THE STORY LINE 56

' Spike nearly knocked over his new friend Kirby on the way out the door to set the plan in motion.

"Now where exactly are we going first?" Kirby asked, hoping for some answer this time.

"Just hurry up--and leave everything to me." said Spike.

THE STORY LINE 55

' Spike sensed the puppy's uneasiness--how could he not?--and tried to sound soothing:

"I meant only I know I can find something suitable along the way, I'm very resourceful. I'm going to take care of all the details--let's just make you the greatest Easter Puppy and things will fall into place. Now, I know you're a puppy of your word, and when you say you'll do something, you will, so let's get going! All right?"

"All right," said Kirby, not so happy with the plan any more, but not seeing any other way. If he was reunited with his family, that was all that mattered, wasn't it?

THE STORY LINE 54

' Kirby was becoming more unsettled at this side of Spike he was discovering. Should he question his friend and his motives? At first, it did see as if he was just trying to get him reunited with his family. Could it be possible that someone who said he was just trying to help might have another agenda? He said he just wanted to be loved, which was understandable--after all, everyone wants that. However, so many of the answers he was getting just raised more questions.
"In a manner of speaking?" he queried. "There are stores around in a manner of speaking?"

THE STORY LINE 53

"I'm not sharing my cupcakes with anyone," said Spike, sharply.

"You just did, with me," said the puppy, quite confused.

"I save the cupcakes for high-level strategy sessions, when I have to impress upon my guest the importance of my ideas. We can't be giving out major cupcakes to dirty little urchins who don't know any better."


"I kind of like dirty little urchins," said Kirby. I think there are some of them in my family."

"They just don't need my cupcakes," said Spike. "They'll be happy with the treats we pick up on the way."

"Are there stores open around here?"

"In a manner of speaking," said Spike.

THE STORY LINE 52

"The Easter Bunny isn't exactly known to be a yakker," said Spike. "Basically, he has to look cute and carry around a basket of goodies. You can look cute."

"OK, but where's my basket of goodies?" asked Kirby.

"We'll find some," Spike said, in a tone that did not sit well with Kirby.

"We'll find some in your pantry, like more cupcakes?" he asked, hopefully.

THE STORY LINE 51

' "I'll do it!" said Kirby.

"That's a good boy," said Spike. "Let's clear away the table and set this sucker in motion."

"Will I need a speech?" asked Kirby

"A speech?"

"You know, an Easter speech."

THE STORY LINE 50

"All we have to do is load up a basket with candy and next thing you know, your family and a lot of families will find you. You can have you pick of families!"

"It does sound tempting," said Kirby, enjoying his cupcake. "Let me think."

"Well think faster," said Spike.

THE STORY LINE 49

"I just want to be loved," said Spike. "and the ends always justify the means."

"I'm not sure what that means," said Kirby, "however I am fairly certain that impersonating the Easter Bunny is considered fraud and that whacking the Bunny--as tempting as it can be--really isn't right."

"OK, so maybe we don't whack the Bunny--but you still need to be the Easter Puppy to get your family to find you. It's not fraud--it's just like there are plenty of Santas at Christmas and no one minds."

"I'm a dog, not a bunny," Kirby protested.

"Don't let this species thing get to you. It's just a name," said Spike.

THE STORY LINE 48

"I'm not so sure I like the idea of whacking the Easter Bunny," said Kirby, "Even if it might make my family want to find me. What made you think of such a terrible plan?"

THE STORY LINE 47

"We're going to say that The Easter Bunny took sick this year, and that you're taking his place as the Easter Puppy!"

"We can't just say he's sick," Kirby argued. "Won't people know?"

"That Bunny will be sick if I have to whack him and stick every quill I've got into his big floppy ears."

THE STORY LINE 46

"Here's what I'm thinking," said Spike. "We have to make you the Easter Bunny. Everyone wants to see the Easter Bunny, so they'll come to you. I've got the candy. I can be your sidekick and everyone will like me because I give out candy."

"But there already is an Easter Bunny," said Kirby, and it's not me, and they'll know."

"I thought of that already," said Spike. "Now here's the really good part." He paused to chomp his cupcake.

THE STORY LINE 45

"Shut up and eat your cupcake, you know that's really why you're here, and I don't mind if it is the reason," said Spike, a bit prickly. "We cannot talk strategy on an empty stomach, and I have a plan that will do us both a lot of good--if we can pull it off, of course."

THE STORY LINE 44

"You have such a wonderful personality," said Kirby, politely. I'm sure I would have wanted to visit at some point."

