Gimme Five: On the sofa with Nikita and Ruth Smythe
Nikita: Hi Ruth, I’m Nikita.
Ruth: Hi Nikita, you’re really cute. Do you bite?
Nikita: (Eyes sparkle while she wags her whole body) Thank you! I only bite sometimes, and not if I like you.
Ruth: Phew! (pretends to wipe sweat off her forehead). That’s a relief. We’re good? I like my fingers.
Nikita: It’s okay. You look like the kind of person who would give a dog lots of treats (wags the end of her tail). I don’t bite people who give me treats. Well, not if they’re also nice.
Ruth: I’m always nice—to dogs anyway.
Nikita: Thanks for agreeing to this interview. When I was little, my humans taught me that if I gave them my paw, I got a treat. They still ask, ‘gimme five, Nikita’. I think it’s because I have four toes and a dewclaw and that makes five. I don’t know why they like it so much, but it works for me, and I get yummy things (licks her lips).
So, I thought I’d ask you to ‘gimme five’. I’ll give you five questions and you can give me five answers. I’d give you one of my treats, but you’d probably prefer your own. Maybe you could have one of Joe’s cakes when we’re done?
Ruth: That’s an excellent idea. Fire away!
Nikita: Okay, here we go.
Question one: If you were to give me a tour of Pelican Bay, where would we go first, and why would I like it?
Ruth: There are all kinds of places you would love down here. There’s a huge number of things to smell and do on my block here. But you’d have to be careful not to roll in anything stinky, or chase any kangaroos, or the cows next door.
I think you’d also like it down on the boardwalk near the river. Lots of dogs walk down there. There’s also a beach where you could run and chase seagulls.
Nikita: (Ears prick up) I love chasing seagulls. (Ears droop) but you wouldn’t want me to roll in anything rotten, would you?
Ruth: Correct. Although you could always have a bath… (gives a wicked smile).
Nikita: (Shudders) Moving on from that one…
Question two: I like sitting on laps. What was it like to sit on Dan’s lap?
Ruth: What? I don’t know what you’ve heard but I didn’t sit on Dan’s lap. I fell on top of him… (blushes)
Nikita: Okay, but does he have a nice lap?
Ruth: Um… Yes, he does (flushes a deeper red), but that doesn’t mean I’m going to sit on him again.
Nikita: You don’t want to? Because I’ve heard a rumour that you keep falling onto him or running into him a lot. But he always catches you…
Ruth: I like him, okay. He’s a friend… but… it’s complicated.
Nikita: Like cats (sighs)? They’re complicated. I used to have an adopted sister who was a cat, but she was old and now she isn’t here anymore. I liked her because she would wrestle with me, but I don’t like most other cats. They’re all claws and hisses and loud bangs when they jump into and out of your yard.
That brings me to my next question.
Question three: Why did you get a cat instead of a dog?
And where is Cora, by the way? (Looks around and gives a nervous tail wag.)
Ruth: It’s okay. I popped her in the laundry. You’re safe.
The how and why of adopting her is spoiler territory. People will need to read the book I’m in to find out. I like both cats and dogs for different reasons. Cats are warm and snuggly and independent, while dogs always love you, no matter what.
Nikita: Dan has a dog. Frank is so brave and handsome. And his feather duster tail is amazing. Maybe if you marry Dan, you can share Frank?
Ruth: I’m not going to marry Dan (flushes an even deeper red than before). But it sounds like you have a thing for Frank. (Eyes sparkle) tell me more.
Nikita: Oh look, we’re running out of time. I’d better ask you my next question.
Question four: When did you first want to be a sleuth and why are you good at investigating?
Ruth: That’s two questions!
Nikita: One question with two parts (climbs onto Ruth’s lap and gazes up at her with pleading eyes). Please…
Ruth: Okay. I never wanted to be a sleuth in the way people—or doglets—normally mean, but I’ve always loved solving puzzles.
When I was in England for a couple of years as a kid, my friend Shona and I found an ancient Roman coin, and I spent months trying to work out what it was and where it came from. I still have it. It made me want to study archaeology. The other thing was that my dad loved making up puzzles—codes and ciphers that I had to break. Solving puzzles still makes me feel close to him and fills me with good memories.
Nikita: But in the story, you wonder if your dad is more than a memory. You feel his presence several times…
Ruth: Of course he’s just a memory (wriggles on the sofa and pushes Nikita off her lap). I don’t believe in ghosts. Or being a jinx for that matter. That’s rubbish too.
Nikita: That’s a whole other story. We’ve run out of time, so readers will have to discover about the ‘harbinger of death’ thing when they read the book.
Ruth: (Smirks) you’re not scared to be around me?
Nikita: Nah. Dogs have a long history as protectors. We know the risk and accept it gladly.
Ruth: (Rubs Nikita’s ears) you’re pretty cute, you know.
Nikita: Thank you (thumps her tail and gazes up with bright sparkly eyes). I do have one final question.
Question five: Scooby Doo, Miss Marple or Buffy?
Ruth: Definitely Scooby Doo! Although Buffy is close.
Nikita: Pawesome (flails her tail wildly)! Thank you so much for answering my questions. You can go and have some cake now. I’ve heard Joe’s cakes are wonderful (tilts her head and gazes at the kitchen).
Ruth: Thank you, I will. (Stands up, goes to the kitchen to get cake, then sits next to Nikita again.) Do you want some?
Nikita: Yes, please (springs off Ruth’s lap and sits on the floor). Look how well I can sit!
Ruth: Let’s do this right. Okay, Nikita, gimme five (breaks off a piece of cake).
