“Arooror”, squealed my dog Cisco.

“Sorry Gogo. Are you alright?” I asked while I stretched out my hand to him.

“Grrrrr”, he growled.

“Eeeeep”, I screeched as he tried to bite me. My dad had just walked in ready to take out his meatloaf from the oven.

“Why is Cisco limping? He asked.

“I don’t know”, I squeaked

I was scared of what he would do if he knew I was riding my 25lb dog like he was a horse, even though I knew I was 20lbs more than Cisco. I knew he was little but I didn’t mean to hurt him. I wanted to reassure my dad that Cisco would be ok, even though I knew he wouldn’t listen until he knew the truth. Also I didn’t want to lie to dad a second time. After three minutes of just standing there I went outside.

After about thirty minutes, my dad came out and yelled, “Brian get in the house right this instant.”

I knew that I would have to dig myself out of this gigantic ditch.

“What happened to Cisco?” he asked calmly even though I could tell that he was mad by the blue fire deep in his eyes.

I said, “I don’t know daddy.”

Didn’t he know that I would be very upset is something happened to Gogo? I thought.

Dad knew I was lying.

So he said quietly, “Just tell me what happened to Cisco. I promise I won’t be mad.”

I knew dad would be mad. “I really don’t know,” I said again. He got so frustrated that he banged his hand on the table, splintering the table top.

After 5 minutes, he finally cooled down.

“I am going to take Cisco to the vet, and if I find out that you hurt Cisco you will be grounded for a whole week,” he said raising his voice with each syllable.

I was cowering behind a chair thinking, that’s like a year in a 5 year olds mind.

Dad went to the vet the next morning. He was back around twelve o’clock pm. I was taking my daily nap, when he slammed the door almost bringing it off the hinges. I knew that he had found out that Gogo’s leg was broken. Dad confronted me again. I refused to tell the truth. But after he threatened to take Barney away, which was my favorite stuffed animal at the time, I finally caved. I told him that I saw Cisco peeing in my room. I got so frustrated that I kicked him in his hind leg.

By the time I finished talking, dad had steam coming out if his ears, mouth, and nose. His face was as red as a ripe tomato. I knew he was furious. Now I’m glad he didn’t know the truth, which was that I was riding Cisco like he was a horse.

Now I’m thirteen years old and ever since then I have always wondered if I should’ve told him that I was riding Cisco like he was a horse.