Broccoli and Dogs Don't Mix

I can remember so many stories about my late pug throughout her years, but one that stuck out was when I was around nine years old and my family was around the dinner table eating dinner. It was a normal evening; we were enjoying a roast my mom made for dinner and my parents were about to finish up and head over to the living room to watch tv like we did every night, so I tried to throw the rest of my food away.

“No, Morgan,” my mom said while putting her dishes in the dishwasher, “You have to finish your broccoli first.” I looked down at my plate in disgust as I had eaten everything around the pieces of broccoli on my plate.

I looked back up at her and my dad walking to the couch and whined, “Please? I wanna watch tv with you!”

My mom shook her head no and I knew it would be no use trying to persuade her after she sat down, it would only get me grounded, so I sat down at the table again. I began to eat my now cold veggies with a grimace on my face. As soon as I sat down, I felt something wet on my feet and I yanked my feet up in response before looking under the table to see what it was. It was Bella, my pug, licking my toes to try and get food.

“No, Bella,” I said while softly pushing her away with my foot. Suddenly an idea popped into my head- I could feed Bella my broccoli! My childish brain couldn’t comprehend what could go wrong with this plan so I went through with it. For some background knowledge as to why this wouldn’t work and how it could go so wrong, my dog Bella was reaching her olden days and has been having regurgitation issues with her normal food and because of this she was throwing up all over the house at all times of the night. You can only imagine how normal human food would go on her stomach. Well, I fed her the food and made my way over to the couch to sit with my parents and Bella followed. She got up to sit in her normal spot which is on top of the back of the couch where your head goes on a couch. She just likes to sit there and watch everyone from that height. A few minutes go by and we are just enjoying the show when I hear a gagging sound and then feel a slimy liquid flow through the big gap of my oversized shirt I use as pajamas and down my back. I stand up suddenly and see Bella with vomit caught on her snout and my parents laughing out of shock. I start gagging myself from the sight and the smell before my mom takes me to the upstairs bathroom to clean me up. She can’t stop laughing while I glare at her in annoyance and disgust at the substance dripping down my back, but it only makes her laugh harder. Finally she calms down enough to help me wipe off the vomit and then take off my now slimy shirt so I can step into the shower.

A few seconds later as I finally start to feel clean again as it all washes off, my mom enters the bathroom again and asks a question, “Morgan, why is there broccoli in the vomit?” I freeze and start to guiltily chuckle before she tells me that I have to clean it up because it was my fault. She vomited many times that night and I was the one who had to wake up and clean it up. After every time though, Bella would walk up to me and ask for pets before going back to sleep. Even though it was a disgusting mess, I still miss times like that when she was around. That’s why she will always be my emPAWyee of my life.