Rufus

   Here is a short bit from a 15 minute free form writing session about an intelligent dog named Rufus:


   Rufus scratched furiously at a patch of fur behind his ear, awkwardly cocking his head to the side, and almost bending in half as he did so. He half growled and half whined, pulling one side of his upper lip back over his lower canine.
   "That's all you have to say on the matter," questioned a scraggly, bearded, older man as he sat at the end of the fishing wharf, slowly kicking his feet back and forth in the water.
   Rufus finished scratching his itch, looked at the man and chuffed.
   "Well then, what would interest you enough to converse in earnest today?"
   He tilted his head to the opposite side as he listened to the man, and when he was finished, barked once loudly and pawed the mans news paper which lay beside him on the wharf.
   "Ah, feeling refined today are we," questioned the man as he looked down at the paper and flipped it open with one hand while blindly steadying his fishing rod with the other, "what shall it be then?"
   Rufus stood and repositioned himself, sitting next to the man so he could look straight at the news paper.
   "This one," asked the man as he pointed at the first article "a bank robbery?"
   Rufus looked from the article to the man and back again before shaking his head, his collar jingling lightly.
   "OK then, nothing too serious. I can appreciate that."
   The man flipped a few more pages and pointed at the next article. It was a story about a flower show at the local convention hall that coming weekend.
   Rufus repeated his previous disapproving actions.
   "Hmm, going to be one of those days is it," gruffed the man before flipping ahead some more.
   Suddenly, Rufus pounced on the open page with both front paws and yipped once, loudly.
   "Ok then, no need to get excited. I mean, I know the mayor lady is a looker, but lets be civil here," the man said as he laughed at the dog's excitement. He cleared his throat and began to read the article aloud as Rufus curled up next to him and stared intently at the paper.