“Hi from Simone, the Park Avenue poodle, and I’m at my father’s office, having a ball, bopping up and down the halls!
Yay for ‘Take Your Dog to Work Day!’
It’s with jubilation that canines have taken over corporations. So, if you hear many barks, it’s not a lark.
Hear, hear to wagging tails, woofs, and floppy ears! Are you ready for the most fun all year?
We pooches will see what you, our people, do all day, when we otherwise go for walks, eat treats, and play.
Remember, canine moms and pops, to give your dogs the warmest work welcome yet, and a lot of pets!
Celebrate this important date and make us feel unbelievably great.
Why not have a doggie race at your office space?
Well, I am at Raymond’s investment banking job on Wall Street and eating yummy bacon treats.
Also sipping lime flavored chilled Perrier, my mainstay.
I miss my poodle beau, Ricardo, though. Jorge, his human and our chef, will treat him to a special meal that has a lot of appeal.
My Chihuahua walking partner, Mojito, is incognito. Frank, our dog walker, is taking him for a burger and French fries’ lunch that the pooch likes a bunch. Mojito will have to do with hot fries, even though the weird dog prefers them cold. His doctor people could not bring the Chihuahua. Kind of feel sorry for him, but all their patients need is his yappy bow-wow. And all I would need is the temperamental Mojito acting up, like an obnoxious pup.
I hung out in the largest conference room with 25 mighty fine canines. It was fun to re-connect with some I met before and meet new dogs. I socialized with a girl Bichon, a boy German Shepherd, a boy Labrador Retriever, two male Boston Terriers, a male Dachshund, a female Golden Retriever, and a female Cocker Spaniel. Today I met an adorable girl Maltese, called ‘Malta,’ (not much of a stretch) and a boy English Sheepdog called ‘Shaggy,’ (also, not a stretch).
Then there were Doodles, that are the “in thing” in dogdom. A Goldendoodle, a Labradoodle, an Australian Sheepadoodle, were part of the group. I met Parti, the cute two-year-old black and white Labradoodle; Her mother is a white Standard Poodle, and her father is a black Labrador. Her pet dad is Lionel Davidson, the head of IT.
Can’t blame breeders for mixing other canines with poodles. They get our beautiful hair, intelligence, our dexterity, our charming personality, and all-over greatness. Not trying to be conceited, but, well, it’s true. I will admit the Doodles are very cute.
Speckles, the black and white Sheep-Dane mix, is not here today. FYI, her father is Doug Appleton, the head of Marketing, and he is on vacation now. My daddy was trying to set up Speckles with Apollo, the Chairman’s dog last year, instead of me, but it didn’t work.
Hmm . . . What about Parti as a mate for Apollo?
Decked out in bow ties, hair bows, barrettes, and stylish haircuts, the pooches look their cutest yet.
In reference to my hairdo, I have fluffed pompoms and a coiffed body. My beauty salon ‘Ma Belle Chien’ re-opened, so Lilly, my stylist, pampered me yesterday. She gave me a gardenia bubble bath, a very lathered shampoo, a blow dry, a pawdicure, a massage, and much brushing.
In the conference room, some dogs are spinning, and water bowls are brimming. Happy barks did abound, and toys are scattered around.
Doggie wishes granted: Bowls of bacon, pumpkin, and carob treats are here for us to eat. Yes, some spilled on the floor, but not to worry, there are always more.
We waited and commiserated. Pooches relax, watch TV, and they talked to poodle me.
Some dogs slept, while others were full of pep.
Many four-legged friends said hi. They try and please me as much as they can, since Raymond is a very important finance man. I got many compliments on my hairdo from the other pooches.
Some of our parents took us into their respective offices, but my dad is in a meeting. So, I am alone and doing the greeting.
People are coming into Raymond’s office to fuss over me, since pets and admiration go with the poodle territory -- It’s fun to be caniche me!
Even though I’ve been here before, I love my dad’s BIG corner office on the 40th floor. It’s not a bore.
I also get some me time, which is fine.
