Goldisnack and the Three Chairs

A bedtime story from Mia Cope

Things get quiet around our house after 9:00 p.m. Momma and Daddy like to slow things down and begin their predictable preparations for bed. I’m often left for my own preparations. Unless I’m really sleepy, I will often settle down with my seahorse friend, Marina. We love to tell stories during this special time.

Mia and Marina: Story Time

Last night, I shared one of my favorites with Marina — Goldisnack and the Three Chairs.

Once upon a time, there was a little girl Husky named Goldisnack.

Goldisnack was a very active little dog and often found herself a little hungry between meals. Her Momma and Daddy would provide a few snacks during the day, but she was always on the lookout for tasty treats.

One afternoon, Goldisnack was exploring for goodies when she bounded through the living room and rounded the corner into the kitchen. And wonder on wonder, she spotted them — the Three Chairs.

Now these weren’t just any chairs. They were the chairs surrounding the kitchen table where her Momma and Daddy and their guests ate most of their meals. Goldisnack had seen her Momma diligently clean the kitchen after every meal. Even though she had little hope, Goldisnack decided to swing by just in case.

First, she approached the guest chair. The last guest had been Momma and Daddy’s grandson. She sniffed and sniffed. But it had been far too long since he had visited. Momma had cleaned that chair many times and there were no morsels to be found.

The next chair was Momma’s. Goldisnack remembered seeing her Momma sitting there just a few minutes before as she wrote notes to friends. And Goldisnack knew that Momma occasionally snacked on cashews when she was at the table. So Goldisnack approached with greater hope. Alas, her Momma, knowing that cashews and other nuts are not healthy treats for dogs had checked and checked again to make certain that none were left behind.

The last chair was Goldisnack’s Daddy’s chair. After finding nothing around the first two chairs, Goldisnack didn’t take even a step closer. What was the use? But then, she noticed something that looked out of place. Moving cautiously, Goldisnack edged her way forward. That little out-of-place-something grew larger and larger.

Goldisnack sniffed. To her surprise, she caught a whiff of something tasty. Nudging the seat cushion with her nose, Goldisnack was delighted to find a sizeable piece of a pretzel. She greedily grabbed it and was backing away from the table when she heard footsteps.

Goldisnack headed quickly for the door and was moving rapidly to her spot by the front door when she heard her Daddy say, “Hey, that’s my pretzel!”

Never looking back, Goldisnack sidestepped the coffee table and, seconds later slid across the tile. And with a delicate munch, she downed the last bit of the pretzel and curled up on the rug. With her Daddy still muttering from the kitchen, Goldisnack sighed and wagged her tail ever so slightly.

And that’s the story of Goldisnack and the Three Chairs.