give it up

Not too long ago, a few things went missing around our house. My husband lost a tube of toothpaste. I lost my iPod. Turns out, a lot more than that went missing, we just didn’t notice. Can YOU spot the treasure in the couch cushions?

Imagine my surprise when I found both of these things buried deep in our couch. I happened to find these treasures when we had company over, which made the scene even funnier (and more embarrassing).

I happened to sit on the couch — which is missing it’s cushions (as it was when we had company over) — as Schooner was eating dinner and for no good reason slipped my hand in the crevice and was surprised to feel something buried in there.

I gave the object a slight tug and was rewarded with the tube of toothpaste. It was so unexpected (not the object, but that the object was the missing toothpaste) that I let out a triumphant yell. The missing toothpaste mystery had been solved! It was a mystery: toothpaste doesn’t simply vanish. Usually, we find remnants of the missing objects and our examination of those remnants tells the tale of the object’s demise. Usually, the certificate of death for the object reads: “Death due to chewing.”

I found the toothpaste and then my curiosity got the better of me. What else might I find if I was brave enough to push my hand between the cushions again. I’ll be honest, there’s a lot of hair and a lot of dirt in there, too. And putting my hand into a dark, tight spot is a little frightening — I just pulled toothpaste out of the couch, what else could be hiding in there? Something living, is what I was scared of.

Nonetheless, I searched some more. Lo and behold, my missing iPod. No parts were damaged, it was completely intact. It almost looked like Schooner was using the cushion-less couch as a kind of doggie locker. It’s where he kept his valuables safe from the other dogs (and until that moment, safe from us).

By the way, the cushions are put back onto the sofa every day. And every evening, they’re on the floor again. It’s a game Schooner and I play. It’s a fun game — for him.

Based on my findings, I’ve added a new “to-do” to my schedule every week: Search Schooner’s locker for hidden treasures.

See the hidden toy?

By the way, the hidden object in the picture above is this toy stuffed way down in the back of the sofa.

Tell me: Does your dog have a hiding spot for goodies? Does he like your goodies or does he stash his own goodies? Leave a comment and let me know!