Chow Down (A Melanie Travis Mystery)

I, we’re not as young and flashy as some of your other contestants. But I guess you’d have to say that we do have experience on our side. Those of you who go to dog shows, I bet most of you know who MacDuff is from his record in the ring.”
    She stopped and waited for us to nod. Dutifully, most of us did.
    “This dog . . .” Her hand reached over to stroke his head fondly. “He pretty much won everything there was and then some. I retired him at Westminster in February. He’d earned his chance to do nothing but sit in the sun and snore.
    “But funny thing about that. When it came right down to it, that wasn’t what MacDuff wanted. He missed the excitement of being on the road all the time. Retirement just seemed to bore him silly. In a nutshell, that’s why we’re here. I figure I owe this old dog anything he wants that will make him happy. And if one more chance in the limelight will do it, then I’m just pleased to be along for the ride.”
    Wow, I thought, she was good. That appeal had to tug at the judges’ hearts. In her own quiet, unassuming, way, Dorothy had just moved MacDuff up to the top of the list.
    Simone was writing furiously on her notepad. Chris had his laptop open. I couldn’t see the screen but I assumed he was doing the same. It occurred to me that I probably didn’t have to worry about Faith winning the contest. There was no way I was going to be able to top these performances.
    “I’m Larry Kim and this is my wife, Lisa,” Larry said from the other end of the table. Lisa inclined her head slightly. “And this lovely Yorkshire Terrier you see in my arms is Yoda. Others have told you about their dogs’ lofty accomplishments. Of course I could do the same but instead I would rather get right to the point.
    “Yoda loves to eat. Yes, she is a small dog, but don’t let her size fool you. This is a dog who always enjoys a good meal. We feed only Champions dog food in our kennel and Yoda was raised on it. She has been eating, and loving, Champions since she was a tiny puppy.”
    Approval wafted around the table like a smooth wave. The committee was lapping up this pitch.
    “Recently we were fortunate to receive some free samples. You should have seen Yoda dive right in. I barely had the bag open before she was begging for a morsel to eat.”
    Seated beside her husband, Lisa was nodding as he spoke. I wondered why she didn’t say anything herself. It occurred to me that she was the only one in the room who had yet to speak. Well, except for me.
    “Let’s be honest,” Larry said. “What you’re looking for is an adorable canine representative who loves your product and can sell it to others. Yoda is that dog.”
    Another top-notch appeal. As I listened to my fellow contestants speak, they had me half convinced to vote for them myself.
    “Melanie?” Doug turned to me. “What would you like us to know about Faith?”
    Oh right. My turn. Unfortunately I hadn’t prepared something to say like the rest of the participants clearly had. Now I needed something fast. Something fresh and catchy. A slogan. A sound-bite. An irresistible anecdote . . .
    And my mind was a total blank. I hate it when that happens.
    “Umm . . .” I said, “she’s a Standard Poodle.”
    Doug smiled encouragingly. Cindy nodded. Chris, waiting with fingers poised above his keyboard, was reserving judgment. As for Simone, she already looked bored.
    “The thing about Poodles is . . . that they’re a terrific breed of dog. It’s true of Faith, but I can’t take too much credit because, really, it’s true of all of them. Poodles are just wonderful members of the family. They’re intelligent, they have a sense of humor, they’re empathetic. They’re the perfect pet.
    “Whatever their owner’s lifestyle, they adapt and fit right in. That’s why so many people have owned Poodles over the years. And why others have fond memories of the Poodles they knew when they were children. Poodles make people happy. They’re evocative of everything that’s good about owning a dog.”
    “I see,” said Cindy.
    I don’t think she really saw anything. I think she just wanted to stop my disjointed rambling. And it was probably just as well that she had.
    “You know,” Chris said, “now that you mention it, our neighbors had a Poodle when I was little. Smaller than yours. A Mini, I think. His name was Chester and, man, that was some great dog. I bet plenty of people would see a Poodle in an ad and be drawn to