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Usually a silent house was something that Bandit Heeler eagerly welcomed, but this was frankly a little awkward. Chilli and the girls were out at the markets leaving him some quality time with the newest member of the Heeler family, Jacko, and for once, he was at a loss for what they could do together. After raising two girls, he thought having a boy in the house would be the easiest thing in the world. But somehow that made it more difficult.
He made breakfast already, now what could they do? What would he like to do? Yeah, start there.
“So, kiddo,” he said, with a pause, “want to, er, watch the cricket?”
JACKO: “This episode of Bluey is called “Day with Dad.”
Jacko looked up at his father, or well, the dog he wanted to call his father. He hadn’t a clue on how to feel regarding the situation he was in, idly looking down at his food with a blank look on his face. Television sounded fun, though.
“S-Sure. Could be nice.” he stammered a bit.
Bandit gave him a smile to hopefully lighten the mood. Then he got an idea. “Tell ya what,” he said, rising up and picking up his plate. “Let’s make it a bit of a picnic next to the TV. That might make it more nice.” This way they could get to know each other better and hopefully, Bandit could figure out what he could do with Jacko that he’d enjoy as well. Plus watching cricket was always an added bonus.
Jacko had never been on a picnic before, actually. While he set up the blanket in front of the TV, Jacko couldn’t help but think about something that Bandit said. He fiddled with his paws a bit before walking over to Bandit, tapping his arm to get his attention. If he didn’t ask now, he felt like it would take away from the fun time that he had planned for them.
“Yeah, mate?” Bandit asked, switching on the TV. He tossed the remote onto the couch and looked at the blanket. “Well, well, not a crease in sight. You did a great job there.” He was very pleased seeing it wasn’t the kid’s first rodeo. Perhaps this father-son thing would be a snap after all.
“T-thanks.” Jacko replied, rubbing his arm slightly. “So um…what is cricket?” he asked, sounding a bit nervous.
“You mean you’ve never seen a game of cricket before?” asked Bandit. Maybe he liked another sport. It was a possibility, though Bandit couldn’t quite fathom how he could know nothing about it.
“And we’re under way,” came the announcement on TV.
“Don’t worry, though, it’s easy to follow.” Bandit got down on a knee next to Jacko and pointed at the TV. “You see that guy in red? He’s on one team and he has the ball. The bloke in yellow is on the other team and he has a bat. He has to get as many runs as he can for his team. To do that, he has to hit the ball the red guy throws at him really far away.” As if on cue, the first bowl came down the pitch and the batter gave it a good smack toward the fence. Everyone in that direction scrambled and the batter threw his bat aside and started running. “Now each time the strikers make it to a wicket, it’s a run for their team. You following so far?”
Jacko nodded, though he felt that Bandit’s explanation did come off a bit confusing. As he watched on the screen, he quickly became enamored with how the other dogs grew excited just from what seemed like a rather convoluted game. He’d never seen anything like it. The rules sounded both simple, and complex. It was the first sport he actually felt interested in seeing more of, even if it was taking a bit to really get used to.
“There are a lot of little rules and such but the more you watch, the more it’ll make sense.” Bandit ruffled his son’s hair and turned back to see the batter smash the ball high and to the left. “Aw, yeah, look at this!”
“Labradoodle with a very good one and it’s out for six!” said the announcer.
Bandit hopped up and pumped his fists in the air. “Yeah, you beauty! Woo-hoo!”
“Hooray!” Jacko exclaimed, recognizing that it must’ve been a good play if it made Bandit look so happy. He got comfortable on the blanket and kept watching the game on the TV. “I like this game. It’s really neat!” His tail wagged slightly behind him, gently thumping against the ground.
“I’m glad ya do!” Bandit cheered, sitting down again. “You know, Bluey’s mate Rusty is unbelievable at cricket. I’m sure if you ever meet him, he could give you some pointers. But good luck ever trying to bowl him out.” Bandit laughed before shoveling some food in his mouth. He then set the plate down and pulled out his phone. “I think the kid’s come around to cricket,” he texted Chilli. “We’re gonna have a good day, me and him.”
“And Labradoodle is out,” said the TV, “the call is leg before wicket.”
Bandit gasped, nearly dropping his phone. “Aw, crackers, I missed it!” He waited for the replay to give him the truth of the matter and what he saw, he didn’t like. “You’re dreamin’, mate!” he jeered at the TV that couldn’t hear him. “No way that’s LBW!”
