ruff, ruff, ruff, woof, bow-wow! It really did look like The World’s Funniest Animal Videos.
One clear deep voice—that of an elder statesman—rose above the others. It was Jackson. A hush fell over the group. In a few brief phrases, Jackson described how they came to be there. It was all Victoria’s doing.