Tonight was our scheduled night at Will Rogers International Airport. The passenger count was a little lighter than usual, which was great news for anyone hoping to find an empty seat at the gate. But while there weren’t many travelers passing through, there were plenty of hardworking employees keeping the airport moving. Sometimes the quiet nights give us the best opportunity to spend time with the people behind the scenes, and those visits are every bit as meaningful as serving the passengers.
A Little Paw-Mail from Holly!
Tonight was airport night, and let me tell you, my Comfort Crew was running a little short-staffed. There were only two of us tonight because my other human was on his way to Chicago. Again. Apparently, nobody got the memo that I am perfectly qualified to travel. But that’s okay. I’ll forgive him… this time.
Since it was Veterans Day, I made it my personal mission to remind everyone we saw to thank our veterans and their families for their service. I even started before we got to the airport. As we drove down the highway, I kept watch out the window and silently reminded every car we passed, “Don’t forget to thank a veteran!” My human says they couldn’t hear me, but I’m pretty sure they got the message.
After all, veterans help keep all of us safe, free, and able to enjoy life’s most important things: treats, belly rubs, squeaky toys, and the occasional pup cup. Without them, who knows what would happen to the national snack supply? 🐾
As soon as we walked into Will Rogers International Airport, I heard someone yell my name. For a brief moment, I assumed the airport was announcing the arrival of a very important celebrity. Maybe my own gate had finally been assigned: “Now boarding Holly, First Class Treat Seeker.”
But it turns out one of my friends, from American Airlines remembered that tomorrow is my birthday and had a present waiting for me! Inside was a can of pup cup whipped topping, a bone-shaped cookie, and a stuffed pickle toy. A PICKLE! Humans are fascinating creatures. They looked at a pickle and thought, “You know what dogs need? This, but fluffy.” Naturally, I loved it immediately. I decided right then I would share my birthday treasures with Nugget when I got home. The cookie? Maybe. The pup cup? Probably. The pickle? Let’s not get carried away. Some gifts are simply too special to share. 🐾🎂🥒
Next, we visited some of my airport friends before heading over to the Military Welcome Center. I wanted to personally thank the troops and let them know how proud we are of them.
Of course, once the greetings were complete, it was time to switch into my other very important role: Chief Cookie Quality Inspector. I immediately guided everyone to the cookie location because I know these things are hard to find. We then conducted a highly scientific taste test using methods that included sniffing, staring, and enthusiastic tail wagging. After careful review, extensive research, and absolutely no bias whatsoever, we reached the same conclusion as every year: peanut butter is still the champion and remains undefeated in all cookie-related competitions. 🐾🍪
After spending time there, we headed back through the terminal. That’s when I spotted my friend Vega. Before I could even wag “hello,” she informed me that my birthday pup cup had already arrived and was being kept safely in the refrigerator until my arrival. Apparently, I’m living the VIP life now: Very Important Pup. This is the kind of VIP treatment I could get used to!
Vega is the best barista I know. Then again, my human drinks enough coffee to personally support the coffee industry, so we’ve met quite a few baristas over the years. They’re all great, but Vega is one of my favorites. Any barista who remembers my birthday, secures my pup cup, and provides excellent customer service deserves at least a four-tail-wag review. 🐾☕🎂
We spent the rest of the evening making our way up and down the concourse, handing out cards, stickers, smiles, and my personal specialty, world-class tail wags. It wasn’t a very busy passenger night, which worked out great for me. When flights are packed, everybody is focused on getting to their gate. On quieter nights, people have more time to stop, say hello, and admire a professional comfort dog at work. We got to visit with lots of the airport employees who keep everything running behind the scenes, and I made sure every one of them received the proper amount of Holly attention. I’m not saying it turned into a meet-and-greet, but by the end of the night I heard “Hi, Holly!” so many times that I started wondering if my campaign posters had already been hung up around the airport. 🐾✈️❤️😆
When we finally got home, I couldn’t wait to tell Nugget all about my airport adventure. Somewhere during the conversation, I realized he’d never experienced a pup cup. Never. Not once. I was shocked. Honestly, I just assumed all dogs were issued one at orientation. So, I let him try mine.
The second he tasted that whipped topping, his eyes got as big as tennis balls and he immediately started cleaning the cup like he was being paid for it. I thought he was going to swallow the entire thing, cardboard and all..
At one point I wasn’t sure if I should help him or just stand back and let nature take its course. Needless to say, he’s now a pup cup believer. In fact, I may have accidentally created a monster. The next time we get in the car, I’m pretty sure he’s going to assume we’re heading straight to the airport or coffee shop for whipped cream pup cup. 🐾🥤😆
Now Nugget has one more reason to work hard. If he can stop talking long enough to actually listen, he might get to come on airport visits with me someday. My human has big plans for him starting in January. I heard the words “training schedule,” and honestly, it sounds a lot like doggy boot camp. There will probably be drills, exercises, field trips, and enough practice sessions to make him wonder if he enlisted in the military. That’s pretty much what my human did with me.
She took me everywhere when I was a puppy, so meeting new people, hearing weird noises, and visiting new places never seemed scary. We’re hoping Nugget follows in my paw prints and becomes a great Comfort Crew teammate too. Of course, he’ll have to survive Boot Camp Nugget first. The good news is that graduation comes with treats. The bad news is that the instructor doesn’t accept excuses. 🐾🎓😆
Until then, I’ll keep showing him the ropes, teaching him the important things in life, and explaining advanced concepts like airport etiquette and proper pup cup consumption.
See you on the next adventure!
🐾❤️
Holly, Chief Cookie Inspector, Birthday Girl, and Airport Celebrity (according to me)!
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