Cody: School

Once his friends dropped him off, the house seemed like it always did on a Sunday night. Sure, his dinner was once again kibble served from a dish on the floor, but after that, the plan was to watch a movie in the living room.

“Cody! Down!” His dad said as soon as Cody took his normal place on the couch.

“What? I always sit here.” Dad sat down on the couch with a groan.

“Sit, Cody.” He said, pointing to his feet.

“Well, this isn’t demeaning at all.” He muttered as he obeyed. His dad rewarded him with a good scritch.

“Am I gonna have to wear bows to school?” He wondered out loud.

“Did you get your homework done?” Mom asked.

“Yeah, Friday night.”

“Good boy.” He could not be sure if that was human or dog praise. Did it matter?

Even sitting on the floor, things felt so normal. They watched TV, joking and chatting over the commercials. If it weren’t for the fact he could see his pink fur legs, Cody might have almost forgotten he was a poodle boy now. Things even felt normal when mom looked at the clock and said her familiar Sunday night decree.

“Alright, Cody. It’s time for bed.”

“Already?” That too was half tradition, half genuine.

“It’s a school night.” Mom said. “Now outside to go potty one last time and then it’s off to bed.” Well, Cody thought as mom took him by the collar as if he could not possibly find the back door on his own, this was not normal.

He peed at the base of his tree. It was funny how simply peeing on a tree really did make him think of it as his, he thought before heading back inside. Mom made him wash his hands in the sink and then he went into the bathroom to brush his teeth. After that, it was off to his room with Dad close behind, where Cody discovered his bed was gone. He had woken up in it just this morning, but now, there was a dog bed in its place! Still, one thing surprised him even more than that.

"It's not pink!" Cody felt relieved, even if he still had a dog bed where his normal bed had been just that morning.

"If it were, you'd blend in." Dad teased. "Into bed, poodle pup. You've got school in the morning." Cody felt a little strange as he sat down on the bed. It was basically a giant pillow. No blankets or anything. I guess my fur is my blanket, he thought. Shave off all my fur and then don't even give me a blanket. He wasn't even cold; it was the principle of the matter! He checked his wrist again to see if he could find where the unitard ended, but it was time to face facts: he was a poodle with human hands, feet, and a human face. This was his life now and, somehow, he was still expected to go to school tomorrow.

"A boy at the worst times." He told the ceiling as he reclined, reaching under him to move his tail from its uncomfortable position. He scratched a floppy ear. Somehow, he still had both human ears and dog ears. He played with his earlobe a bit, more out of curiosity than anything else. He fell asleep, barely even waking up when his mom snuck in to drape a blanket over him.

Morning came and Cody rubbed at his eyes, sluggishly walking over to his dresser to grab fresh underwear only to remember the events of the day before.

“Would it have been so bad to wake up normal?” He muttered. He batted at the poof of fur atop his head. He could not help but feel like having his actual hair dyed pink and poodlified like this was especially terrible. He sighed. At least his hands and feet still looked human, he thought as he wiggled his fingers and toes.

“Morning, Cody!” His mom said, walking in. He almost scolded her for not knocking, but what did it matter? He was lucky he even had a door anymore. “Do you need to go potty?”

“No.” He said.

“Did you have good doggy dreams?” Cody could not remember if his dreams had been boy or dog dreams, so he stayed silent.

“So, what am I going to wear?”

“Your bows, of course.” She gathered them from the drawer that had once held his underwear. “School colors!”

“Great…”

“"It was either the bows or you that had to be school colors, remember?" She smiled. "And there was no way I was going to let them dye my son green and gold.” She chuckled. “We’ll get your bows, then you’ll eat breakfast and then I’m sure Leo will be here to walk you to school.”

“I’m not dressed!”

“Well, hold still.” She examined the bow she had removed. “These white bows are nice. They really pop against your fur.”

“No, I… Mom! I can’t go to school naked!”

“Cody, that’s enough. You have your bows.”

“But I need a shirt, pants… underwear!” Saying that word to his mom was almost as humiliating as all the poodle treatment he had had over the last day.

“I’m not gonna be known as that mom who sent her dog to school in people clothes.” She laughed. “And why waste money on pants that I’d have to cut a hole in?” She shook her head at the very thought. “Speaking of, turn around, Cody pup. You need a bow on your tail yet.”

“Why?”

“It’s just how things are done.” Mom said. “Poodles need bows.”

“Even boy poodles?”

“I bet all your classmates would think it was weird if you didn’t have them. It’d be like one of them not wearing pants.” Cody remembered Leo, or was it Aiden, making a similar comment just yesterday. “Besides, you’re a poodle before you’re a boy.” She murmured, more to herself than to her son. “There! Downstairs for breakfast.”