Jacko snickered, not understanding the term Bandit just shouted out. He was giggling more at how he reacted to what happened on screen. He turned towards Bandit, seeing the plate of food next to him and licking his lips. “Could I please have some food?” he asked, still feeling a bit hungry even after eating breakfast.
“Oh, sure thing, mate,” said Bandit. He gestured to Jacko to follow him back to the kitchen. “Let’s see…” Bandit tapped his scruffy chin. “What d’ya fancy? Cereal? Some more eggs?” He pulled open the fridge and had a look at the varied selection inside. “Day-old shrimp fried rice?”
“Oh! Can I have an omelette? Please?” Jacko asked, trying to show off the best please face that he could make. He had only seen it once, but he figured that it would be a surefire way to get himself an omelette.
Bandit felt his heart melt upon the immediate application of the Please Face (™). If there was a way anyone could make him do their bidding, it was the please face. It helped that an omelette wouldn’t be too difficult to make. And that it was his favorite breakfast food.
“Alright, squirt. Let’s put together an omelette. Do me a favor and fetch an egg from the fridge?” He snatched a bowl and a small whisk then turned to watch Jacko. Think I’ll talk to Bluey about how to use the please face responsibly, he jokingly thought.
“Right away, boss!” Jacko said, turning around and walking to the fridge. He opened the door and grabbed the carton of eggs, making sure to hold it with both paws as he headed over to Bandit with them. “I didn’t know how many to get, so I brought them all.” He smiled sheepishly. The eggs were rather heavy in the container, and he didn’t want to have any drop on the floor while he held them. The thought worried him a bit, even as Bandit took them from his grasp.
“‘Atta boy,” he said, setting the carton on the counter. Grabbing just one, he tapped it on the counter and cracked it way up high so he could catch it with the bowl as it fell. With skill and finesse, and one tiny egg splatter on his muzzle, he cooked the little retriever a fluffy and delicious omelette.
Jacko looked at him in awe. Watching Bandit cook was like seeing a dog truly in their element, enjoying every bit of the process the entire time. He ran towards the kitchen table and climbed up onto a chair excitedly, waiting for the big blue heeler to bring him his long awaited omelette.
Once perfect, he flipped the pan over a plate and the delicate omelette made its landing. He passed the plate to Jacko with a smile. “Order’s up!” he said, placing a fork next to the plate just as the crowd roared on the TV. “Give that a try, I’ll just go and check on the cricket.” With that he scampered off, not knowing what he’d see.
When he skidded to a halt in front of the TV, his jaw dropped to the floor. “Down to our last batter?! This is outrageous!” He groaned and shut the TV off, not wanting to watch the travesty any longer. He returned to the kitchen and slumped against the doorway. “Well, if you wanted to do something else once you finish that omelette, it’s fine with me.”
Grabbing the fork with his paw, Jacko cut into the omelette and began to eat. As he took his first bite, it felt like the world around him faded away. In this one moment, it was just him and his food. The retriever had his fair share of omelettes in the past, some being more okay than others. But never in his short life had he tasted what could be the best omelette he had ever tried.
“This…IS BEAUTIFUL!” he exclaimed, eating his food much quicker than Bandit would have expected from him. He was almost tearing into it, with how fast he was eating.
“Uss!” Bandit cheered. He couldn’t help but laugh at how Jacko devoured this omelette. “Slow down, kiddo, it’s not going anywhere. You know, I ate my Father’s Day omelette the same way. Of course I was so hungry, I’d started eating the post off my bed, so I didn’t mind the eggshells in it.”
Once he was done eating, Jacko laid back in the chair feeling much more full than he previously was. He looked over at Bandit with a smile on his face, his eyes beaming brightly as he remembered what Bandit had said prior. “You said we could do something else after I’m done eating, right? I’d love to play a game!” Jacko said, his tail thumping against the back of the chair excitedly.
“Righto, what d’ya reckon? We could go toss a tennis ball around, Bluey and Bingo have lots of toys, we could go to the park and play somethin’.”
Jacko took a moment to think. He liked the idea of going to the park, but he was nervous about meeting other kids. Staying here and playing with his new siblings’ toys sounded a lot more appealing, since he hadn’t gotten a chance to get acquainted with their playroom yet.
