It was another sunny day at the Carolina Fluffy Adoption Center. The back yard behind the large pink building was filled with happy, playing fluffies. They had lots of toys to play with, from rubber balls to large wooden blocks, everything a fluffy needed to have fun. There were lots of different colored fluffies, all the colors of the rainbow were accounted for, with some earth tones as well. They all played and enjoyed the sunny day, all except one.
In the corner of the yard, in the shade of a small apple tree, lay Smokey. He was an earthy, black in color with dark gray mane. He didn’t like the sun because it made him too hot. Instead he enjoyed finding shady spots to lay down in while he watched the others play.
His sister, Rosie, was a pink unicorn. She frequently came over to her quiet, shy brother to keep him company before the allure of playing pulled her away again. She came over to him during lunch, carrying an apple in her mouth. She dropped it on the ground for him and gave him a friendly lick on the snout.
“Smokey wan nummies?” She asked cutely. “It wunch time siwwy! Come eat nummies wif us!”
Smokey yawned and sniffed the apple, taking a bit before stretching out on the cool grass around him. “Too hawt today.” He signed. “Smokey wike coow shady spot. Danku for da appee doh!” He took another bite and chewed contently as his sister snuggle up next to him.
“Smokey wite about one fing.” She said as her eyes drooped. “It am nice hewe in da shadesies.” Soon she was asleep next to him as they both enjoyed the cool refuge from the sun beating down on the playground.
It wasn’t long before the heat became too much for other fluffies as well. First the dark colors, and then the brights. All of them were soon huddled in the corner of the yard under the tree. Smokey huffed through his nostrils, annoyed at the warm fluffpile that had formed around him. His cool spot was no longer cool. He decided to complain to Janet, the daycare worker.
Janet sat under a large umbrella, reading a book near the back door of the daycare center. She was a pretty blond girl working at the daycare to earn college credit for her veterinary courses at the nearby college. She too was encumbered by the heat, fanning herself with a sheet of paper as she read. Soon she felt a wet nose boop against her leg. She looked down to see Smokey with a grumpy look on his face.
“Yes?” She asked.
“Smokey am hawt. It too hot outside.” Smokey said bluntly.
“Well now it’s time for outdoor play.” Janet sighed. “We won’t go back inside for another hour.”
“But smokey am hot.” He repeated.
“I could get the sprinkler out.” Janet suggested with a smile. “That will help cool you guys off.”
Smokey snorted in annoyance. He didn’t like the sprinkler, but the other fluffies did. They would probably leave his shady spot if she put it out for them.
“Otay.” He conceded. “Spwinkwew time?”
Janet was already up from her chair and heading toward the hose. She attached the sprinkler and put it out in the yard. She turned on the water and soon the fluffies were running over and playing in the cool water. It would get them muddy, but it was better than them being miserable in the heat. She would simply have to wash and dry them off before brining them in. It was a chore, but worth it to see their cute, smiling faces so happy while beating the heat.
Smokey returned to his spot and sighed with relief as he plopped down in the cool shade again. Rosie wagged her tail at his return but couldn’t resist the urge to play in the sprinkler. She licked her brother’s ear before running off to join the others.
One fluffy remained in the shade with him; Onion, the light green earthy with light yellow mane. He was sound asleep in the shade after playing hard all day. Smokey didn’t mind his presence and was soon contently watching his friends play in the water, his tail gently swooshing back and forth.
Janet came over to check on him, surprised that he wasn’t playing in the water. “What’s the matter, Smokey? Don’t you want to cool off?”
“Smokey just wan shady spot under twee.” He replied. “Other fwuffies can pway in icky mud.”
“Oh I see.” She chuckled while squatting down to pet the fluffy. He rolled over for a belly rub.
“You’re a very good boy.” Janet said sweetly. “I bet someone will adopt you very soon, wouldn’t that be nice?”
Smokey wiggled to scratch his back on the ground. “Smokey wike it hewe wif Janet.”
“Well I’m glad to hear that.” Janet replied. But deep down she knew he couldn’t stay forever. She figured it was his high price tag that kept people away. He was a rare black and gray fluffy and costed $100 to buy, and that didn’t even include the cost for his shots and other vet bills.
I’m sure someone will give him a good home one day. She thought to herself.
Soon it was time to bring the fluffies back inside to get them ready for dinner and bedtime. Smokey got to go inside first along with Onion since they had not gotten dirty like the others. Janet had them line up to get washed and dried before letting them inside. They looked so cute all clean and fuzzy after being dried!
“Who could say no to this chubby little face?” She said to Rosie and she smooshed the fluffy’s cheeks. “You’re so cute I wish I could buy all of you myself!”
Rosie giggled and patiently stood still as she got washed and dried. She gave her fur a good shake before going inside to find Smokey. As usual, he was nowhere to be found. He most likely had found a dark spot to lay down in. It was like a game of hide-and-seek. She finally found him curled up under Janet’s desk.
“We inside now.” She whined. “Come pway wif sissy.”
Smokey sighed and decided to join his sister for a while before it got too crowded. They played tuggy with a rope toy for a while before playing with blocks. It wasn’t long before the other fluffies were back inside and Rosie had plenty of playmates. Smokey decided to return to his favorite hiding spot.
Janet was now sitting at her desk working on her laptop. She felt fur rub against her leg and looked down to see Smokey curling up at her feet.
“Don’t you do anything besides sleep?” She asked with a laugh. “You sleep enough for all the fluffies combined!”
Smokey replied with a yawn, his tongue curling outward as his mouth stretched open. He circled his favorite spot before laying down, smacking his lips and nuzzling Janet’s sneaker.
“So cute.” She said to herself.
Suddenly she heard the sound of the door sensor ringing. It was a sign she needed to get up to the front desk to help a customer. She gently moved her foot away from Smokey and went to the front of the store. There she was greeted by an old woman along with her excited young granddaughter.
The old woman cleaned off her glasses and spoke to Janet with a kind tone. “We would like to look at your fluffy selection please.”