It was the summer of 2017, when I went to stay with my grandparents. I stayed at my great grandmother’s house. My grandmother and grandfather had lived there with my great grandmother ever since my great grandfather died. She lived outside of Coeur d’Alene on a big hill, there were not many people out there, and she was lonely. My brother and my parents were going to California for my brothers waterpolo team. They dropped me off at Idaho before they drove to California. I had to bring my dog, Ace, with me, because they couldn’t bring him to California. I was nervous to go, but excited too. It was my first time staying anywhere out of Oregon by myself. I was going to be there for a whole week. The first few days went smoothly, but the fourth day didn’t.

After having a slow morning, doing nothing, I was sitting in a chair covered in my blanket, watching a movie, surrounded in warmth.

“Honey, will you please go outside and watch Ace please.” My grandma asked. I just sat there. I didn’t want to go out into the brisk morning. It was too cold. So, instead I just let my dog out by himself. A little later my grandmother asked me:

 
“Sweetie, where is the dog?”
“I don’t know grandma.” I said not really worrying about it.
“Is he inside?” She asked.
“No, you told me to put him outside.” I say still not really caring.
“Honey, I told you to go outside with him.” She says. I can hear the worry in her voice.
“But, it’s too cold out there.” I say. She walks to the door and opens it. She looks out.

“Aceee!!!” She yells. I get up out of my chair and walk up to the door. By now grandma has already walked outside. I open the door to see, Ace is nowhere to be found. I walk out and stand next to my grandma. My great grandmother’s backyard had a cement deck when you walk out. It wasn’t very big, but it had a bench swing I used to love when I was younger. I still love it. At the end of the yard there are big bushes and trees. My parents and I brought Ace out here once before. He also got lost then too, and when we found him, he was just stuck back in the bushes. So, I walk back into the spiky bushes. I don’t see him anywhere, so I get out of the pokey bushes. Grandma is now crouching at one of the gates. I walk over and see what she is inspecting. She is staring at the gate pushed out, a large enough hole for a dog to get through. The panic is finally starting to settle in. My dog is special because he is a breeding dog, that means we didn’t have to pay anything for him, and technically he is not our’s yet. Because of that, if he dies or gets hurt it would have a big impact on us, emotionally and financially. Thoughts start racing through my mind, telling me will won’t find him again. I start to believe them. By now, my grandma has called my parents and told them, she also has told my grandfather, who was inside, and is now up and looking for Ace. My grandmother gets in her car and starts to pull out of the long driveway. Right behind my great grandmother’s house is a creek, and then big forest where my cousin always goes hunting. I go to the backyard and start calling for Ace, while my grandfather goes around the front of the house. My great grandmother is now out on the deck, because she is not that mobile, and my grandma is now driving around at our neighbor’s house. My great grandmother’s house is in the middle of nowhere, but she still has neighbors, close to her. As soon as my grandfather establishes that Ace is not in my great grandmother’s property, he tells me to get in his truck, and off we go. In the middle of searching, we call my grandma and tell her we are right behind her. She is talking with us, and then she tells us to hold on. We here some shuffling and then her reassuring voice.

“I’ve got him. I’ve got Ace.” She says. I sigh a breath of relief. We go back home, and watch Ace with a close eye.

My grandma makes me wash him, because he rolled in some smelly stuff. But, he looks like he had fun. Later in the day, my parents told me today was supposedly Ace’s birthday. So, now whenever we talk about that day, we call it Ace’s birthday outing. One thing I learned from that day, is that to obey, and not be so lazy, or there will be consequences.