Since I’m no slouch, I lounged on my pop’s plush couch. Then I plopped on daddy’s comfy leather chair, even though I’m not wearing an outfit, and my body is bare. Now I am seated at his desk chair.
I miss my pappy, so I decide to take a little nappy.
This executive life may be a lot of work, but it has great perks: A big salary, a huge bonus, six weeks’ vacation, and beaucoup adulation!
Besides, I would be a fantastic boss. All I really need is my poodle hair toss. I’ll throw in a couple of graceful spins, and I’m in! Who wouldn’t want me at the top? I am the pet daughter of Raymond, my pop!
I know, they could hire me ‘Paw Diem,’ and then I could come and go as I please! I can work in PR, since I’m such a ‘people person,’ I mean, ‘doggie and human person.’ Oh, you know what I’m talking about. They can give daddy my big salary, and then he and mommy can spend it on me. Oui!
A commanding maple desk . . . Lots of fancy, colorful pens, and crystal paper weights . . . A bright digital clock and a sleek new laptop . . . A state-of-the-art desk phone when dad is not on his cell phone . . . Daddy’s diploma. He is a Harvard MBA – Hooray!
What a snazzy place, and it appeals to mommy, Grace. Wish I could read, since there is an organized and neat stack of books, magazines, and newspapers in a maple bookcase. Wish Frank could come here to read to me, and he can bring Ricardo, my handsome poodle beau.
What? More bacon treats for me? Yippee! My father has a Waterford crystal bowl of them on the desk for me. Guess he knew I would be sitting here.
I won’t have room for lunch if I eat too much.
I’m a little restless, so how can I stay occupied?
I notice a ball of rubber bands on the side of the desk that could be in my paws, aka dog hands. Should I unravel them? No, but it’s tempting. If Mojito were here, I bet he would be chewing on them.
Raymond has a golf club set and some balls, and one golf club and a ball are out. I could kick the ball with my paw, but I’ll be a good girl. Instead, I won’t make any noise and I’ll keep my poise.
My father has a big TV, and we’re talking big, maybe 80". Considerate dad put ‘Animal Planet’ softly on for me. So now I’m watching a mother kangaroo, feeding her baby in her pouch. Can’t quite tell what the mamma is giving her cute little one to eat but I assume it’s a special kangaroo treat.
Too bad my dad didn’t put on CBS-TV’s ‘The Young and the Restless’ for me. It’s one of Grace’s fave soap operas, and it’s on at 12:30 p.m., Monday to Friday. My mother records it during the week and watches it often at night. Sometimes I view it with her, too. Nikki and Victor, Nick, Victoria, Jack, Ashley, Tracy, Phyllis, Kyle and Summer, Adam and Sally, Lilly and Billy, Lauren and Michael, Chloe and Chelsea, etc., are the major players. It takes place in Genoa City, and the characters/actors are very pretty. There’s drama, romance, intrigue, crime, changing/faking identities, corporate take-overs, power struggles, and beautiful clothes that the characters wear. Beware! Someone might be lurking behind the door, or in the doorway, when a character is making a big reveal. It’s often in an office, but secrets never seem to stay secrets for too long. The characters spend lots of time at 'Society' or at the local, trendy coffee house. Maybe they’re drinking too much caffeine, or they just want to be seen, cause’ they always go back for more. Can’t they build some more cafes and stores? But, why aren't there any canines on Y&R? Hey, I'm a poised poodle, and I could be on 'The Young and the Restless!' In my estimation, there should be daytime doggie representation.
I am so proud of my family! I can’t help but admire pictures of daddy, mommy, and me, and a calendar of beautiful Manhattan scenery.
And with a swivel of dad’s executive chair, I see breathtaking river views beyond compare.
As a creative and resourceful poodle, I notice a yellow notepad, and start doing paw doodles.
I feel carefree, and I’ve been thinking what my next poem or prose will be. I’m inspired being at my daddy’s work.
Not that I’m surprised, but Apollo, the dapper black Standard Poodle, who belongs to the bank’s Chairman, BT (Bradley Thomas), is here today again.
