I checked to make sure my token was still there under all my layers. “We just have to wait for the token to heat up, and I know exactly what to say when it does. But we have to be close to where Loopy is . . . I mean was . . . six years ago. So I guess it’s balloon time, my good people!”

We finished throwing on all the warm clothes we could find, then told Mom and Dad that we wanted to be like real New York City residents and see the Macy’s parade live.

“You want to go in this weather?” Mom reached for my scarf and pulled it tight.

“I think it’s a great idea,” Dad said. “It fits with your goal to experience New York City. And why not experience it in the bitter cold! Just make sure you all stay together so nobody gets lost.”

“Will do, Dad!” I practically flew out the door. Doug and Zoe followed. Michael Tolley was waiting at the bottom of our brownstone steps.

“Oh, hey, Michael.” Zoe pulled her pink beanie down over her ears. “I hope you don’t mind if Doug and Arcade tag along. They want to see the parade too. Is that okay?”

Michael grinned. “Sure! Let’s go. It will be interesting to see if any of the balloons fly away in this wind!”

When we reached the corner of Central Park West and 86th, we met up with Scratchy, Carlos, and Reagan Cooper.

“Happy Thanksgiving, friends!” Scratchy said. “Do you love the cold or what? I go from getting sunburned to windburned to frostbitten. Gotta love New York!”

“Zoe got a new Picture Post from @LoopDogNYC! He’s over by the parade balloons!” In this mix of company, I couldn’t mention that he’s there six years ago.

“RADICAL!” Scratchy yelled. “Let’s go get him. That would make this a great Thanksgiving.”

“Who’s Loopy?” Reagan asked.

“Who’s Loopy?” Doug said.

“He’s my dog, and he’s been missing for about two months.” I showed Reagan the picture of Loopy that I kept folded up in my pocket.

When she saw it, she got a huge grin on her face. “Hey! I had a dog just like him when I was little.”

“You did? Really?”

“Well, I only had him for a short time. I found him out wandering on the street one day, with a silly camera on his head.”

WHAT!?!

“I looked for the owners, but no luck. My parents let me keep him. He was so fun. Slobbery though. And really crazy.” Reagan laughed. “I should have named him Loopy.”

Zoe stepped closer to Reagan. “What happened to that dog?”