“Gee, wonder what it could be.” He almost convinced himself it wouldn’t be puppy chow, but there it was, sitting in his bowl like always.

“Eat up, Cody.” If there was one silver lining of all this, it was that Cody was almost expected to chew loudly with his mouth open. He may be a boy at the worst times, but he was a dog at mealtimes. “Leo will be here any minute, finish eating.”

“Am I really going to go to school like this?” Dogs did not go to school! Maybe, just maybe, he could get out of it by acting like a dog? No, not a dog… a prissy… he could not even finish the thought. He stood up, stretching his back and groaning. He could not spend all day on all fours, he decided.

“Let’s get your leash on.” Mom said.

“A leash? For school?”

“You were perfectly content with it yesterday.” She said, wrestling his arms through the harness. “And I’m not having you run off and get lost. Come to think of it…” She stroked his ear pensively, lost in thought for a moment. “And here’s your backpack.” That was not his backpack! His was denim blue, this one was aggressively pink!

“That’s a girl backpack!”

“It is not.”

“It’s pink!”

“So are you. It’s a poodle’s backpack.” Cody frowned, but she pushed the backpack into his arms as the doorbell rang. “It’s got your lunch in it, so you’re carrying it.”

“How am I supposed to put it on my back?”

“Your leash gets in the way.”

“I know.”

“So carry it, silly pup.” Cody rolled his eyes. Was there still time to fake a stomach ache? What if he dropped the backpack and started playing adorably with a toy? I’d probably get to take it to school then, he thought, but then Mrs. Duquette would take it away. She always took toys away ‘until the end of the day’ only to conveniently forget to give them back. He was not going to lose his red bone!

“Cody!” Leo exclaimed. Cody fought the canine urge to run over to him.

“Can you believe this?” He muttered as one boy to another, nodding to his backpack.

“Your lunch is in there.” Mom said. “Oh, and Leo, he hasn’t pooped yet.”

“Mom!”

“Do you wanna real quick, Cody? I’d uh” Leo’s voice trailed off. “I’d rather not stop on the way to school, yeah.” Cody’s face burned.

“Can we just go? If you’re making me go to school like this, might as well get it over with.” He marched out of the house sullenly, feeling the harness around his chest tug. He sighed. “Hurry up, Leo.”

“Sorry, Cody! I don’t have your energy.” He laughed.

“So, um… what’s school like?”

“What do you mean? We sit there, bored out of our minds, waiting to go home. Geez, the weekend wasn’t that long!”

“But for me?”

“Don’t know what you’re talking about.” Leo said with a shrug. “You sure you don’t need to poop?”

“If I do, I’ll just use the boys’ room at school.” Leo laughed.

“Good one!”

“You know, you don’t need to hold that thing. Where will I go?”

“Oh, yeah. Totally gonna let go of your leash when it’s clear you don’t want to go to school.”

“No one else needs a leash, do they?”

“If your mom says you need a leash, I’m not gonna argue.” He shrugged. “Plus do you really want to go to the pound?”

“What? I’m a human being!” Leo’s face was unreadable. He was a human being, wasn’t he? Leo stopped and eyed a maple tree. Cody tugged at the leash, but had little choice but to stop.

“How’s this place smell?”

“Smell?”

“For, you know.”

“Don’t dogs usually tell you when they need to go?”

“Just figured, you seem grumpy. Maybe you need to”

“Let’s go to school. I’ll use a toilet IF I have to go.” Leo seemed puzzled, but he followed Cody all the way to school. “We’re here.” The pink poodle boy said. “Get this off of me.”

“You know the rules.” Cody did not actually. “Leash stays on in the halls.”

“What?” Leo’s shoulders rose and fell in a shrug.

“Principals, man.” Cody fumed as he led Leo through the halls, hardly able to ignore all the people staring at him. He had to look ridiculous, all pink and wooly, carrying his backpack as Leo held his leash.

“Good morning, Cody!”

“Um, good morning, Joey?” Cody stiffened up nervously as Joey walked over and scratched behind his ears. He pushed past him and into the classroom, more focused on getting away from him than making sure Leo was behind him with the other end of the leash.

“Did you have a good weekend, Cody?”

“Uh, sure?” He stared at Rebecca in confusion.

“Hi, Cody!”

“Morning, Cody!” Cody soon found himself all but surrounded by nearly the entire class. Leo walked over to his desk, letting the leash go and grinning knowingly at Aiden. With his adoring fans all around him, how could Cody run away?

Cody turned in a circle, trying to make sense of what was going on. Hands caressed him all over, burying hands into his wooly poodle fur, everyone seemed like they needed to wish him good morning that very instant, and it was all so strange! He had never really been unpopular, but he mostly hung out with Aiden and Leo. Why was everyone so friendly?

