Excerpt: The Close Family Reunion

Just then, a very special someone walked into the room and walked over to the people on the couch.
"Hello Truffles!" Sarah greeted the dog. "Say hello to everyone."
"Hello Truffles." Vivian greeted rubbing his head.
Truffles was a two year old cocker spaniel and was friends with everyone that entered the Bladder house.
"Hey Truffles, remember me?" Tony greeted, scratching the dog behind the ear.
"Meow!" Truffles greeted back pleasantly.
"I see the dog's still meowing." Alex commented.
"Yep, that's Truffles." Sarah commented. "The world's only meowing dog."
"Does he do any other sounds?" Tony asked.
"Last month I think I heard him oink." Sarah answered. "But he hasn't done it since, so I figured that I only imagined it."
"Wouldn't that be interesting though." Alex commented. "Truffles, the first bilingual dog."
"I think you should worry about teaching it to bark first." Vivian suggested. "It's a bit weird for a dog not to be able to bark."
"Don't listen to her." Tony told Truffles. "You're very cool. Don't let anybody convince you otherwise."
"Meow." Truffles responded in agreement.

"Let's move on. We gotta get that mattress." Alex urged them on.
They all pressed on further to the back of the store. They finally made it to the camping section of the store.
"Found it!" Tony exclaimed, standing in front of the shelves stocked with boxes of inflatable air mattresses. "Which one should we get?"
"It doesn't matter." Alex told him. "Just pick one."
"This one says its durable, and this one says its comfortable." Tony said, reading the boxes. "Which is better?"
"It doesn't matter." Alex repeated.
"This one has pictures of a cartoon dog all over it." Tony said, looking at another. "Isn't that cute?"
"But is it alien-proof?" Henry asked.
"Why would it need to be alien proof?" Tony asked.
"In case we get attacked by aliens, of course." Henry explained.
"Just pick one." Alex repeated.
"This one says it's alien-proof." Tony said reading another box.
"Good. Get that one." Henry urged him.
"But it's such an ugly color." Tony said, looking over the box.
"I'm sure nobody will care." Alex said.
"Of course it's an ugly color." Henry spoke. "That's what keeps the aliens away."
"That's a good point." Tony said. "I'll take it."

"What is all this?" Sarah screamed. "I sent you out to get one thing, and you end up getting a million!"
"We couldn't leave Wal-Mart without getting everyone gifts." Henry told her. "Look what I got for Truffles." He said as he pulled out the duck shaped
chew toy. "Where is that little fellow?"
Just as he spoke, cute adorable little Truffles appeared into the living room as if waiting for his cue. He walked right up to Henry who handed him
the new toy. When Truffles bit down on the duck, it let out three incredibly obnoxoius sounds. Truffles dropped the toy and ran away mewing, disappearing in
the same fashion he appeared.
"I knew he'd love it." Henry said.
"Henry, how did you buy all these things?" Ashley asked. "I took your wallet."
"Alex lent me a few bucks." Henry said, pointing to Alex, who spent the last few minutes trying to hide himself away in the corner.
"Exactly how many bucks?" Vivian asked of him.
"Just a few hundred." Alex answered, putting on a fake smile, trying to give the impression of being funny.
Vivian smiled and shook her head at him. "How could you let this happen?"
"I had to shut him up." Alex said, defending himself.
"I know exactly what you mean." Ashley told him.
"I got you a gift." Henry told his wife, as he pulled out a large object out of one of the bags. "It's a globe of Mars." He told her, handing her the
red sphere. "It's got all the volcanoes and craters labeled. Now if you ever go to Mars, you'll never get lost."
"That's sweet." Ashley said, untruthfully, eyeing the red ball suspiciously.
"I've got something for you too, Vivian." Henry said, pulling out another strange object from another bag.
"Oh, they're...sleeves?" Vivian guessed, looking at the strangest creation ever made from cotton.
"No! They're over socks!" Henry explained.
"Over-what?" Vivian asked in confusion.
"Over socks. You wear them over your socks." Henry explained.
"But why?" Vivian asked.
"Why not?" Henry answered.
"I never thought of that." Vivian answered, pretending to be pleased with her gift.
"Don't think I forgot about you Sarah." he said approaching her with another plastic bag. "I have something extra special for you." He said as he
pulled out a strange looking Christmas tree with a face.
"You got me a Christmas Tree?" Sarah asked.
"A singing Christmas tree." Henry said proudly, pressing a yellow button at the tree's base.
"Gee Vould dil be sentoom, roqullier mot griv li dop poo." The Christmas tree started singing.
"It sounds awful." Vivian shouted.
"What is it singing?" Sarah asked.
"I'm not sure, but it's catchy." Henry answered.
"And for my brother in law." Henry said facing Alex. "I got you something to."
"I know." Alex said. "I was there when you picked it out. You told me 'I'm getting this just for you.'"
"Well, act surprised anyway." Henry instructed him. "Here you go."
Henry pulled out a pair of fuzzy pink earmuffs. "In case your ears get cold." He told him.
"I am so surprised." Alex said sarcastically, taking the earmuffs.
"And for Tony, the English major," Alex said, pulling out another item from a bag, "A pair of pliers."
"Gee, thanks." Tony said, grabbing the pair of pliers. "Just what I needed."