I once had a pet tire named Mitchell. He wasn't one to fetch, but I often rolled him in the park. He never lost a single downhill race. Sometimes I'd curl inside and we raced downhill together. Sometimes I'd curl inside and go to sleep.
I found him behind our shed, but I was looking for something else. I had asked my father for a puppy.
“You want a pet?” he said. “Go dig up a worm.”
So I went behind the shed and balanced the tire on end to dig the soft ground underneath in search of a pet worm. But I stopped digging to look at the tire, and was no longer interested in worms. Later that day, I took Mitchell for a spin.
My parents accepted Mitchell and rules applied to him just like other pets. I had to keep him clean and never, ever was he allowed inside, though I did manage to sneak him through my window on a few nights, only to be scolded in the morning. I didn't mind; I loved Mitchell.
I woke up one morning and found my father working in the garage. “Where's Mitchell?” I asked.
“He can still be your pet,” said my dad, pointing.
I guess in some ways he still was, but riding in the car was never quite the same.
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I posted this before. Under Hwy 99 published it in 2009, but they aren't around anymore.
Boy oh boy, some tire! Good story. And finding the commercial while searching for your previously published version is awesome, they fit together so well. *
An interesting sensibility at work. I enjoyed this completely.
Ha! This is so good on both levels, Fos. Funny and lonely-sad.*
Fave, Foster. I love the inventiveness and bittersweet idea of the story. I won't tire of how well you have spun this lovely, little tale. Great piece.
We've all made up strange playmates, yet this is just genius.
This is bizarre and funny.
Captures a child's tendency to animate the inanimate. Funny and odd and sad.*
The lonliness of this child is touching, the insensitivity of his father's remoteness "go dig up a worm" and then using the tire for the car. Makes me think of Romney with the dog on the roof.
fave*
We all need a pet.Very creative.*
Despite the reader knowing that an inanimate object is a pet, you have somehow still managed to sustain the surprise of it. Very refreshing, Fos. *
I love Mitchell too!
How things change with change. *