I wish I could tell him that I just want to be friends, but Apollo is lovestruck.
I can’t blame Apollo for having a major crush on Park Avenue poodle me. He is a catch, since his father is BT! The chairman of the billion-dollar corporation’s pooch has the hots for me!
And it’s a sticky situation because I think BT is grooming my dad to head the bank someday as Chairman, so Raymond wants to please him.
But dad persists in telling BT about my live-in boyfriend, Ricardo, and yet, BT insists that I should breed with Apollo!
But breed? What? I have said it again and again: I’m not ready for puppies! If and when that time comes, Ricardo would be my choice for my puppies’ baby daddy.
When pop returned from the meeting, BT stopped by with Apollo for a ‘Take Your Dog to Work Day’ greeting.
Apollo smiled and kissed my paw: ‘Simone, you look as smashing as ever! I am beyond excited to see you! Is that a new hairstyle? It’s lovely! And your figure looks great! Have you been working out?’
What girl doesn’t love compliments?
I giggled and replied: ‘Hi, Apollo. Merci, and my stylist, Lilly, did my hair at my Beauty Day yesterday. It’s nice to see you again, too. How have you been?’
Apollo: ‘Fine, but so much better now that I’m with you.’
BT smiled and petted me: ‘Raymond, it may seem like a broken record, but I am still interested in breeding Apollo. He’s taken with Simone, as you well know. Rightfully so, and she would be a perfect match for him. Is there a possibility you’ll reconsider?’
Dad responded: ‘Thank you, but Simone is still with Ricardo so …‘
BT looked dad in the eyes: ‘Maybe we could breed Apollo and Simone, and Simone can still stay with Ricardo at your place. I would not mind if Apollo and Simone don’t live together. What do you think?’
Raymond: ‘Well, maybe it’s an idea, but if Simone wants puppies with Ricardo, too, I'm very concerned that it might take a toll on her body.’
I got upset, and I think Apollo understood me, when I said: ‘It might take a toll? Are you kidding? It will take a huge toll! How could I have puppies with both Apollo and then Ricardo? That means I would have to be pregnant two times! That is way too much, considering I’d have six or seven puppies each litter! We are talking 12 or 14 puppies’ total! And it could get confusing. What if I get pregnant again quickly with Ricardo’s puppies? What if we keep Apollo’s black puppies, and Ricardo’s black puppies run around at the same time as Apollo’s? We might have to do a DNA test to find out who the father is!’
BT: ‘A good vet can take care of her and make sure she is in good hands. I know you told me you have one. If that has changed, I can ask my wife what vet she takes our Apollo to.’
“Yes, we still have Dr. Barton, an Upper East Side vet with excellent credentials, and he is very nice,’ dad told BT.
My thoughts: ‘What are you saying, dad? You are encouraging me to have puppies with Apollo and Ricardo? Huh? I’m only one poodle, refined and lovely, but only one.’
‘So, when can we arrange a date to start the breeding process, Raymond?’ BT asked.
Raymond, looked nervous and petted me very quickly: ‘I think it’s premature, since we are doing some more renovations at home, and things are a little unsettled.’
‘We are? Oh . . . Great comeback, dad, but wait a minute, you said this last year,’ I pondered.
BT exclaimed: ‘But you are doing more renovations? You told me the same thing last year. Are you making excuses, Raymond? It seems that way to me.”
My thoughts: ‘Yup, BT is catching on. He is the Chairman.’
Raymond: ‘No, it’s just that Grace decided she wanted to change some other aspects of our apartment. You know, she is quite the decorator.’
BT: ‘That is very nice, Raymond, but I will not wait too long, since Apollo is in his prime, and ready to breed. And I do not want to lose his chance to create beautiful offspring. They would be stunning show dogs, and my wife wants to show them! She is very inspired after watching the Westminster Dog Show!’
‘I’ll speak to Grace about it and get back to you soon. Is that okay?’ Raymond said.
‘Raymond, I’m a very busy man, and we get calls from breeders all the time about Apollo. We are quite high profile. You wouldn’t want to lose this opportunity, would you?’ BT asked.
