Nothin' s Free

Ok....I've admitted my addiction to those lil' tiny "Altoids peppermints" that dad carries around in his pocket.  So, naturally, I've developed a method of "workin' the system" an' trainin' dad.  I greet him everytime he comes home an' follow him to  the bedroom, where he empties his pockets.  He puts everythin' in this lil' basket on that table by the bed.  

First, I try to be polite an' sit patiently for him to give me one (or two).  But there are times when he's for some reason not thinkin' an' forgets what exactly we're doin' here.  When this happens, I have to resort to more intense methods.  Like yesterday.....he was talkin' to mom an' totally forgot to give me my mint.   I waited patiently....watched him empty his pockets, then take off his shoes..then the socks.   At that point, I knew I had to do somethin' extreme to get him back on point.   I took both of his socks an' headed out to the livin' room.   That got his attention.  Then mom asked me what I was gonna do....simple...I'm gonna reward him w/a sock when he gives me my mint.

I waited for dad to figure it out...it didn't take long, before I heard him call out, "Bailey, where's my socks?"   I was standin' over 'em in the livin' room, an' mom was laughin'.   Then she said, "well, what are you gonna do, Bailey?".    My answer was to pick up one of them socks an' race back to the bedroom to dad.....where I presented it to him.   At first he thought I was gonna just give it up for nothin', but as in any trainin'...there's no reward for nothin'.   I wasn't gonna let go till he got it.   He figured it out an' gave me a mint....I gave him the sock.  Easy peasy.
Then I raced back to the livin' room an' got the other sock.   (I wanted to reinforce the exercise).    Back to dad I went...w/the second sock.   He had it down pat, this time.  He gave me a mint....I gave him his sock.  

Now, all this happened last nite when dad came home from work.   I figure he's doin' really good an' has this down.   This mornin', he went an' bought donuts.   Mom had her coffee an' donut.  It smelled so good....all warm an' sweet.  I grabbed her shoe.....instead of givin' me some donut for the shoe...she ate it.  Then she tried to get back her shoe....for nothin'.   I took it outside....then Lexie grabbed it......both mom an' dad had to go hunt for it, 'cause neither one of us were bringin' it back......an' she wonders why....well, I can quote one of her rules back to her...."nothin' is free, you gotta do somethin' to get somethin'"......so, mom.....remember that donut?