THE STORY LINE 43

"It's all part of my training," said Spike. "I've had to become quite expert on getting people to come to me."

"I would have come to visit you anyway," said Kirby."

"Tell the truth--it wasn't a done deal until talked about the cupcakes now was it?"

THE STORY LINE 42

'True to his word, Spike had a good supply of cupcakes on hand, and set some out for himself and Kirby. who exclaimed:

"This is great, I've never had cupcakes for dinner before. What made you think of them?"

THE STORY LINE 41

"Puppets are made to fill out long impossible forms in a strange language not spoken by anyone, and told that if they ask questions about the forms, and the answers they get are wrong, then they have to fill out more forms."

"How would they know if the answers are right?" asked Kirby.

"Exactly," said Spike. "We have to stay away from this day or we will be stuck filling out forms forever."

THE STORY LINE 40

"That's my house at the edge of the field," said Spike. "I've got plenty of cupcakes for us to eat for dinner."

"You do? I really like cupcakes a lot," said Kirby. "Maybe I should just stay with you and start fresh tomorrow."

"No, we have to get you home tonight--tomorrow is a very evil day. Terrible things happen."

"Like what?" asked Kirby.

THE STORY LINE 39

"Isn't finding someone who cares about you a treat?" asked Kirby.

"I believe that's right," said Spike. "Now let's you get a little supper and we can discuss getting you back with your family tonight."

THE STORY LINE 38

"I'm sorry, Spike, I shouldn't have run off," said Kirby, trying to hug his friend.

"That's all right I'm just glad you're back."

"Now I understand the Come command, but how in the world can I use it to get my family to come to me?"

"Let's start with what it means, " said Spike. "Tell me what it meant to you that made you come running. It wasn't just the idea of a treat, now was it?"

THE STORY LINE 37

After a while, however, Kirby had further doubts about this strategy. He was getting cold and thirsty and quite hungry.

Then he heard Spike's voice: "Kirby! Come!"

Maybe I was not such a good dog, maybe I should try to be a better dog, he thought.

"Kirby! Come!" The voice was more insistent. He could not resist.

THE STORY LINE 36

This is not so bad, Kirby lied to himself. Things will work themselves out if just do nothing.

Then the day went forward with no results.

THE STORY LINE 35

"You keep going, then, I'll be right here for you," said Spike. "And even though I can get a little thorny, they will seek me out, those who run from me."

But run Kirby did, further into the field of daffodils.

THE STORY LINE 34

"Where are you going?" asked Spike. "You're already lost and you're going to get loster."

"That's not a word and I'm not listening to you!" said Kirby.

"You could die of hunger and thirst out there and no one would know," said Spike.

Kirby tried to ignore this piece of intelligence and kept going.

THE STORY LINE 33

"Do you think maybe it meant, 'Follow us, we are the way to happiness?' "

"No," said Kirby petulantly.

"Perhaps it meant, 'We love you and want you safe so come over here, please?' "

Kirby felt his cuteness had been insulted. "Must be going, now!"

THE STORY LINE 33

"Wow, you're an idiot" said Spike, with the same unfortunate honesty as before. "I know they can not have taught you that. Now think carefully, for a change: What exactly did they tell you to do when they said 'Come!' "

Kirby squirmed. "I don't remember and I resent this line of questioning."

THE STORY LINE 32

"I didn't mean to be quite so prickly," said Spike, realizing his mistake, "I just assumed that you understood what it meant, the word 'come,' as it is essential to my strategy for you."

"Of course I understand the command," said Kirby. "When they say 'come,' it means I should look cute and stand still."

THE STORY LINE 31

"You're not a very good dog, are you?" said Spike, not wishing to be thoughtless. He was just honest.

"What are you saying?" said Kirby. "Of course I'm a good dog!

THE STORY LINE 30

"I certainly have my doubts about that," said Kirby. "I mean, my family tells me to come to them all the time, and it doesn't work."

THE STORY LINE 29

Taking the time to smell the carpet worked for the Yoga Instructor. He continued the story:

"Spike felt so sorry for little Kirby, not being able to enjoy the field of daffodils because he was pushed out of the Easter Basket and lost, he told Kirby that he would get him back to his family. 'But how?' asked Kirby. 'I think I'm lost forever.'

'The trick,' said Spike, who'd had a lot of time to himself in his life to figure out problems, 'the trick is to make them come to you!'

THE STORY LINE 28

"This is a fascinating story line," said the Head Guy. "Don't stop!"

The Yoga Instructor had to think quickly for some delay so he'd have a chance to figure out the ending of his long tale. "Hold on," he said, "I have to take the time to smell the carpet."