Cowboy Girl Annie Read Online Free PDF

pressing
going on. You want me to push the shopping cart over there for
you?” Jake asked.
    “ That would be nice, but you don't
have to if you did have something else to do,” Annie
said.
    “ Wouldn't have asked if I didn't want
to do it for you,” Jake said, getting to his
feet.
    “ Well, let me carry your bag for you.
You don't need to try to hang onto it and push my cart at the same
time,” Annie said, holding her hand out.
    Jake handed her the knapsack. Annie
almost lost her grip on it. She hadn't thought about the knapsack
being that heavy. Carrying it was about as hard on her as pushing
her loaded shopping cart.
    The sooner she got her cart back in
working order the happier she'd be. “Let's get a move on. Maybe
later, we can go over to the park and rummage for pop cans to
redeem after the tennis match is over.”
    After Jake greased the squeaky wheel
on the cart, Annie and Jake headed toward the park. They would have
time to check the trash cans before the evening crowd came to walk
the paths or watch their kids play on the playground
equipment.
    Annie was right about the trash cans
being full of pop cans and plastic pop bottles. They made a good
haul.
    From there, Jake suggested they head
for a trash can near the picnic tables under the shade trees to
check it out. A Heinz 57 mutt got there first. He was sniffing all
the way around the can. Then he lifted his leg and peed on the can
to mark his territory.
    Annie grabbed Jake's arm and shook
her head no. “I never find anything good in that trash can. Let the
dog have his fun.”
    They stood back and watched the dog.
Usually, Annie had a reason for not bothering to look in the cans
near the picnic tables. Nothing to find other than Kentucky Fried
Chicken bones or Hardy's catsup and mustard smeared hamburger
wrappers left from family picnics.
    Even if she was curious to find out
if a pop can was hidden among the trash, she wasn't about trespass
on that dog's finds. It was a smart idea to not upset that large
dog. He looked like he could rile up easy if she bothered what he
felt was his territory. She knew she wouldn't like getting dog
bit.
    Like the pro he was, the dog bounced
on the trash can to knock it over. The lid flew off and rolled away
like a giant silver Frisbee on the unlevel grade. Out of the can
spilled soiled paper plates and Styrofoam glasses among the
rumpled, fast food sacks and empty salad boxes.
    The dog's inquisitive nose jiggled
like a rabbit's as he stuck his head in the trash can. His tail
wiggled frantically when he found something that pleased him. He
backed out with half a pizza he'd snatched and raced off to
somewhere known only to him. No way did he intend to share his find
with another mongrel.
    Annie put her hands on her hips and
stamped her right cowboy boot. She was thoroughly disgusted with
herself. “Don't that beat all, Jake? We just lost pizza for our
supper. I just never figure to find anything in that trash can but
trash. Wouldn't you know even the dogs are better scavengers than
me?”
    “ Ah, don't take it so hard, Cowboy
Girl Annie. How were we to know someone would throw away that much
pizza?” Jake consoled.
    After Jake and Annie finished going
through the rest of the trash cans, they walked back to the edge of
the park and crossed the street.
    Annie got a whiff of fresh fried
doughnuts again as they neared the bakery shop. She wasn't going to
say anything this time, but she stared at the bakery a little too
long. Jake saw the longing look on her face and took it from
there.
    “ I'm getting hungry, and I know you
are, too. You just wait here. I'll go in and get us a doughnut
again. We aren't in such a hurry that we can't eat another
doughnut, are we?”
    “ Reckon not,” Annie agreed, wishing
she had the pride and resistance to tell Jake not to bother. After
all, he had done enough for her for one day.
    As Jake walked away, Annie opened
her mouth but the words wouldn't come out. She really wanted
another doughnut.