It’s kind of a double entendre that BT is referring to. Does he mean the opportunity for me to breed with Apollo, or does he mean the career opportunity for Raymond to have the “biggest job” at the bank in the future? Or is one opportunity dependent on the other?
Raymond replied to BT: ‘Lionel Davidson, the head of IT, has his two-year-old black and white Labradoodle here today. Her name is Parti. Her mother is a white Standard Poodle, and her father is a black Labrador. She is adorable, and she might be a great mate for Apollo!’
BT: ‘What about Speckles, the Great Dane and Sheepdog mix, Raymond? You are always trying to convince me to have her breed with Apollo.’
Dad: ‘Well, Doug Appleton, the pet father of Speckles, and our head of Marketing, is on vacation now. Therefore, Speckles is not here today.’
But BT countered: ‘I am sure Parti is a very cute and smart dog, but Raymond, if Apollo were to breed with her, the puppies would be mutts. Nothing against them – I am all for mixed breeds. But when it comes to MY SON, I want Apollo’s wife, his mate to be a thoroughbred. After all, she will be joining our family. And I want Apollo to produce PURE POODLES. So, it’s a win-win with Simone. She is a white Standard Poodle, and Apollo is her black counterpart. Check! They will have gorgeous black puppies, white puppies, and black and white puppies. Check! They are certain to be poodle show dogs! Check! A+A+A+! They are meant to be!’
My comment to myself: ‘Excuse me? You are planning my family for me now, BT? You are being very presumptuous! Chairman of the prestigious bank or not, I will have babies with the dog I want to, when the time comes. And I will decide, with the help of Raymond and Grace, my pet parents, who I know will be on my side. And the poodle daddy will be Ricardo!’
Raymond: ‘BT, I’m having lunch with Lionel and some other fellows, so perhaps, I can mention it to him.’
‘Well, how about I take all of you to lunch? Let’s go to ‘Pronto.’ It’s a great new Italian restaurant around the corner from ‘Amore,’ where we usually go,’ BT stated.
Daddy: ‘Okay. Sure, that will be wonderful. You can get away, time wise?’
‘I’m THE CHAIRMAN, Raymond, and I can do whatever I want to do! But I’ll have to do it a little later, say at 2 p.m.,’ BT responded.
‘Of course, BT. That will be fantastic, but I’m bringing Simone, since it’s ‘Take Your Dog to Work Day,’ my father replied.
And I bet dad thought this will discourage BT, but nothing such.
BT: ‘Great. I’ll bring Apollo, and we can seat the poodles next to each other. We will get a bird’s eye view as to what their puppies will look like. Then we can discuss it further.’
‘Oh, and Lionel is taking Parti, so maybe once you meet her, you’ll like her for a breeding partner for Apollo,’ pop mentioned.
‘Nice try, Raymond. What is all this about Parti? Are you trying to deflect from my interest in breeding Apollo with Simone?’ BT asked.
Dad told BT, ‘No, not at all.’
BT: ‘Well, it seems that way to me, Raymond. I will look at Parti, but I still favor Simone for Apollo. And Raymond, I do get what I want all the time, or should I say, most of the time.’
I said, but I hope no one understood (but I think Apollo did): ‘Imagine my father and the Chairman bantering about me! I mean, I can make my own choices. I’m not a puppy, and I’m not stupid. As if! In fact, I’m one of the smartest breeds. Poodles know oodles! I do like Apollo, just not in ‘that way.’ And I feel so pressured. I am not prepared for this -- just not ready. And I want to know who my babies’ daddy is! I don’t want to say: ‘Is this black puppy Ricardo’s, or is it Apollo’s? Is this black and white pup Apollo’s, or does it belong to my beau, Ricardo? Who’s the baby daddy to this white puppy?’ What if I lose track? Mon Dieu!’
Raymond: ‘At lunch we can relax and have some wine. We’ll salute our canines on ‘Take Your Dog to Work Day!’’
