Pepper is helping

I decided I needed a new bookshelf for my bedroom, because my bookcases are overflowing to the point of absolutely ridiculous. I went to Target and found some organizational shelves that I liked so I bought two and brought them home.

Pepper and Auggie both said they would help me put them together but Auggie bailed first to go nap in the living room and try to sneak some chews on his sock, and Pepper’s brand of helping was mostly to run in whenever my dad would come in the house, step all over me and the stuff on the floor, then leave again when my dad would go back outside.

Well, I got the first one assembled and took everything off my old bookshelf, moved it out, and put the first shelf where it needed to be. There’s holes on the side where you can insert little dowels to stick the two shelves together if you want, and I started to do that, then changed my mind and pulled the dowels back out. Pepper was “helping” me at this point.
A minute later I reached down to pick up all the remaining parts and the instructions and realized I was missing one of those dowels. And also missing a Pepper.

“Pepper?” I called. No answer. “Pepper, did you eat my dowel?” Still no answer.
Fine. Whatever. ($&@ dog.

A few minutes later my mom walks into the room and goes “Hey, was Pepper in here helping you?”
“YES,” I said, “did she bring you a dowel?”
And my mom hands me this dowel, all chewed and soggy.

Good thing I didn’t need it.

Thanks a million Pepper. Or not.