“Can we stay here? I’d love to see the toys.” he replied, fiddling with his paws a bit.
Bandit gave Jacko a reassuring smile. “No worries, little mate.”
He led Jacko down the stairs and to the kids’ massive playroom. “Watch your step. The girls like to leave their things around the place.” That was an understatement. Various toys and stuffed animals covered the floor, but not enough to hide the distinct kiwi rug in the center of the room. “But don’t worry about me. I’ve been here so many times, I am an expert toy dodger. I’m like a mongoose, a mongoose with no stubbed toes.”
Of course, fate chose that moment to place a toy car right under his foot.
“Ow!” he yelped, stumbling to the left and bumping into a block tower that tumbled to the floor along with him. “Biscuits,” Bandit hissed, “well, take your pick and we can make up a game with it.”
Jacko giggled watching Bandit fall onto the floor, roaming around the playroom by himself to try and find something interesting to play with. He could see many toys while he walked. There was a little tin with multicolored clips in it, which seemed rather odd to him, not knowing what it was. He also saw a pair of purple glasses on top of a blanket, wondering what those could be used for. The last thing that grabbed his attention was some dress-up clothes stuffed inside of a wicker basket.
He ran over to the basket and grabbed a boa from it, wrapping the fluffy piece around his neck before walking back over to Bandit. “Dress-up would be fun! We can pretend to be fancy people!” Jacko said, pushing the boa down slightly so he could speak.
Bandit sat up. “Great idea! After all, I am the most fashionable dog on the runway.” He batted his eyelids and made a kissy face toward nowhere in particular.
And thus the hunt for the perfect outfit began.
After about five minutes of scrambling to find a good outfit, Jacko had found the perfect look for himself. All eyes were on him, or well… all of the stuffed animals were pointed to the doorway in a crowd, with Bandit in the middle of it. The little retriever took a breath, stepping out onto the makeshift runway that Bandit had constructed for him.
Chipper danceable music started up and Bandit brought a toy microphone up to his mouth, ready to play announcer.
Jacko wore a multicolored cap that covered his hair, a little jacket with way too many zippers on it, and a snap bracelet wrapped around his tail. He strutted like a runway model, albeit giggling the entire time he walked.
“And coming down the runway with the year’s newest look is Jacko Heeler,” Bandit introduced, “fitted with a jacket with the most storage for every imaginable doo-dad, and a very familiar cap that’s coming back into style from its 80s heyday. This is sure to drive the kids crazy, ladies and gents.”
Near the end, he struck a pose in front of the plush crowd, flipping his cap back to reveal his hair to the crowd.
“And an excellent showing here today. It’s like this outfit was made for him.” When Jacko left the runway, Bandit took his position and picked a different song. With a deep breath in, he dressed to impress and walked onto the runway. He stroked his hair, catching the bouncy star headband on the way before he flung the loose end of his feather boa over his shoulder.
“It looks like Bandit Heeler has come out with quite an interesting new look as well! But can he match Jacko in his pristine attire?” Jacko exclaimed, giggling not only at the way Bandit looked, but because of how much fun he was having. “He certainly has what it takes. That feather boa is very beautiful, and that headband screams fashion!”
He did his best Olympic walk to the end and shook his tail from one side to the other on his turnaround. He wouldn't normally put on such a ridiculous display in front of anyone, but anything to make his kids laugh.
“His appearance definitely matches how he acts. This dog knows that nothing can stop him!” Jacko dropped the toy microphone to the floor, clapping for Bandit as he walked off. He had the biggest smile on his face, his tail wagging rapidly behind him.
“Thank you, thank you,” said Bandit, bowing. “Wanna do another? I’ll show you some digs from when I used to be cool.”
“Yes, please! That’d be so rad!” Jacko hopped back up on his feet, bouncing like a kangaroo with a sugar high.
A few minutes in his dresser later and Bandit returned ready to walk like an Egyptian. Putting on a song with loud guitars and lots of glam, he emerged with a pink Hawaiian print with palm trees all over it and a black hip pack. He peeked slyly over his aviator shades and made his way back down the runway. Hooking his thumbs on the pack strap, he turned to the side and stood like an 80s action hero, and imagined an explosion going off behind him.