“Alright, to your desks, students.” Mrs. Duquette said. It might have been the very first time Cody was relieved to hear her stern voice. “Yes, Cody got a new hair cut, but he’s still the same poodle.” The crowd dispersed. With the familiar sounds of Mrs. Duquette ordering them to their desks, Cody walked to his, still dragging the leash behind him. “Leo.”

“Yes, Mrs. Duquette?”

“Why is Cody still wearing his leash?” The class all giggled in that way students do when one of their own gets in trouble. Leo jumped up and unbuckled Cody’s harness.

“Sorry.” He said, more to the teacher than to Cody. Cody hurried to his desk.

“What are you doing?” Leo asked, having hung Cody’s leash up by the door.

“Sitting in my desk.”

“My desk.” Leo said. “You sit behind me. Always have.” Cody nodded, but was confused. Behind Leo’s desk, there wasn’t a desk. Just a bit of frayed carpet that… Cody could not explain it, but something about the rug told him it was his. The smell? The general air of it? He could not put it into words, but it was his. He sat down cross-legged on the rug. He could still see Mrs. Duquette and the board, not that he had ever been a good student by any stretch. Why did this feel so right?

Cody pondered it throughout the morning, but tried his best to pay attention all the same. If he was going to sit on the floor like a dog, why couldn’t he play with a toy? He missed his squeaky red bone and his video games equally.

“Cody? Do you know the answer?” He looked at the board and tried to puzzle it out.

“Uh, forty-nine?”

“Good boy!” Mrs. Duquette said. Cody could not help but grin so wide, his tail actually wagged. He filed it away to investigate later. “But pay closer attention.”

Cody felt the need to at least attempt to obey and pay attention, even as it began to rain and there were drops to watch race down the window. He glimpsed out the window. It was pouring! Was recess going to be inside, he wondered? That felt more like one of his own thoughts. All this thinking about water made him realize he needed to pee.

He raised a hand, blushing as he was reminded once again of the little fluffy pink doughnut around his wrist.

“Yes, Cody?”

“May I go to the bathroom please?”

“Well, it’s nearly time for gym.” Cody knew what that meant. He would have to wait. “Whose turn is it?”

“Mine, Mrs. Duquette.” Devin said, standing up and looking out the window. “Do I really hafta?”

“It’s your turn, Devin.” Lisa said from the front of the class. Devin sighed.

“Come on, Cody.” Cody sat there. What was going on? Everyone knew something, but what? “Cody, come! Come on, boy!”

“What’s going on?” Cody slowly got up from his rug.

“Here’s a treat.” Mrs. Duquette said, handing it to Devin.

“Cody, I have a treat!” He said, shaking his hand. Deeply confused, Cody walked to the front of the class. “Sit!”

“Have him do tricks later.” Mrs. Duquette said. “The custodians have cleaned up enough accidents.”

“Alright.” Devin held out his hand, palm up. Cody took the treat and put it in his own mouth, chewing on it calmly as Mrs. Duquette put his harness on him.

“The bathroom’s just down the hall.” He muttered. “I’m not gonna run away.”

“Try and stay dry.” Mrs. Duquette said to Devin.

“Let’s go, Cody.”

“Is she worried I’m gonna pee on you?” He asked as they left the classroom.

“I think she’s more worried about the rain.”

“Rain? Hey, I’m not going out there!” He tugged on the leash. “Let’s go to the boys’ room.”

“And do what? You can’t use a urinal.” Cody looked up and down. He was on two legs. Couldn’t Devin see that? His bladder ached. He had to pee too badly to really argue.

“Fine.” He muttered.

As they neared the door, Cody caught a glimpse of his reflection, only then remembering he had bows in his fur, especially the one right in the middle of the pink wooly fur atop his head that had once been a normal boy’s hairstyle. It was still hair, right? It felt a lot like the fur on the rest of him and really, what was the difference between hair and fur? Boys had hair, dogs had fur, he thought.

“Your leash should reach if I stay in here, right?” Devin asked. “No point in both of us getting wet.”

“I’ll shake off on you.” Cody said, rolling his eyes.. Something suddenly occurred to him. “If I poop, you gotta scoop it, right?” Devin seemed to turn green.

“Ew, dude!” Cody cackled. “Just go pee. We’re doing dodgeball in gym.” Cody nodded. No one wanted to miss dodgeball. He took a breath as if he was about to take a plunge into a pool and stepped out into the rain.

Knowing that he was out here to pee, Cody felt instinct take over. He went over to a bit of the brick wall that he somehow felt like he had peed on before and peed. Even standing on two legs, he lifted one to pee, rain pouring down on him and nearly flattening his fur. He hoped he did not look as much like a drowned rat as he felt as he returned to the door. Devin made a series of gestures.

