This week I covered one of my favrite events of the Season: Fredo Henry’s Birthday Paw-ty. An I know it’s on the Must-Do list of a buncha of you Orchid pooches, too.
Fredo’s a Cool Kibbles liddle Cavapoo who lives in Orchid, an extraordinarily Dog-Frenly place. Fredo’s been a good pal for years, and he’s always been an in-spuh-RAY-shun to me cuzza how much he not only cares about Pooches Less Fortunate; he DOES something about it.
He got the idea when he saw a news story about dogs starving, in tiny liddle cages. He had NO IDEA before that. Fredo’d been havin’ birthday “paw-tys” with his Orchid neighbors his whole life, so he decided he’d make his next one, his 4th birthday, just as fun, with treats an lotsa runnin’ around, but also have a Serious Purpose: collectin’ stuff for the Humane Society an H.A.L.O., who both rescue Pooches Less Fortunate.
He got his Mom an Dad, Michele an Cliff, to help, an they all pitched in an threw a Totally Cool Kibbles Paw-ty for all the Orchid pooches, an their humans. It was a huge success, an now Fredo’s Birthday Paw-ty is one of the Most Highly Anticipated Swah-RAYS of the Canine Social Season.
From the looks of the crowd, I think this year, Fredo’s Big One Oh, was the biggest yet, at least 40 pooches, different sizes, shapes an breeds, havin’ A Blast, an their humans, too, almost a hundred, it looked like.
One of the poocheroos I met was Moby Gulley, a hansome gruh-GARY-us Golden Retriever, who trotted over an introduced himself. “You’re The Bonz, right? I heard you were coming. I figured it was you, cuzza your notebook. Great to meet you! I’m Moby Gulley. Got that name cuz my Dad, Phil (he’s a real kidder), says I’m big as another Moby from up in Nantucket, where we go every year. Him an Mom (she’s Joan) are around here somewhere. This shindig just keeps gettin’ more Cool Kibbles each year. I mean, the eats are duh-LI-shuss! There’s even foodstuffs for the humans.
“You know what I ’specially like about Fredo’s pawty? It’s the duh-VER-sitty. I mean, look at all the different dogs. An THIS year, we’re helpin’ CATS, as well. Never thought I’d see the day. Me, I’m a fan of cats. I also like birds. An Pigs. Pigs are smart. Didja know that?”
“No. No I didn’t,” I replied. Indeed, I thought to myself, I had never considered the intellectual capabilities of fellow creatures of the porcine persuasion.
Fredo’d been workin’ the crowd, glad-pawin,’ makin’ sure everybody had snacks an was havin’ a good time. He spotted me an came over. He was wearin’ a crown.
“Bonz! Dog! Great seein’ you! Crispy Biscuits turnout, doncha think? This pack o’ pooches sure knows how to have fun, but without any, you know, ISH-yous. I mean, this dog park’s real close to a golf course anna pond, an although everybody’s Off Leash, not a single poocherooo is runnin’ out on the fairway or takin’ a dip.”
“Definitely impressive, Fredo,” I agreed, adding, “Couldn’t help but notice your headgear. It’s very jaunty.”
He laughed. “It is, isn’t it? A nice human fren of Mom’s, Miss Marylou, gave it to me in honor of my being The Big One Oh, and beating cancer.”
“Woof, Fredo, I didn’t know. Dog, that musta been ruff. You look great! Thank Lassie, you made it through! I can’t imagine all the hard work you an your humans did to put this pawsome pawty together. You ARE The Dog!”
“Thanks, Bonz. I had great vets, an great support from my frens. It was all definitely a Team Effort,” he added modestly. “Say, there’s someone I’d like you to meet.”
A perky liddle Havanese trotted up and stopped right next to Fredo, smiling sweetly.
“This is my special lady fren, Lola Lamport. Lola, this is the writer I’ve told you about, from the PAY-per: Bonzo.”
“A great pleasure, Miss Lola,” I said.
“The pleasure is mine, Mr. Bonzo,” she replied. “An I’m so happy this wonderful project of Fredo’s gets the recognition it deserves. There are So Many Pooches Less Fortunate. As Rin-Tin-Tin said, ‘From the dog to whom much is given, much is expected.’”
Me an Fredo nodded in agreement. Just as Fredo an Lola turned back to the party-goers, I was approached by a great lookin’ Border Collie, with the casual swagger those herdin’ superstars all seem to have.
“I know you! The Bonz! I’m Ziggy Starkey, named for Ziggy Stardust cuz I have, see here, one blue an one brown eye. I brought my humans this year, Ann an AC. We all helped Fredo put this thing together. Hadda bring our corkscrew cuz Fredo forgot his. A few years back, I’d be herdin’ this bunch, makin sure they stayed inside the lines, if you know what I mean. But, at 12-anna-half, I’m slowin’ down a bit, an besides, I wouldn’t have to go to work at THIS pawty anyway, cuz these dudes don’t need herdin’, so I’m just hangin’ on the sidelines.”
“Great crowd,” I noted. “Not so much as a GRRR.”
“No Woof!” said Ziggy. “I’ve seen my Best Bud Cooper, an Polly, an I buh-leeve Lexie’s here somewhere. I saw you yappin’ with Lola. I think there’s some new pooches, too. An the coolest thing, a human lady who didn’t have an ackshull dog brought this sweet liddle dog stuffy.”
I wudda stayed the whole time if I hadn’t had to get back to write. Fredo Woofmailed me later that this year’s donations were “HUGE! They filled two vans with food, cookies, bedding, towels, toys, an raised $1,200 of munny.”
Heading home, I was thinkin’ how I totally agreed with Moby about duh-VER-sitty. I, too, have become a fan of cats. An the occasional bird. An, should I ever meet a pig, I would certainly take the opportunity to engage him or her in conversation. I’d probably learn something.
Till next time,
