The Adventures of Oscar and Midge

By Joe Cleary

A hilarious, heartfelt romp around the neighborhood!

 

Oscar just wants to finish his nap. Midge has other ideas. Whether she's investigating the latest conspiracy, enjoying a late night movie marathon, or working on her thesis, she keeps Oscar on his toes.

 

Join them on their adventures! It's a dog-gone good time.

 

Contains Who's a Good Boy?, Doctor Nice Lady, Catwalk, Indogpendence Day, The Infiltrator, and Early to Rise.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Barker Press
• Release date: Aug 22, 2021
• ISBN: 9781956416015

Book preview

The Adventures of Oscar and Midge

Volume One

Joe Cleary

The Adventures of Oscar and Midge: Volume One is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are a product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Copyright © 2021 by Joe Cleary

All rights reserved.

joeclearyauthor.com

Published by Barker Press.

Cover Design: Joe Cleary

Cover Illustration: Joe Cleary

For Oscar and Midge,

who bring me endless joy.

Contents

An Introduction

Who’s a Good Boy?

Doctor Nice Lady

Catwalk

Indogpendence Day

The Infiltrator

Early to Rise

Coming Soon

About the Author

An Introduction

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When I sat down to write a story a week at the beginning of May, I had no idea what I would write each week or where it would take me. I only knew that I had to sit down and begin, or let the dream of writing go once and for all. It was time to get to work. Shit or get off the pot, as the saying goes.

So, I began. I had an old story called Blood Writer that I’d had rattling around in my head for a while, and that’s where I started. That came out alright, and so did the next two stories, but I wasn’t sure about the fourth story, and by the fifth week, I was starting to worry. I had plenty of ideas, but I was questioning myself, wondering if I had anything at all worth putting down. I was slipping into the trap of taking it all too seriously, something I had done for thirty years and that had stopped me from writing time and time again.

Sunday came, and I still didn’t know what to write. But I had enough self-awareness to see what was happening. I knew I’d gotten into my own head. I had to get out of my own way. I had to get back to having fun.

I don’t know where the spark for Who’s a Good Boy? came from. I suspect I owe a debt to my childhood, in particular the influences of Charles M. Schulz and Peanuts. As a boy, I devoured the comic strip and fell in love with the television specials, and Snoopy was as much of a hero to me in my early years as The Fonz, Bugs Bunny, and Kermit the Frog.

I suppose its only natural, then, that when my writing started to become serious business and I started to feel that old familiar writing cramp, I turned to the things that meant the most to me back when having fun was all that mattered.

By early Sunday evening, I’d written the first story in this collection. I read it to my fiancé, Meg, with eager anticipation, and it was her reaction of laughter and pure happiness that let me know I had something here. Since that first Sunday in June, I’ve written the other Oscar and Midge stories in this collection, and have several more awaiting the second volume. I also have a few ideas for expanding their adventures in longer form.

I had fun writing these stories and reading them to Meg. I’m sorry that you won’t get the full effect of my readings, complete with voices, but I hope you will get the most important thing I put in them – love.

These stories are fiction. They are me just having fun, and hoping you will have half as much enjoyment reading them as I did writing them.

Oscar, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, and Midge, a Lhasa-Shon, are my dogs. Now, they are yours, too.

Don’t take life too seriously.

Joe Cleary

August 22nd, 2021

Shrewsbury Township, NJ

Who’s a Good Boy?

The Adventures of Oscar and Midge #1

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Oscar woke up a few minutes before the alarm went off because Midge started barking at the humans. He lay in bed under the covers wishing she would just shut up. She always got up before the rest of them because she was always hungry, and the idea of the sun rising without having something to eat was a personal insult to her. Oscar liked food every bit as much as Midge did, but he didn’t get all dramatic about it. He preferred to take his time, get a good walk in first, and then eat with the humans. That way he could hang out with them while Midge ran around the house like a lunatic, burning off the energy she’d been saving up all night.

He knew the humans as Momma and Poppa. Poppa got up first to relieve himself in the bathroom like he always did before the walk. That got Midge’s attention, and she sat on the edge of the bed waiting for him to come back. Oscar, meanwhile, took advantage of the momentary quiet to get a few more winks of sleep. He liked to be well rested for the walk because it was the best part of the day.

Midge looked at him and rolled her eyes. You’re so lazy. It’s morning! Wake up.

Oscar ignored her.

Poppa’s gonna be back in a minute, Midge said, and he’s gonna take us for a walk and then we can finally eat something. I’m so hungry! It’s been like twelve hours since the last time they fed us. How can you bear it? I’m losing my mind. I think I might be starving.

Shut up, Oscar said.

Midge growled at him and jumped on his face, licking his eye. Come on, get up, she said. She continued to lick his eye until Poppa came back.