“What? Open the door!”

“Shake off!” Devin was muffled. Cody sighed and jumped up and down, shaking his body. “Good dog.” Devin said, opening the door.

“Back to class?”

“Boys room first.” Devin decreed. “You need to dry off more.”

Even though it was his idea – or had it been? Cody couldn’t be sure what the rules were – Devin still seemed annoyed as he watched Cody dry off under the hand dryers.

"This is taking forever!" Devin complained.

"Oh like you wanted to go back to class anyway." Cody said while his fur got endlessly poofier. "Here, take my bows to the other hand dryer if you’re in such a hurry."

"Yeah, like I know how to put them back in your fur." His nose wrinkled. "You know, this is the first time you smelled like a dog. Do you perfume your fur or something normally?"

"What? You don't stink normally, so do you wear perfume?"

"No, but I wear like deodorant and stuff." Devin shrugged. “I mean, if you do, it’s ok to admit it. I know what poodles are like.”

“How many poodles do you know?”

“Well, you’re the only one.” Devin admitted. “But I mean, you’re pink and you always have bows.”

“I’m not naturally pink.”

“But you gotta like being pink, right?” Cody sighed.

“Does your mom or dad buy clothes for you?”

“Yeah?”

“That’s what it’s like for me.” He thought back to the groomer’s. “My mom told the… barber” Devin snorted in disbelief. “What she wanted done and now I’m pink and… poodly, I guess?” He laughed. “Parents, right?”

“I guess.”

“Yours make you wear… I dunno. Dorky shirts to church? Mine make me wear bows and leashes.” Parents, he thought, shaking his head as he tried to dry his ears. Just two weeks ago, he had forgotten to tell his parents where he and Leo were going, so both Mom and Dad had been furious when he got home. Maybe I deserve this whole leash thing then? He thought. Is that how it worked? Disappear for a couple hours and you get turned into a dog boy?
“Aren’t you done?” Cody realized that his fur was not getting any drier, only more and more poofy, so he stepped away and did his best to make his bows look right.

“See, dude? Uh, dog? You like your bows.”

“No, I’m just worried Mrs. Duquette will make a big deal if they’re not just right.” He sighed and wondered if he should have tried to make a run for it while Devin had been holding the handle of the leash loosely. Too late now, he thought, as he led Devin out of the bathroom.

“Hi, doggy!” A first grader said as he passed them on his way to the bathroom.

“Uh, hi.”

“His name’s Cody.” Devin explained.

“He doesn’t need to know that.”

They returned to class just as everyone was lining up to go to gym. Mrs. Duquette eyed Cody and adjusted a few of his bows.

"Look! Cody's wagging his tail!" Someone called out as Mrs. Duquette put the finishing touches on his bows. He realized he was, and why shouldn't he? Sure, he was fluffy, pink, and infested with prissy bows, but it was dodgeball day in gym.

"Aiden, can you take Cody's leash?" Mrs. Duquette asked. Cody grinned at Aiden, who gave him an excellent ear scritch.

"You're extra poofy today." He observed. "Excited for gym?"

"No talking in the halls please." Cody rolled his eyes and nodded his answer to Aiden's question.

He looked down at his wrists, trying to slip a finger under the cuff of his outfit. Part of him knew the cuff didn't exist anymore, but it still made no sense. Maybe he should go to the nurse and ask? Could he fake a tummyache? A hurt paw? What if the nurse had become a vet?

"What's so funny? Aiden asked as Cody laughed out of the blue.

"Nothing." He said as they entered the gym. He skidded to a halt, nose wrinkling. "Ugh! It reeks!" Aiden shrugged, sniffing the air audibly.

"Smells the same as always." Cody buried his nose in the furry pom pom on his wrist. At least that smell was him.

"Like major bee oh." He muttered, spying the rubber balls that confirmed dodgeball and feeling a little bit better. “You really don’t smell it?” Aiden shrugged.

"Alright, Aiden." Mr. Goode called across the gym from the middle of a ring of orange cones. "Go ahead and take off Cody's leash. Cody, all fours." Cody blinked in confusion. Did Mr. Goode just say all fours?

"Aren't you going to listen?" Aiden asked as he set Cody's harness aside. "You only get treats when you have proper form, you know."

"What are you talking" he felt his ears rise as Mr. Goode whistled. "Cody! Here, boy!" He beckoned Cody over to join him in the ring of cones.

"Class, over here for dodgeball." Mr. Donavan called, clapping his hands. Cody looked from one gym teacher to another, confused. Why were they both here?

