PRINCESS AND PEST (Written for my grandson)

A dog, a flea, a happy ending.

Princess was a happy, furry dog with floppy ears and a short tail. She lived in a very large apartment in a very tall building in a very big city. 

     She called her two special helpers He and She.  They looked like giants since Princess was only eight inches tall and had to look up at them when she wanted to eat, play, or go for a walk.

     When He took a shower, Princess went with him and together they lathered up. Princess did not understand why He showered every day while Princess only showered once a week.  It seemed very unnecessary.  

     He always laughed when Princess shook herself so hard her back legs danced off the shower floor.  It wasn’t funny.  But she put up with the weekly ordeal because it meant a good brushing.  He and She brushed Princess until her red and gold fur glowed like the sun. 

     Once they finished Princess raced around the apartment with her stuffed rabbit that made a squeaky sound when she munched on it.  Princess had a perfect life until one day she felt something under her fur. 

     It itched. 

     Princess scratched. 

     Then she buried her nose under her fur and nipped at the itch.

     “Hey, watch what you’re doing,” a teeny-tiny voice called out.

     Princess pushed her little black nose deep between her fur.  A small brown dot with six legs rested on Princess’s back near her tail.

     “Who are you?” asked Princess.

     “Me?  I’m your flea.  Everyone calls me Pest,” said the brown dot with six legs.

     “Why do they call you Pest?” Princess wanted to know.

     Pest looked up and blinked his eyes.  The smallest tears dripped down.

     “That’s what the other fleas call me,” said Pest.

     At that moment another brown dot with six legs shoved through Princess’s gold and red fur. 

     It poked at Princess’s skin. “Nice spot for lunch,” it said and spread out a napkin.

     “Not here.  Not on my dog,” said Pest.

     “This isn’t your dog.  It belongs to every flea in the neighborhood,” said the dot who also happened to be a flea.

     “Not this dog,” said Pest.

     “My name’s Princess,” said Princess watching the two fleas argue.

     “You want all the goodies to yourself,” said the flea.

     “I don’t feed on the dog…excuse me…on Princess,” said Pest.

     “What do you eat?” asked the flea.

     “I’m a vegetarian.  When Princess eats some of her crumbs land in her fur.  I eat that.  Now get off before I become angry,” said Pest.

     “You know what you are?   You’re nothing but a pest,” said the flea rolling up his napkin and hopping off Princess.

     Pest looked into Princess’s big brown eyes. “Now you know why I’m called Pest.”

     “You’re the reason He and She don’t use flea powder.  You keep the other fleas away,” said Princess.

     “That stuff gives me a great big headache,” said Pest.

     “Why did you pick me?” asked Princess.

     “First of all, you don’t scratch a lot.  Fleas don’t like being scratched at.  It makes us nervous.  Second, He and Her feed you my favorite, vegetarian food,” said Pest.

     Princess was curious.  “What do other fleas eat?”

     “You don’t want to know,” Pest said.

     “Yes, I do,” insisted Princess.

     “You don’t want to get upset,” said Pest.

     “Now you have me very curious.  I want to know what’s so terrible?” asked Princess.

     “If I tell you promise me you won’t get all wiggly,” said Pest.

     “If you want to stay here you have to tell me what you know,” argued Princess.

     Pest raised his head.  “All right.  You asked for it.  Fleas poke little holes in dogs and drink their blood.”

     Princess couldn’t believe what she heard.  “That’s disgusting.  What about you?”

     “I hate that stuff.  Give me some carrot juice or a crumb from your food.  It has potatoes, blueberries, and lots of other good things,” answered Pest.

     Just then She and He walked in. “What’s Princess doing?” She asked.

     “Maybe she has fleas,” said He.

     “My Princess doesn’t have fleas,” said She.

     “Dogs get fleas.  Maybe we ought to use flea powder on her,” He said.

     Pest started shaking.  “Uh-oh.  I didn’t think this would last.  I better get going.”

     Pest bent his back legs and prepared to jump off Princess.

     “What are you doing?” she asked.

     “Jumping.  Fleas are very good at jumping.  I can jump over thirteen inches at one time,” said Pest.

     “I don’t believe you,” said Princess.

     “Watch me,” said Pest.

     All of a sudden he popped way up in the air and dropped right back where he began.

     “That’s amazing,” said Princess.

     “Since the flea powder’s coming, I better take another jump and find a new home,” Pest said.

     Princess looked up at He and She and barked very loud.

     “Maybe fleas are bothering her,” said He.

     She picked up Princess and combed her fingers though Princess’s fur.

     “Quick, get behind my ear,” said Princess.

     Pest scurried up Princess’s back and found a cozy spot under her ear.

     “I don’t see a single flea.  I will not put flea powder on her,” said She.

     She put Princess down and He and She left the room.

     Pest sighed with relief.  “You saved my life, Princess.  I promise I’ll keep all those other fleas away from you.”

     “You’re a real friend,” said Princess.

     “In that case, you can do me a favor,” said Pest.

     “Anything you want,” Princess said.

     “Whenever you eat, make sure there are always one or two crumbs for your pal Pest.”

     Princess never had fleas except for Pest.  Pest had a home and He and She never used flea powder on Princess.