Welcome to Choteau, Montana, in 2018. What was once only a small city focused on fossils, has now started to turn into an equestrian mecca. Everyone still knows everyone, so the question remains, what will you become?
06/04 - Site opened 18/04 - Update log #01 including new features! 27/04 - A New skin has been released!
"Boss! Noo!" The Swiss Mountain dog type barreled down the hallway, tongue lolling from the side of his mouth and ignoring the woman calling after him. Sadie had been giving him a bath when he managed to duck out of his collar. Because he had come in with deep skin abrasions from a collar that had been too tight, they always either harnessed him (which wasn't conducive to giving a bath) or left his collar a couple holes looser than normal. Sadie had been preoccupied checking him for ticks as she soaped him up when he had gotten the bright idea to slip loose and go on this little romp.
"No boy, stay!"Yeah, right. The dog paused momentarily at the door to the "kitchen" where they kept all of the dog food and bedding supplies, sniffing the air, but before Sadie could grab him, he snorted like a wild beast and launched himself down the hallway. She knew better than to chase him, because clearly he thought it was a game now, but the floors were also buffed smooth, not meant to have much traction so that the dogs couldn't get enough purchase to drag their handlers around. But now, the floors were also covered in soapy water on top of that.
Boss tried to turn too sharply and wiped out a couple of times, knocking over a chair or smashing into a filing cabinet. It was causing quite a ruckus and their was a rising cacophony of barking from the kennel wing. "Easy buddy," Sadie tried to reason, slowly approaching with a handful of treats. She was almost within arm's reach when Boss shook, hitting her with a wave of droplets (not that she wasn't already wet from trying to wrap her arms around him when she first saw him slip the collar). "Urgh... Erzaaa!" It was time to call for backup. He had to be around somewhere.
Oh, Ezra heard the ruckus going on in the back, but he was busy with a customer that kept nervously looking at the back door where the noise was coming from. He joked with her about rambunctious co-workers getting loose, completely blaming his co-worker, Sadie, instead of the dog. Of course, he was teasing. They laughed a bit and he waved at her just as she left before heading back to help the woman in the back.
“Ah, never a dull moment with you, Curtis,” he said, grinning at her just as he drew closer and within eye sight. “What did I tell you about bathing at work? It’s not exactly appropriate… Look, you’ve got Boss all wet with your shenanigans. What am I going to do with you.” He grinned broadly and grabbed a slip leash from the coat hanger on the wall beside the door before approaching Boss. He slipped the leash around his neck and handed the end to Sadie. “Is this what you wanted?”
He could be a little shit at times, but what was life without a little bit of fun? It was boring, that’s what. He had to give her a hard time, seeing as how she and Boss were a mess, but Boss obviously won this round. “What time are you scheduling the rematch so I can be there too.”
Sadie gave up momentarily and parked herself on the floor, mopping a few frizzy strands out of her eyes with the heel of her palm. Filling her cheeks with air, she looked up as Ezra showed up and blew through her lips like a horse at him, rolling her eyes. "I wouldn't have to bathe here if you didn't overwork me." She peeled herself up from the floor and crossed her arms as he easily caught the dog. "Boss. What the heck?" she asked, looking down at the dog. His jowls wobbled as he turned his head to pant up at her. "You could have at least made him work for it."
Taking the leash with a word of thanks, she started leading a much more compliant Boss back to the wash station. "There's no rematch," she replied over her shoulder, "Unless you want to be my proxy. Sadie Curtis learns her lessons on the first go round. In the meantime... we kind of made a mess... y'know, if you want to grab a mop." Helping the dog into the basin, she checked the water temperature and finished the bath, towel drying him after.
Ezra grinned at her disbelief and shrugged a shoulder, “Call me the dog whisperer,” he said dramatically, taking on a classic ‘hero’ stance. After a moment he shrugged a shoulder , looking down at the puddle Boss made. “So… You get the dog wet after taking a bath at work and leave a mess for me to clean up. Yep, you’re fired. I mean it this time,” of course he didn’t and his comment was followed by a wink as he followed her back into the wash station. The janitor’s closet, or utility closet. Whatever you want to call it really, was located beside the wash station. He reached inside and pulled out the mop and bucket to clean up the mess her and the dog made. IT was all amusing, really. He wasn’t angry.
