The Cable That Saved Me

The mechanical bull at the County Fair wasn't even the scariest thing I had to face today.

My dog Buster—an elderly Golden Retriever with hip problems and zero respect for personal boundaries—had decided that my very first livestream was the perfect time to have a medical crisis. Or what I THOUGHT was a medical crisis.

"Guys, give me one second, my dog is literally dying," I said into my phone, which I'd propped up on a stack of books using a HDMI cable because my tripod had broken earlier that day.

I muted myself and panic-scrolled through my contacts, calling my older sister Jordan. "Buster's breathing weird and he won't get up and I'm freaking OUT."

Jordan, being the responsible one, FaceTimed me instead of calling back. When I switched over, there was Buster, sprawled comfortably on my bed, thumping his tail against my pillow like he was living his best life.

"He's fine, Maya," Jordan said, suppressing laughter. "He's old. He sleeps like 20 hours a day."

My face burned. "Oh my god, I'm so embarrassed. I told like fifty people he was literally dying."

"Who's 'literally dying' now?"

I unmuted my livestream. "Okay guys, false alarm, Buster is fine, just being dramatic. Anyway, I'm going to ride the mechanical bull now because apparently I hate myself and want to be humiliated in front of the entire internet."

The livestream comments went wild:

MAYA_RIDES_THE_BULL: Let's goooo

bull_QUEEN: She's got this

dramaQUEEN: Your dog is iconic

My hands were shaking as I climbed onto the mechanical bull. My crush, Sam, had wandered over with his friends, and I caught him watching me. No pressure.

"You ready?" the operator asked.

I nodded, gripping the handle with white-knuckled intensity.

The bull started slow, then BAM—fast and unpredictable. I lasted maybe 3.4 seconds before flying off and landing in a heap of limbs and dignity. My phone, still livestreaming, captured the whole thing from the sidelines.

But when I looked up, Sam was clapping. Actually clapping.

"That was awesome," he said. "You actually went for it."

I lay there, staring up at the sky, ears ringing. "I fell off immediately."

"Yeah, but you didn't hesitate." He extended a hand to help me up. "Most people wouldn't even try."

Later that night, Jordan watched the replay of my livestream. "Okay, the bull fail? Iconic. But Buster faking his death? That's what made it viral. You're welcome, by the way."

"You literally recorded me having a mental breakdown and posted it."

"And now you have 2,000 followers." She grinned. "Also, Sam commented on your post."

My heart did that thing where it forgot how to rhythm properly.

I looked at my phone. Sam had commented: "Most entertaining livestream I've ever watched. Also, you looked cool on the bull. For the 3.4 seconds."

Buster chose that moment to wander into my room and deposit his slobbery tennis ball directly on my laptop keyboard.

"Thanks, Buster," I said, scratching behind his ears. "You really came through today."

He thumped his tail against my bed, looking entirely too pleased with himself.

And somehow, despite the bull fail, the ruined livestream, and my dignity lying in pieces at the fairgrounds, everything had worked out. Sometimes the most embarrassing moments are the ones that change everything.

Who knew a cable, a dramatic dog, and a mechanical bull would be exactly what I needed to finally talk to Sam?