Rachel Fields: Dog Whisperer

Part 3.

When I was in middle school, there was a kids advice column in the Chicago Tribune called Ask Spot. Spot was a dalmation, and kids would write in and ask him stuff about nature or the human body or whatever else. Obviously I was old enough to know that Spot was not a real dog, and I became obsessed with revealing his true identity. I fantasized about writing letters to him that asked, "Spot, are you a real dog?" and him not being able to answer while the world looked on. 'Come on, Spot,' they'd say, in my mind. 'If you're a real dog, just say so. Just tell us the truth.' As if 1) the rest of the world was under the impression that he was real and 2) anyone would congratulate me for ruining the harmless pretend of a thousand Chicagoland children.