9月に入ってから、時々、ママとパパだけで出かけて行く。僕は連れて行かない。帰ってきたらアルトのにおいがする。僕を連れて行かないでアルトのところに行ったってこと！！！？？？
前にママが言ってた「アルトは最近、背中が痛いんだって。前みたいに遊べないから、もうあんまりアルトのところは行かないようにしよう」って。 そう聞いて、僕は悲しかったけど、アルトの健康が一番だと思って、我慢してる。アルトが通る散歩道を歩くと、時々、アルトのにおいがする。あ、アルト、昨日散歩したんだな、元気そうだ、よかった、ってアルトのにおいで確認してる。アルトの家の方を見てると、ママが「コロ、アルトに会いたいんだね」って言う。ママは、僕の気持ちを知ってるのに、僕に黙って、アルトのところ行ってたの？？？
でもさ、アルトのにおいだけじゃない。アルトと、なんだか甘い、パピーのにおいもする。僕がママとパパの周りをずっとクンクンしてると、ママが教えてくれた「コロ、よく分かるね。これアルトだよ。それからフィニちゃんだよ。まだ3カ月ぐらい、女の子のパピーだよ。まだワクチンしてないから会えないけど、来月、ワクチン終わったら、フィニに会いに行こう！」だって！
やった！ アルトのところに行ける、もうすぐアルトに会える！ フィニっていう子に会うのも楽しみだ！
The mystery has finally been solved.
Here is the mystery: since the beginning of September, Mom and Dad would sometimes leave me home while they went out. But when they came back, I could smell my best friend Alto on their clothes and hands. What the hell? They went out to play with Alto…twice…without me???
Recognizing my questioning look, Mom said, “Alto has a backache lately. He can’t roughhouse like before, so we haven’t brought you to play with him.” When I heard that, I was sad, but I thought that I want my friend to be healthy, so I resigned myself to not seeing him. Still, we communicate. We walk on some of the same paths, so he leaves me a little messages in the grass or on the sides of trees, and I respond in kind. I am glad to smell him and know he is doing well. When we get near his house, Mom recognizes that I want to go there, but she gently guides me away.
But then I got some even bigger news. There wasn’t just the smell of Alto. There was an additional smell. One of a sweet puppy. As I checked out this new scent, Mom told me that Alto now has a baby sister. Just a 3-month-old puppy named Fini. But she said I couldn’t see her yet as she still needed to get her vaccinations. I not quite sure what a vaccination is, but I think it is when you have to sit on a high table while three people hold you down and one of them pokes you with a sharp stick to see if you’ll cry out. I never do. Those sharp sticks are pretty tiny.
So I will wait out this time. And I look forward to when I can see Alto and meet his new sister, the puppy named “Fini!”
The end. Or as they say in French: Fin