After he finished mopping, he returned the bucket and mop to the closet before propping himself up on the counter beside the wash station. “So, other than getting soaked at work and making a mess for your boss to clean up, then blaming Boss for it… How’s your day been so far? Anything new on the home front?” Ezra caught his reflection in the metal door and grimaced. Trying to tame his hair down by running his fingers through it repeatedly… it didn’t really work. Just made matters worse and he finally gave up with a shrug. Vanity never got anyone very far. He was a preacher, after all. He shouldn’t be sinning like this.
Sadie had been working with Ezra James long enough to know he was joking and didn't even need to look up to see the wink. "I would never leave you. I wouldn't allow this place to fall apart like that," she played along. When she wasn't making a mess, she was equally as passionate as he was about Bright Eyes. She had never really had a job that she didn't love, but she had also never had a job that she loved as much either.
While she had Boss out, and since he was looking relatively content at the moment, she decided to file his nails a while and grinned when Ezra sat down to keep them company. "Oh, not too great. I got fired this morning. Twice." She paused to let the dog sniff the file, though gently pushed his head away when he tried to lick it. More serious, she added, "things are good though. Aesop is settling in nicely." Every now and then she fell hard for one of the rescues that came in and adopted them personally. She didn't allow herself to do it often, but the Australian Sheppard had worked his way into her heart.
Blowing some nail dust away, she checked her work before setting the tool aside and standing up to stretch. "Hey, I was thinking more about fundraisers. What do you think about Bark in the Park or Wag Walk?" she asked as she walked Boss back toward the kennels. "Stop fussing with your hair."
They had enough of a relationship where their bickering back and forth or him poking fun at her just rolled off her back. He was grateful for that. “I fired you once.. who else fired you?” He asked her, frowning a bit. Was she working somewhere else? Not that he could blame her, prices were outrageous and people needed to make a living after all.
A fundraiser would be nice. It’d definitely help out around the shop and bring attention to the animals they do have available. “Yeah I think we can do that. Maybe have a all breed show, ugliest dog show… The works.” He held his hands up quickly, “Not saying there’s any such thing as an ugly dog! But I mean.. some are questionably cute…” he laughed a little and shoved his hands in his pockets, pushing away from the counter to follow her and Boss. On the way, he passed Snow’s kennel, pausing to talk to her briefly. “I just need to take her home with me… I keep procrastinating but… I don’t know. I like her a lot.” You’d think he was talking about a woman and not a dog.
“Back to that fundraiser idea. We could see if there are any venues willing to sponsor or donate their time and skills to cater the event. I know Coca Cola will sponsor and give us a couple of banners.” He rubbed his jaw, thinking about the possibilities. “See, this is why I need you in my life.”
Sadie had taken an early shine to Ezra. She got his sense of humor and he tolerated her chattiness. "Don't look so serious. I was kidding." She nudged him with an elbow as she walked by. She did still work as a farm inspector, but that was per diem and didn't take up too much of her time. She aslo had an Etsy shop that brought in a few dollars a month, and grant writing from time to time. Other than that, she volunteered her services driving younger students to and from shows, which was something she loved doing but didn't pay the bills. Basically she just liked to keep busy, busy, busy.
Clearly he was getting pretty good at anticipating her reactions, because she was just about to object to the term "ugly dog" when he clarified. She wasn't quite satisfied with the explanation and kept her eyes narrowed at him for a moment to show it. She never stayed mad long though and was soon baby talking to the dog as she put him away. Part of her couldn't stand the look they gave her when she put them back in their kennels and after saying a long goodbye (even though she was only leaving him until the evening feeding), she had to turn away before those eyes burrowed a hole to her soul.
"You should!" she said, sounding a little too enthusiastic. She cleared her throat. "I mean, you should," she repeated, an octave lower. As he turned the conversation back to the fundraiser, she grinned, seeing how he could take an idea and run with it. "We're a good team," she admitted. "There's so much we could do. A talent showcase, a mutt mile, doorprizes. Maybe if we can swing it, reduced adoption fees... I'll bake." Her eyes got big with excitement. She couldn't cook dinner to save her life, but she could bake cookies and treats. She had a recipes for about two dozen different species and counting.
Welcome to Choteau, Montana, in 2018. What was once only a small city focused on fossils, has now started to turn into an equestrian mecca. Everyone still knows everyone, so the question remains, what will you become? 