Silence filled the room as Jacko stood there, taking in every bit of the silly moment. His eyes lit up, gleaming as he started clapping again for Bandit. “That was cool!! You look great!” He said, smiling ear to ear while he looked his father over. With how Bandit towered over the little retriever, he really did seem like a hero.
“Heh, thanks, little mate,” Bandit beamed. “You wanna do one more yourself?”
“Yeah! I’d love to!” Jacko turned and ran to the basket full of costumes once again, hiding his pickings from Bandit as he snuck off to change. He took his sweet time, poking his head out from behind the walkway to see his father. “I’m ready!” He shouted, catching the blue heeler’s attention. As he looked up, Jacko strutted out into the room wearing purple tights and a tutu. Unfortunately, he did not know how to dance like a ballerina, which resulted in awkward hops and movements.
Bandit couldn’t help but laugh and grabbed the toy microphone. “A special treat, ladies and gents, a dancer from the Sydney Ballet has come to grace our runway with his amazing routine.” He put on a light classical waltz and whispered to Jacko, “Just do what the music makes you feel, mate.” With a wink, he sat down to see the routine.
Jacko took a breath, listening to the music and slowly finding the rhythm he needed. As he started to move, he felt himself become lost in the music. It was rather beautiful. He jumped through the air dramatically, almost gracefully landing on the ground with a bit of a slip. And while he found his balance, he took the time to prepare himself for his final display. Spreading his arms out wide, he attempted to spin like a ballerina, twirling and whirling about before collapsing onto the kiwi carpet in front of Bandit.
Bandit laughed and stood up clapping. Walking over to Jacko, he held out his hand to help the little retriever to his feet. “Quite a show. Put in some practice, and watch out world!”
“I’ll say,” came Chili’s voice from behind him. Bandit turned and saw his smiling wife lugging shopping in her hands, and Bluey and Bingo clapping with wagging tails.
“Hooray, Jacko!” cheered Bingo.
“Bluey! Bingo! Hi!” Jacko said, his tail wagging happily as he looked at his sisters. “How was shopping? Did you get anything good? I had an omelette today! It was really yummy!” He began to ramble, eager to tell them about how exciting his day was.
“Oh, cool!” said Bluey, “just like Bingo made dad for Father’s Day! Me and Bingo shared a fairy floss, and mum and I found crochet yarn that changes color!” She dug a bundle out of a shopping bag and held it out. It was blue, then turned purple, then turned pink and back again.
He stared at the yarn in awe, not bothering to question what fairy floss was for the time being. He could ask about that later. The three pups spent their time talking to one another for the rest of the day, with Jacko being the most talkative of the three.
Unfortunately, the day had to end at some point. Jacko was up in the bathroom, brushing his teeth rather thoroughly.
Bandit walked by after wrangling the girls into their room and rested an arm on the doorway. “Had a good day there, mate?” he said.
Jacko turned around to look at Bandit, his snout covered in toothpaste as he took the toothbrush out from his mouth. “It was great! I had a lot of fun. You were hilarious!” He said, smiling brightly at his father.
Bandit laughed, walking into the bathroom. “Spit that out first, kiddo. And I’m glad it was.” There was a pause as Bandit waited for Jacko to finish with his teeth. Then he said, “You’re a good kid. And you know we’re all happy you’re a part of our family, right?”
Jacko paused for a moment. He was trying to process what Bandit said, placing his toothbrush down into the cup beside the sink before heading over to him. The little retriever opened his arms wide and wrapped them around Bandit, pressing his snout into the heeler’s tummy. “S-sorry. I um…I don’t know what to say.” he stammered.
Bandit felt his tail wag. “It’s alright, little mate. I just hope we’ve made you feel welcome here. You’re my son through and through, and I love ya.”
“It’s nice. I…I love ya too, dad.” Jacko’s tail wagged along with Bandit’s, not wanting to let go of him while they both stood there, nuzzling into his soft fur like it was a comfy pillow.
Bandit let the moment go on for a few moments, the warmth in his heart making him content and happy. When they naturally pulled apart again, he ruffled the top of Jacko’s head. “Come on, let’s go say good night to your sisters.”
Jacko nodded. He felt a smile growing on his face, pushing some of his worries to the side for the time being. After saying goodnight to Bluey and Bingo, he was brought to his room and promptly tucked into bed. With the bedroom door kept open a crack, Jacko let himself fall victim to exhaustion and slept soundly in his bed, thinking about how he’d spend tomorrow with his family.