♫Movie stars!♫
♫They come from heaven in Italian cars!♫
♫Their thoughts are so much more profound than ours♫
♫And I believe they know things I'll never know♫
♫Go places I'll never go♫
♫They're so smart♫
♫And their teeth are perfect!♫

Thanksgiving was everything I could have hoped for.  Well, except the boss didn't drop the turkey like I hoped he would.  At least not for more than 5 seconds.  Maybe next year.

Now Christmas is coming.  I have been a very good dog.  I was thinking maybe Santa would let me help pull the sleigh this year.  I could be a reindeer.  That way I could make sure all the good stuff is not gone by the time the fat guy gets to my house.  It's only fair.  I don't know any dog who has been better than me.

Chapter 24

            “Seva!  Wait!” called Lyle as the starlet weaved through the chaos and out of the café.  She turned to face him, an impatient look on her face.  “Before you go…could you…could I…have an autograph?”
            She stared at him in utter disbelief.  “Are you kidding me?”  The earnest look on Lyle’s face answered her question.  “Your friends are being abducted by a huge dog monster, Chicago is approaching Armageddon, and you want my autograph?”
            “Well, if you don’t mind,” Lyle smiled sheepishly.  He fumbled for a pen and something to sign, not noticing the hot breath on his back.  He proudly presented a napkin to Seva, but his smile froze when he saw the expression on her face.  “What?”
            “Behind you,” she hissed through clenched teeth. Lyle turned slowly to see the monster had lowered its nose to just inches above his head.  A string of drool splashed to the ground next to him.  He could barely hear the shouts of Miss Matches and Princess Morgan over the heavy breaths of the creature.  It sniffed him, ruffling his fur.  Lyle stood stock-still, too surprised to react.  Only his eyes moved, widening to the size of saucers as he watched the monster’s mouth open.  From the corner of his eye he caught a flash of motion.  He turned to see Seva delivering a perfect karate kick to the creature’s neck.
“We are in the middle of something here, mister!” she growled at the monster.  “The dog wants an autograph, he’s getting an autograph!”   The monster was unfazed by the blow.  However, the force of the kick loosened her shoe and it was hurtled through the air, lodging in the monster’s eye.  It howled in pain and rage, turned and lumbered away with Morgan and Matches still held tight in his grip.
“Let’s go!” Seva grabbed Lyle by the elbow, steering him in the direction of the retreating monster.
“I thought you were leaving,” said Lyle.  “I’m sure the police can handle this.”
“Leaving??  Leaving??  That thing has one of my favorite shoes.  I’m not leaving until I get my shoe back, and neither are you.”