Cast of Characters

A guide to Looser Islanders, in anticipation of tomorrow’s launch of THE DOGS OF LOOSER ISLAND: WHO LAUGHS LAST. The Cast of Characters is also available at https://www.alaughingdog.com/cast-of-characters

Boxer Rambo, extrovert foil to introvert Jim Perkins, Water District engineer hopeful who is secretly in love with . . .

. . . sharp-tongued but warm-hearted Lauren, owner of the Apple Cart Grocery, whose Australian-shepherd mix Shelby was formerly the dog of . . .

. . . Lauren’s son Bill, who wishes he could be with . . .

. . . Susan, software engineer and mother of Bill’s daughter, ten-year-old Marta, a dogless mother-and-daughter team for now but not forever

Labrador Molly, inspiration for the oh-so-wise philosophy WWMD (What Would Molly Do?), with Markus Bjorkin (island garbage collector and philosopher) and Ella Bjorkin, teacher in the blended third- and fourth-grade classroom

Dogless Sheriff Tom Haley, who has been sheriff so long his title really is part of his name

“Paulo,” stowaway whose short stay on Looser Island touches the other islanders with unexpected permanence (dogless for obvious reasons)

Irritable Pomeranian Pretty Boy, status symbol and kindred spirit of Cherry Duluth, Chairwoman of the Looser Island Water District Board of Directors, realtor, and island siren

Unidentifiable blend of various herding and other breeds Hound, who creaks and groans alongside old Jens Jensen, sheep farmer and official island curmudgeon, and the father of . . .

. . . Sam, who works at the post office but has the soul of a poet, and who is the occasional lover of Susan

Greyhound Beatrix, who counsels attorney Larry Coombs, is muse to his wife, local artist Ruth, and unpaid nanny to their adopted daughter Katie

Great Pyrenees Mo, hairy guardian angel of Gloria, owner and chef extraordinaire of The Dog House Café

Dachshund Ralph, diminutive hero of the perennially dissatisfied Alessandra, owner of Barbara’s Breakfast Bar (there never was a Barbara, but Alessandra’s Breakfast Bar lacks alliteration)

Pitbull-mix Jerry Garcia, gentle companion of Seth, the son of free-spirited postmistress Jenny

Basset Hound-ish Gus, kindred spirit to Arnold, jazz musician and morning shift-worker at the Mini-Mart

Pug Hubert, silent Yoda to old Celia Prewitt, the former school teacher and erstwhile trombone-player, also grandmother to sailor Olga

Digger, beagle-ish dog of John and Donna Swartout, inseparable friends of Jack and Jill (really!) and their Scottish terriers Fran and Nan

Norm, a cheerfully combative camel

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(As mentioned above, you can also find the Cast of Characters on the website www.alaughingdog.com)