My great escape

All it took was one human to go out to his car and leave the gate open. I looked at Bertie. He looked at me. I winked and nodded and through we went.

Free at last, free at last ringing in my ears as we galloped down the footpath and across the road. Gallop. Gallop. Faster. Faster.

Behind us, in the distance, we could hear "The gate's open." "Bertie is out on the street." "Where's Lochy?" "He's gone too." "Oh no!" "Bertie come back." "Lochy come back."

No way! We were out of there and off to discover the world. I didn't think about where we were going. It's the journey not the destination that counts. (I heard a man say that on the TV.)

We ran. We ran and we ran. I looked across at Bertie and I could tell that he was enjoying it as much as I was. I felt so proud of my little brother because he was keeping up with me even though he is still a wee pup.

Oh, the joy, the excitement, the exhilaration. The freedom! We ran side by side. Together, we were sharing the moment, living the dream.

We ran and we ran.

And so did the humans. We had three humans in toe. The one out front in her bathers and bare feet. Then a man with a hairy chest. She (my human mum) was coming last and calling for me to come back to her. As if. There was no turning back. Not even for treats.

Lochy. Bertie. Lochy. Bertie, they called.

It was a race. Them and us, and we were winning. They would not catch us. We are West Highland Terriers and we know how to run fast. Over highlands and lowlands, up hills and down dales, by bonnie banks and bonnie braes, it's in our genes. They'll never take our freedom!

But we are also very curious creatures and, when I spotted an open gate and saw the ladder and wheelbarrow and stacks of bricks and a pile of yellow sand, I had to investigate. In a split second, I changed direction and ran into the yard and Bertie followed his big brother.

Big mistake. Our adventure came to an end. First human arrived and shut the gate. Second human arrived and they cornered us. She arrived and picked me up. Why is she breathing like that, I wondered. She sounded like she was a washing machine.

All over, Rover. They carried us back to the house with the big wall and the gate was closed.

Best Christmas Day ever. First Christmas Day for Bertie. He wants to know if we can do a Great Escape every Christmas.