"Cody, here boy!" Cody walked over to Mr. Goode, who shook his head with a laugh.

"Nice try, bud, but remember proper form."

"What?"

"Aw, you got a case of the Mondays?" He patted Cody's shoulder. "Down, boy. Down." He kneeled down and Cody followed. The moment his hands touched the floor, Mr. Goode nodded. "There you go. Good dog." He patted Cody on the head, right on his bow. "But to get a treat, I want you to go back and come over to me properly."

"What do you mean, properly?" Mr. Goode chuckled like an adult who didn't quite get the joke, but recognized it as one.

"No tricks, nothing fancy. On all four legs with your head up." It was surprisingly easy to go a short distance away and then come back on all fours, which was good because Cody was busy puzzling over the situation. Across the gym, he could see his classmates splitting into teams for dodgeball while he was busy walking on all fours. He had a suspicion he would not be playing dodgeball today. "Good boy!" Still kneeling, Mr. Goode held out a treat. "No, not with your paw. I didn't say shake." Cody sighed and grabbed it with his teeth. "There we go." Mr. Goode stood up and Cody began to follow. "Down." Cody sighed. "Sit." The poodle boy twisted around and sat cross-legged. It had been good enough for class, right? How else should he sit?

Cody soon found out as Mr. Goode kneeled down and began to move his legs around.

"Proper form, Cody." He said. "Good posture and proper form are important for being active and healthy." Cody figured out what he was aiming for and shifted so that he was sitting like a dog. "Back straight. Good boy!" At least it earned him a treat. "Stand, Cody." That one was easy, even if he was tempted to stand up all the way up. "Sit." He went back down. "Stand! Sit! Stand! Sit!" Ten reps earned him another treat. "Alright, let's move on." It was like a game of Simon Says except Cody had to obey every command. At least Mr. Goode was generous with the treats and never really yelled at him, even when he did not quite get what he meant by speak.

"Speak!"

"Uh, hello."

"Speak!"

"Um, good morning?"

"No, Cody. Speak!" Cody wondered how long it would go before Mr. Goode knew he knew what he meant.

"Bark!" Cody said, trying to make the word at least sound like a dog noise.

"I can keep going as long as you can, Cody. Speak!" Cody sighed.

"Yip!" His high-pitched bark echoed through the gym and he heard a few giggles from over at the lively dodgeball game, where the students who were out were standing on the sidelines and watching his obedience lesson.

"Speak!"

"Yip!"

"Up!" Cody obeyed. "Speak!"

"Yip!"

"Good dog!" Mr. Goode gave him a treat and Cody did not even hesitate to snatch it with his mouth. "Alright, do a lap around the cones." Cody made his way around the cones on all fours, still getting used to how natural it felt. What did it mean? What if he could not stand up again? When Mr. Goode looked away, Cody squatted on his haunches, just to make sure he could. "How about we see how fast you can go, poodle pup?" Even half poodle or whatever he was, going fast still sounded great to Cody. He took off running around the cones, trying his best to ignore the laughter from the dodgeball sidelines as a prissy pink blur sped past, circling the cones.

"Alright, take a water break." There was a water fountain on the wall of the gym that Cody knew of, but he had never seen the stainless steel water bowl beside it.

"Wonder where I'm supposed to go?" He muttered, walking over. He knew Mr. Goode was watching him, so he stayed on all fours until he reached the water fountain. He stood up and immediately yelped, covering his ears as possibly the loudest, shrillest sound he had ever heard suddenly split the air.

"Cody! Down!" Mr. Goode said, whistle falling from his lips as he jogged over. "None of your classmates need puppy slobber on the spigot."

"What was that thing?" Cody moaned, still shaken.

"Sorry, buddy. We don't like to use that, but I needed your attention." Cody eyed it, the rational part of his mind wondering if it was a dog whistle. No one else seemed nearly as affected. No, it was just a normal gym teacher's whistle. So his hearing definitely had changed, he thought. Dog toys sound amazing and whistles were awful! He shuddered. "Have your drink."

Once Cody drank his fill, marveling at how the water dish refilled, he returned to Mr. Goode to review the tricks? Moves? Whatever he had learned, ignoring the snickers as he yipped again and again.

“Mr. Goode. Can we play fetch with Cody?” Mr. Goode looked at the kids who had asked, considering it.

“If Mr. Donavan says it’s ok.” He said at last. The other gym teacher nodded his head and that was how Cody spent the rest of gym class, chasing after balls thrown by his classmates.

“Proper form, Cody!” Mr. Goode called every time Cody tried to do something undoglike. He had eyes like a hawk, Cody thought as he grabbed the ball in his mouth before bringing it back over to April, who smiled.