BT: ‘Yes, I’ll meet you at Pronto with Apollo at 2 p.m..’
‘That’s fine, BT. Thank you,’ Raymond said.
‘We’ll toast to the future merger -- the merger, that is, of our two stunning poodles!’ BT insisted.
‘That man doesn’t give up -- doesn't give up! I guess I should be flattered, since Apollo’s very handsome and comes from a great family, but . . . I just want a relaxing ‘Take Your Dog to Work Day.’ Instead, I feel like a piece of meat, that I hear Grace’s single friends complain about, regarding dating. I do have feelings, and I love Ricardo. I am true to him, and I do not want to cheat on him. I am spoken for. That’s true amour,’ I said to myself.
My father cleared his throat and fiddled with his pen, and BT and Apollo scooted off.
I pondered, ‘We’re going to Pronto restaurant, as in quick, meaning make a quick decision about breeding me with Apollo, I think. Just a coincidence? I doubt it.’
Dad and me are now at lunch at Pronto with BT, Apollo, Parti, and pop’s colleagues/pals, Geoffrey (aka ‘Big G’), Peter Ryan (aka ‘R’), and Lionel Davidson, the head of IT.
It’s a nice summer day, and we’re seated at a large table outside.
There are other diners outside, but tables are still spaced six feet apart, to allow for social distancing.
A few people are wearing masks, unless they are vaccinated, but will take them off when they eat.
Me, Apollo, and Parti make a nice trio.
But Apollo and I are not a romantic couple. Perhaps Parti will be my answer to this breeding dilemma. Maybe she will be Apollo’s soulmate. I hope so. Yet, I might be a little jealous if Apollo were to mate with Parti. A little jealous, I said. Why? Je ne sais pas.
Seating Arrangement done by dad: I am in the middle of Raymond and Apollo. Parti is seated next to Apollo, on his other side. What was my father thinking putting me right next to Apollo? This will probably give BT more ideas.
BT: ‘Raymond, look at Parti. As a black and white doggie, she kind of resembles what the puppy daughter of our two poodles might look like. Maybe they will produce some white puppies, some black puppies, and several black and white puppies.’
‘What did I tell you?’ I thought.
Lionel asked dad: ‘What do you think about Parti, Raymond? Isn’t she adorable?’
‘Yes, Parti is definitely adorable, Lionel. Nevertheless, Parti is a Standard Poodle and a Labrador mix. Simone and Apollo are pure poodles,’ daddy reacted.
‘That is exactly my point, Raymond! Our two poodles are an ideal match for each other. Perfect! I’m more convinced now than ever!’ BT exclaimed.
I knew it! Talk about things backfiring.
‘Thank you, Raymond, but BT’s right. Your Simone and his Apollo could take the show dog world by storm,’ Lionel chimed in.
My thoughts: ‘Lionel, who’s side are you on? Wouldn’t you want your Parti to mate with BT’s Apollo? Then you would be in good with the Chairman of the bank! You’d always be connected to him, and you would probably get promoted!’
‘I know how you feel, BT. And our poodles do look terrific together, but I must talk to Grace about this again. She is very tired right now from everything,’ Raymond revealed.
BT: ‘Well, please speak to her your wife ASAP. Time doesn’t wait.’
“As I told you, we’re in the midst of renovating and re-decorating,” dad added.
‘Really, Raymond? More renovations? But you have a 10-room penthouse, so how much space would six or seven little puppies take up?’ BT questioned.
Thank goodness these humans don’t speak poodle, but I think Apollo understood me when I scoffed: ‘Multiple puppies? Multiples? Ecoute et repete: I’m not ready to be a mother!'
S-L-O-W D-O-W-N! What happened to ‘Take Your Dog to Work Day?’ It’s not ‘Take Your Dog to Work Day to Breed!’’
Pop explained: ‘I suppose not that much. We just need to carefully consider this.’
