Dear Frankie,
The humans say nobody likes a change. Boy, are they right! I walked to school from kindergarten to the fifth grade with the same neighborhood friends. Many of us have been in the same class since we were five. But, in August, all that will change. We have to take a bus in order to get to the middle school. I’m heartsick that I won’t be going to the same school as several of my closest friends. I’m also dreading the ride on a bus filled with dogs barking at the top of their lungs, pushing and jumping over one another to get a good seat, and bus drivers threatening to write them up. Is there anything I can do to convince my new principal I need an Uber voucher? Before I wrote to you, I did ask my parents if they would drive me back and forth to school. However, they have to be at work, so that’s not an option.

Sincerely,
Quincy

Dear Quincy,
If your principal gives you a voucher, I’m sure many of my readers would love to know what you said, so they can see if it would work for them. I understand that riding on a school bus with loud and unruly dogs can be unsettling. If the noise on the bus gets to you, wear earplugs. If it’s the pushing and shoving, no need to worry. A lot of the time, bus drivers will assign seats to their riders to keep everyone calm. Canines often worry about problems that never materialize or aren’t as bad as anticipated. So, I suggest you enjoy your time before school begins. Stop wringing your paws, and think of this new phase of your life as an adventure.

Best,
Frankie

Frankie is a rescue and a service dog for Geneva Woodruff. Together, they have traveled far and wide. Along the way, Frankie befriended dogs from all walks of life. She thought it would be remiss not to share the many lessons of life she learned from them.