“Sit!” She said. Cody rolled his eyes, but obeyed. She didn’t give him any treats, but at least ear scritches were good no matter who was giving them. “Give.” She held out her hand.

“You could say please.” Cody said. April giggled.

“You’re cute.” Cody stared at her, trying to decide if she meant he was a cute boy or a cute dog. “I like your bows.” Dog. “Go fetch!” She threw the ball and Cody ran after it.

“Alright, who’s going to take Cody back to class?” Mr. Goode called at the end of class. Finally, Cody thought. I can stand up again. As if he could read his mind, Mr. Goode looked at Cody, harness in his hand. “Stay down, Cody.” He kneeled. “Your homework is to practice your proper posture and form. No going up on your hind legs to impress your classmates, understand?”

“For the rest of the day?” Mr. Goode did not seem to hear him, giving Cody’s head a rough rub before handing the leash to April.

“I have an idea.” April said. She held the leash out to Cody. “Want this, boy?”

“Huh?”

“Well, a member of the class has to hold your leash. You’re a member of the class, right?” She laughed. “Just promise not to run off.”

“I promise.” She shook her head.

“Cross your heart, hope to die, pink and floofy til the day you die?” Cody blinked. Had she just come up with that? All the same, he repeated it. I hope I’m not pink and floofy until the day I die, he thought, suddenly wondering just how long mom would keep getting to pick his hairstyle. Probably depends on if I’m a boy or a dog.

He felt nothing like a boy as he returned to class on all fours, leash in his mouth. Mrs. Duquette barely even blinked as he sat down at his spot. She had already begun to talk about nouns and adjectives before Cody realized he was sitting like a dog. Mr. Goode had gotten to him! He shifted back to crossed legs, glad it did not feel too weird to do so. I may be a poodle before I’m a boy, but I’m human before I’m a dog. He thought, wishing he believed it.

“Leo. When’s lunchtime?” He whispered as he felt his stomach grumble.

“Cody? Do you know where the adjective is in this sentence?” Mrs. Duquette said.

“Uh” Cody stared at the board.

“Dumb dog.” He heard someone mumble.

“You know what they say about poodles.” Another mumbler mused. Cody glared at them.

“Isn’t it ‘big’?” He said. Mrs. Duquette nodded.

“Very good. But please pay more attention. And sit properly like the others.” Well, they’re in desks and I’m on the floor, Cody thought. Did she mean he shouldn’t sit cross legged? Well, that wasn’t going to happen!

Finally, the time came for lunch and Cody realized he would have to stand up if he wanted to carry his lunchbox. He stood, stretching as Mrs. Duquette fastened his harness to him. Would he have to keep it on during lunch? With my luck, probably, he thought.

“What’s the rule, kids?”

“Don’t feed Cody off our trays.” The class said in loose unison.

“And no begging, Cody.” She said to him. “Now who’s taking Cody’s leash?”

To his relief, no one commented on Cody standing up again as they went to the cafeteria. Things felt normal as he joined the others who had brought their lunches over to the table.

“What are you doing?” April asked with a giggle. Was that all she did, Cody wondered.

“Sitting to eat lunch?”

“You’re gonna get in trouble!” She said in sing-song. Cody stuck his tongue out at her.

“Alright, Cody. Let’s not go through this again.” Miss Nancy, the lunchroom monitor, said. “Down, boy.”

“But”

“Your lunch is down here.” She took the lunchbox from in front of him and opened it on the floor. He did not know what he expected, but it was not his tail wagging as he caught a whiff of kibble. “Down you come, Cody. And remember, boys and girls, no feeding him scraps. Even if he tries to beg.”

“I’m not going to do that!” Cody said. Miss Nancy just patted him on his poofy head.

“Not your fault, boy. Poodles are natural attention hogs.”

“That’s not very nice.” Cody mumbled.

“I’ll take it that growl is because you’re hungry.” She said. “Go on, eat. I’ll find your water bowl.” Cody looked around self-consciously, but was too hungry to really care if anyone was watching him.

“Whatcha you got today, Leo?” Aiden asked.

“PB and J. With strawberry J.” Cody pulled his head out of his food and smiled. Even with everything so different, Aiden and Leo were still sitting right next to him. Well, above him since he was down on the floor.

“Cool! How ‘bout you, Cody?” Cody blinked.

“Uh, kibble?” He said, looking up at his friends. “Uh, how about you, Aiden?”

“Mom packed me some kinda meat. Bologna?” He studied the sandwich. “Wanna try it, Cody?” Cody looked at it with interest. He had been eating kibble for every meal and that pup cup yesterday barely counted as people food. I’m people too, he reminded himself.

“Aiden, you better not.” Leo said. “You know Miss Nancy always watches Cody closely. Ever since…” his voice took on a dramatic tone. “The Chili Incident.”