BT: ‘What is there to consider? Wouldn’t you want champion show dogs, probably showing at Westminster? It just finished two days ago, and ‘Trumpet,’ the Bloodhound was Best in Show. Just think: In the future a son or daughter of Simone and Apollo could be shown at Westminster and win! My wife is so enthused about showing Apollo’s future puppies. This is especially true after seeing the Westminster Dog Show held at the gorgeous Lyndhurst Estate in Westchester! You know, we live in Westchester, maybe 20 minutes away from the Lyndhurst Estate.’
‘Oh, really? That is very nice. It’s just that we’re remarkably busy with Simone, Ricardo, and our household staff. Therefore, Grace would have to take on extra responsibilities, and her plate is quite full already,’ daddy said.
BT’s retort: ‘You always say that. Well, just add more staff, Raymond. Easy breezy. I pay you enough to have twenty, thirty, forty, or fifty staff. And if we get the new media account that you’re pitching, I might just increase your salary! And don’t forget your BIG year-end bonus!’
‘That would be very nice, BT. Yes, I’m very grateful,’ my father told him.
‘One of these days, I’ll have to come over to your penthouse and see all your renovations. My wife is planning some renovations for our Westchester home, too,’ BT added.
I thought: ‘Oh no . . . Daddy better think of something quick before BT comes over and sees no renovations. Well, Grace will have to do some. I mean, she loves to decorate. She’s a natural. She better get started on redecorating and renovations soon.’
Dad answered quickly: ‘Perhaps in the near future, you’ll come over, BT. Oh, great, the food is coming!’
Saved by the bruschetta: The food is here, and we begin with bruschetta with prosciutto. Everyone, including the dogs, are getting big steaks after!
We canines are also sipping flavored Perrier. The humans are drinking Merlot and getting ready to make toasts. Don’t want to boast, but they’re starting a Simone toast!
Wish me good luck, I have got to go!
Before I met Ricardo, the poodle love of my life, I always wanted boys to fight over me. Figuratively, not literally. Now I am a one boy, poodle gal. Be careful what you wish for, girls.
Maybe Raymond can keep stalling BT. Unlikely. Maybe the Chairman will find another poodle for Apollo to breed with. Doubt it. Perhaps he will make a deal with Lionel about mating Parti with Apollo. Nah. Or, most probably, BT will be relentless in wanting me to be Apollo’s future babies’ mommy! How long will BT keep trying? Well, you know, I’m worth it, unavailable, but definitely worth it.
BT raised a wine glass and toasted: ‘Here’s to the Westminster Dog Show and the debut of Apollo and Simone’s puppies!’
I shouted: ‘The debut? They’re not even born yet!’ and Apollo laughed.
Apollo whispered in my ear: ‘You have to admit, if we were to have puppies, they would be beautiful.’
I smiled at Apollo, a nervous smile, that is.
‘And Raymond, if Simone and Apollo do have puppies, my family would definitely want several of them!’ BT exclaimed.
‘Now BT is planning to take some of my future puppies, if I were to have them with Apollo? What? As if! You should ask daddy, not tell him. I know he is the Chairman, but he’s so adamant and pushy!’ I pondered.
Looking nervous, Dad reacted by lifting his glass and sipping wine fast. Surprised no vino spilled. Gulps followed.
His pals looked back and forth at each other and the rest of us, and they drank wine. Before we knew it, the bottle was finished, and BT ordered another one.
Lionel was quiet, sipped the wine slowly, and Parti did soft barks. She is a rather big canine, but very well behaved and poised. Guess it’s the poodle in her.
And no surprise: I rolled my eyes.
Apollo smiled at me and chuckled.
Just in time -- Steak saved the day! It sure comes in handy when you need it, and I dug into my medium rare sirloin.
Everyone concentrated on their delicious food.
Can this problem be solved? What will happen to the Simone/Ricardo/Apollo triangle? BT is obsessed with his pet son breeding with me! What is a Park Avenue poodle to do?
To dog parents: I hope you and your canines have a wonderful, healthy, and safe time!
And when ‘Take Your Dog to Work Day’ is through, always remember how ecstatic your four-legged friends are to be with you!"
Written by: Simone, THE Park Avenue poodle, helped by Karen-Cherie Cogane
