Dog Food

Alms

A childhood friend told me her mom used to find us under their stairwell eating dog biscuits, pretending we were homeless. We were seriously method in our acting. I had a fascination with homeless people because of a book I'd read called The Family Under The Bridge. It makes me sick now to think I was eating dog food like a forgotten elder, but kids practice their play with rigorous dedication.
Kiki has been pretending she is a dog for the last couple days. George and I are also dogs in her mind. She has hardly broken from her dog character, except to correct me when when I call her Kiki instead of Cleo, or if I forget to call George T-Bone.
Even this morning, right when she cracked her eyes awake, George and I came into her room, and she said to me, "Clifford did you have a litter of puppies last night? Is that why you left me to sleep alone?"
"Yes, Cleo, I had to go have my puppies, that's why you had to sleep by yourself."
"Well, where are all your puppies?"
"Oh, I had to give them away. I had ten puppies, and thats too many mouths to feed."
Even as an adult I pretend were living in scarcity.
"George wouldn't have any milk to drink if we had to feed ten puppies."
"You mean T-bone!"
"Yes, I'm sorry. Of course, T-Bone."
"We'd run out of dog food?"
"I'm afraid so."