9. Do Something!

Chapter 9 Do Something! He didn't know what to do. Waldo was dead. He threw up the liver and died. Do something! Should he call 911? Do something! The words kept repeating inside his head. Waldo is dead. Do something! Should he get him out from under the bed? How would he even do that? Pull him by the tail? And even if he could get him out from under the bed, then what? He called home. It rang eleven times. His parents had already left for work. Do something! "I never should have given him liver," he said. He couldn't just leave Waldo there. Could he? Just go

to school as if nothing happened? He walked around the house. He looked at himself in the bathroom mirror and noticed for the first time that he was crying. He wiped his eyes on his shirt sleeve. He walked quickly back to the phone. He called the vet. There was a recording. The office was closed until 10:00. But it gave another number to call in case of an emergency. Marvin didn't know if it was an emergency. Waldo was already dead. He dialed the emergency number anyway. Dr. Charles had said, "Let me know what happens." A woman answered the phone. "Hello." "Hello," said Marvin. "This is Marvin Redpost. I'm taking care of Mrs. North's dog, Waldo. I mean, I was. Dr. Charles said to let him know what happened. Well, he died. And I don't know what to do! I can't take him to a cemetery because—" "I'll get my husband," said the woman. Dr. Charles came on the line.

"Waldo is under the bed," Marvin told him, trying not to cry. "He won't move. He threw up all his liver and dog food. I'm just here by myself." "I'll be right over," said Dr. Charles. "Try to calm down. What's the address?" Marvin thought a moment. "I don't know," he said. "I know how to get here, but I don't know the address." "Okay, then just tell me how to get there." Marvin tried to think. "I don't know how to tell it," he said. He got an idea. "Wait, I'll go outside and check the street sign." He set down the phone and started out the door. Then he got a better idea. He had been bringing in Mrs. North's mail. He took an envelope back to the phone and read the address to Dr. Charles. "You're doing just fine," said Dr. Charles. "I'll be there in fifteen minutes." "He's in there. Under the bed," said Marvin, pointing to Mrs. North's bedroom. He waited in another room until Dr. Charles was finished. He didn't look until after Waldo's body was

inside Dr. Charles's van. "Did the liver kill him?" Marvin asked. "Maybe I didn't cook it right?" Dr. Charles smiled. "It wasn't because of anything you did, Marvin. Waldo was just a very old dog," he said. "His time had come." Marvin watched the van drive away. He cleaned up Waldo's throw-up and flushed it down the toilet. As Dr. Charles suggested, he poured a little vinegar over the spot to get rid of the smell. He checked to make sure he still had the key, then locked the door behind him. jmkfho. He rode his bike to school.