“Food fights always work better in the movies.” Cody said in his own defense. “It was a good idea,” he muttered, going back to his kibble. It wasn’t so bad, after all. It seemed to be getting better every time. He turned his attention to his water dish and began to slurp at it loudly. Getting to slurp and smack his lips as much as he wanted was especially great. Do I like being a dog? He wondered. Was he a dog? Everyone seemed to think so. Except when they don’t, he thought. It was very confusing. One minute, he’s being called on in class, the next he’s eating kibble out of a lunchbox on the floor. “So, you not sharing, Aiden?” Aiden laughed.

“You always beg.” Cody returned to his kibble, but had to wonder what that meant. No one – except him – saw him being a dog as anything strange, but he knew, knew, that he had been a boy last Friday at school. He could remember sitting right there next to Leo, eating his sandwich, drinking chocolate milk. Why did no one else remember that?

As he finished off his lunch, Cody searched his brain for something so memorable that someone would have to remember him being a boy. A real boy, he thought as he stared down at the pink fur doughnut on his wrist.

“All done, boys and girls? All done, pup?” Miss Nancy said, closing Cody’s lunch box. “Who’s got leash duty?”

“Me!” Cody said at once, raising a hand. Miss Nancy laughed.

“That’s a good one, Cody. But here, we’ll have someone else take it. Your teacher does a whole schedule, after all!”

“It’s my turn, Miss Nancy.” A girl named Casey said, looking less than thrilled.

“Huh?”

“Here you go, Casey.” She said, handing the girl Cody’s leash.

“We really can’t just tie him to a post? That’s what we do with my dog.”

“What? What’s even going on?” Cody asked.

“I get to hang onto your leash while you sniff around and do your business.” Casey said. “Lucky me.” She sighed.

“Are you like this with your dog?” Cody muttered.

“My dog’s a real dog.” Cody blinked. Did she mean… Before he could ask, Casey snapped her fingers. “Go on, Cody. Lead the way. Even a poodle knows where the playground is, right?” Even if he did not, the herd of students were all heading in one clear direction.

“What now?” Cody muttered, giving the leash a tug.

“No, Cody. No pulling.” Casey said. “Go pee or whatever.” Cody smirked.

“Maybe I’ll do more than that.” He mused to himself. “Hey, aren’t there any toys or anything? What if I get bored?”

“No chasing squirrels.” Cody rolled his eyes.

“It’s a playground. I’d be more likely to chase kindergartners.”

“You’d be too worried about their sticky hands in your pretty poodle fur, I bet.” Cody tried to deny it, but he remembered the little girl from yesterday and involuntarily shuddered. She smirked. “You poodles are so vain.” That triggered Cody’s memory.

"What did you mean earlier that your dog is a real dog?" Did someone else finally realize how weird this all is?

"Well, she is." She shrugged. "Poodles just are... Different. And you’re like… super duper poodly.”

“What does that mean?” She seemed surprised he did not realize what she was referring to.

“I mean, just… just look at you. You're pink, fluffy, and always have bows like you just left the poodle parlor."

"I'm not normally! My mom"

"Not normally pink?" She snorted. "Uh-huh. The way you yip and prance, pink's the only color for you. Do you even know how to fetch?"

"Sure I do!" Had she not been paying attention during gym?

"Your yip hasn't deepened. At all. since kindergarten."

"It will!" Since kindergarten? Had he been a poodle back then? No! No, but everyone seemed to think…

"Is that what your mommy says when she puts your pretty prissy bows in your pretty prissy fur?" He scoffed. “Poodle-woodle loves your bows, right?”

"Honestly? Take them out of my fur. I hate them."

"Do it yourself." She smirked. "But you're too much of a goody two shoes poodle priss to do it, aren't you?" Cody scoffed again, though it sounded more like a soft yip.

“Me? A goody two shoes? Do you even know me? Me and Leo used to”

“See? Trying to change the subject to keep your pretty bows.” Cody frowned. He could see a trap coming a mile away.

“Someone will just put them back on.”

“Won’t know until you try.” Cody tugged on the leash.

“So gonna poop and make you scoop it up.” That at least seemed to shut her up, but then Cody realized he might actually have to go. Did that kibble go right through him? Or was it breakfast? Did it matter?

Once she realized that Cody was not going to take the bait, Casey seemed disinterested in him. Cody felt a little weird about walking around the playground with her close behind. Couldn’t he hang onto his own leash? What am I thinking? I don’t need a leash!

"How much time is left for recess?" He asked, only half expecting Casey to answer.

"I dunno. Ten minutes? Why?" Her eyes widened as Cody squatted down. "Oh. You're cleaning that up."

