Mr. Pug & Mr. Other Pug

Mr. Pug and Mr. Other Pug got off the bus at the corner of Hunter and Mott Streets.

“What are we doing here?” asked Mr. Other Pug.

“Well, I don’t know what you’re doing here,” barked Mr. Pug. “Seems like you followed me without knowing where I was going.”

“Of course I did, I’m an ‘always-hungry’ pug,” said Mr. Other Pug. “I’d follow you anywhere if you had a treat.”

“Well I don’t have a treat,” said Mr. Pug.

“So you’re saying you don’t have a treat?” asked Mr. Other Pug.

“Nope,” replied Mr. Pug. “But I do have a job.”

“A job?” asked Mr. Other Pug, incredulously. “Where did you get a job?”

“Over there,” said Mr. Pug, pointing towards the ominous grey building down the block.

“The hospital?” questioned Mr. Other Pug. “You have a job at the hospital?”

“Man, you ask a lot of questions,” replied Mr. Pug. “Yes, I’m the new head nurse.”

“I’m calling bull,” said Mr. Other Pug. “You have to go to school to be a nurse. You can’t even read.“

They reached the front door to the hospital.

“Test me,” challenged Mr. Pug.

“Ok,” countered Mr. Other Pug. “What word is this: “w-a-l-k-i-e-s.”

“Dammit, I hear that word spelled out everyday and I’ve never learned it,” said Mr. Pug,

“Nurses need to be able to spell,” said Mr. Other Pug. “You can’t, so you can’t be a nurse. Case closed.”

“Well, I answered an ad and they called me up,” said Mr. Pug, pulling on scrubs and looping a stethoscope around his neck. “I must have some credentials they thought were impressive. Nurses heal and I’m here to heal.

Mr. Pug confidently walked into the lobby and up to the reception desk with Mr. Other Pug following right behind. Mr. Pug got up on his hind legs and looked at the receptionist.  She was on the phone and didn’t notice them.

“Hi, I’m here,” said Mr. Pug. “I’m here to heal.”

The receptionist looked at Mr. Pug and Mr. Other Pug and casually tossed a clipboard their way.

“Ask her for a treat,” whispered Mr. Other Pug.

Mr. Pug shushed Mr. Other Pug and then tried a different tact.

“Excuse me,” said Mr. Pug. “I answered an ad? First day, here.”

She stated at them blankly and pointed at the room down the corridor.

Mr. Pug and Mr. Other Pug walked down the busy hallway. No-one noticed them. When they got to the room at the end of the hallway, they pushed the door open a little and squeezed inside.

The room was filled with beds, but the room was silent. There was a kid with a shaved head in the far bed staring out the window. There was another kid on crutches walking slowly and silently across the floor. Another kid facing a TV screen that was showing nothing but static, she was fast asleep. A fourth kid, a girl, was in a wheelchair and had a breathing tube in her mouth. They all looked sick and they all looked sad.

“This can’t be the right place,” said Mr. Pug as he turned to leave.

But Mr. Other Pug stood still. He looked around the room once more. Not one of the kids made any sound. It was unlike the sounds of happiness he heard from the kids he saw at the playground across from the dog run near their home.

Mr. Pug walked back give Mr. Other Pug a tug.

“C’mon,” he said.

“No,” said Mr. Other Pug who then did something totally unexpected. He did a flip, made a big, funny face and called out to no-one in particular.

“Who needs a pug hug?” he shouted.

“All the kids looked in his direction and squeals of delight rang thru the room. The ones in bed waved and called out in return. The little girl in the wheelchair rolled over and scooped up Mr. Pug. He looked over and noticed Mr. Other Pug giving licks to the face of the kid with the shaved head. Everyone took turns rubbing pug bellies and scritch-scratching puggy heads between puggy ears.

“You know what?” called out Mr. Other Pug while being passed from one kid to another.

“What?” asked Mr. Pug in the midst of a vigorous belly rub.

“Look how much you’re making that little girl giggle!” said Mr. Other Pug. “You ARE a nurse, after all!”