page8 (2/2)
‘I thought I could make this place my home,’ he said, at last ‘But I think maybe I’d have better luck somewhere else I think it’s time for me to leave Move on, you know?’ At his feet Claude looked up, his eyes huge and his oversized ears strangely droopy, as if he understood every word Jack was saying and didn’t like it one bit
Bill sighed down the line ‘Son, I’ve not known you all that long, and I wouldn’t presuuess your life story But I know you were in the arht?’
‘Right,’ Jack said, wondering where the olderwith this
‘And now you’re looking to put down roots,’ Bill went on ‘But the thing is, roots take tiet comfy like, before they can stretch out and really take hold in the dirt It’s like the weeds in et hold of them quick, when they’ve just arrived, they co …’
‘They take root,’ Jack finished for him Was that what he needed to do? Take root? Maybe … but not in Maple Drive
‘Exactly But it does take ti doesn’t seeet those deep, strong roots you’re looking for’
‘So you’re saying no to the transfer’ Maybe Bill had a point But as Jack looked around Maple Drive – at the darkened s, the empty driveways, the locked front doors – he couldn’t help but think that none of the other people living on the street had real roots either, nothey’d lived there Why would he be any different?
‘I’ think about it some more, that’s all,’ Bill said ‘It’s Christive it until the New Year’
That was fair, Jack supposed After all, he’d already been there for months What was another couple of weeks?
‘Okay But if I still want to leave then?’ Which, as far as Jack was concerned, was a dead cert Claude shook his little head and got back up on all fours, padding over to the edge of the bus shelter, pulling his lead taut
‘Then I’ll fast track your transfer myself,’ Bill promised ‘Deal?’
‘Deal’
‘Good Now get on with your round’ The phone line went dead, and Jack smiled as he slipped his phone back into his pocket
Bill was right; he had deliveries still to ’s family to find – even if it already see
med like the McCawleys were another family that didn’t have roots here in Maple Drive, he still had to try
‘Co away fro very sate ‘We’re not done here yet’
The afternoon was fading into evening before Jack had finishedhis rounds Turned out, he didn’t just deliver post on our street, but all the streets surrounding them Once we’d tried all the houses on Maple Drive that had humans at ho we’d come back and do the rest later, whenlongingly of my cosy basket and my red blanket Or even Perdita’s food bowl, for that matter!
Buttoo I’d heard every word of his phone call, even if he hadn’t known I understood He didn’t want to stay in Maple Drive
Just like Daisy and Oliver, he’d be leaving me behind
‘Not too many more now, boy’ Jack bent over to rub between my ears, which I appreciated At least he seemed pleased to have me around for now
The other occupants of Maple Drive had been less keen
I’d expected it from the humans I’d noticed in the past that while people could be very attached to their own pets, sometimes they were less fond of other people’s That certainly seemed the case in Maple Drive Of the four houses that had people at home, only one had reached down to pat my head One! The others had hardly looked atvery rude about my ears
The worst part was, none of them knehere Daisy, Oliver and the children were And I couldn’t explain ferry, France and chateau to them
Still, I’d hoped that I ht have soured that they, at least, would be syht know about ferry, France and chateau Even better, with Jack leaving, ht be able to take me in Just in case my people didn’t come home anytime soon
There were more pets on Maple Drive than I’d realised, actually Some of them I’d seen around before – soarden But I’d never really had a proper conversation with any of them before today
At one house, Iwith great exciterabbed his collar While Jack recited his question about ain, I barked a quick, quiet question of ood home?’
The spaniel’s response was typically enthusiastic ‘It’s the best! I love it here! There are treats and scratches and tummy rubs all the time!’