"I'm a dog." Cody said. He winced inwardly, but continued. "Just a pampered silly poodle."

"I'm not scooping that up!"

"You have to. You're on leash duty and that is doody."

"You scoop your own poop." Casey said, hands on her hips as her voice took on a bossy tone. "Everyone knows that!" Cody huffed. “Don’t growl at me!”

"I wasn't."

"Scoop that up or I'm telling." Cody held firm. Her voice was so annoying when she got bossy! “Unless you’re a bad dog?” Cody scoffed.

“You really think that’s going to work?” In truth, he felt a sting deep down. He wasn’t a dog! Even if everyone acted like he was. It was really confusing. He looked like a boy, didn’t he? A boy with pink fur. But it’s not like

“Scoop it!” Casey interrupted his thoughts.

“With what?” He mimicked her snotty tone.

“Seriously? Drop the dumb dog act, Cody. With one of your bags.” She pulled it out of a plastic bone on the leash. How had I not noticed that? Cody thought.

“I don’t… I don’t wanna touch it.” Casey sighed.

“Wrap the bag around your hand and then grab it. It just came out of you.”

“That’s gross.”

“You better do it before the end of recess. Do you want detention?” She smirked, knowing she had won. “Or maybe I should call the playground monitor over?” She looked in her direction, murmuring to herself. “Don’t know why she can’t hold your leash.” She looked back at Cody, who was trying to psych himself up for this. “God.” She muttered. “Pink, covered in bows. You are such a poodle. You really are prissy, you know that?”

“Believe me, I do.” Cody took the bag and a deep breath. Was he really about to do this?

“Hurry up!”

“I’m trying to concentrate.” He muttered.

“Don’t growl.”

“I’m not!”

“Maybe your mom should sign you up for barking classes.”

“What does that even mean?”

“Quit getting distracted.” Great, she was sounding bossy again. “Scoop!” Cody sighed.

“If it’ll shut you up, fine.” The best plan, he figured, was just to go as quickly as possible. He scrunched up his nose and grabbed it, nearly gagging.

"Ugh, finally."

"So gross." Cody didn't even dare breathe. “What now?”

“Throw it away, weirdo.” Casey said in disgust. “We gotta go inside and there’s a trash right there by the door.” She watched him hold the baggie out at arm’s length, rolling her eyes. “Have you ever even tried not being such a freaking poodle?” She muttered under her breath.

“What’s your problem?” Cody asked, glaring at her.

“I just lost a whole recess to have to babysit you.”

“So? Everyone takes turns, don’t they? And it’s not like I can help being… whatever I am.” Casey scoffed. “But you know what? You can stop being a bully.”

“I’m not a bully.” Casey said, offended. “And if you tell Mrs. Duquette that I am…” Cody knew he had won. His celebration in his head was short-lived, however, as he walked into the classroom.

As soon as he saw her, he realized he had smelled her in the hallway. His mom stood there by the teacher's desk, smiling as she saw him walk in on his leash.

“Mom?!”

“There’s my poodle! Oh, here, let’s get your leash off. You’ll wear your harness with me.”

“Huh? What’s going on, mom?”

“Your bows are all messed up.” She said to a few snickers. “Hold still. And… there!” As far as Cody was concerned, it felt like his bows were the exact same as they had been before. “Who’s my pretty poodle? Cody’s the prettiest poodle in the whole wide world!” Another chorus of snickers washed over him. “Come on, Cody. We have an appointment to get to.”

“Say bye to Cody, kids.” Mrs. Duquette said.

“Bye!”

“Lead the way, poodle pup.”

“But mom, where are we going?” He kept asking, but she refused to answer until they got to the car and he was safely in the backseat. “Come on and tell me! Where are we going, mom?”

"We have an appointment."

"Ugh! Not the groomer again!?"

"You went yesterday, silly."

"That's my point!" She looked back at him and smiled.

“Were your classmates not complimentary enough about your fur? Is that why you want to go to the groomer again?”

“Huh? I don't!”

“Don’t worry, you’ll always be mommy’s pretty poodle!”

“Mom, c’mon! I’m a boy!”

“Boy poodles are pretty poodles. Especially boy poodles with pretty bows in their pretty pink fur.”

“You did this to me.”

“No growling, Cody.” She started the car. “Especially when we get to our appointment.” She looked back at him. “Oh, and there’s a chocolate bar on the seat you can have.” Can I eat it? Cody wondered, half-remembering something about it being bad for dogs. I’m not a dog though. He gave it a tentative nibble, but something seemed wrong. Well, not wrong exactly, but something was bothering him. As the trees went past the window, he suddenly realized what it was. Mom only ever bribed him with candy when they were going to the doctor!