Total?" I said when he was close. "Can you talk?" He flopped down on the grass, panting slightly. "Yeah. So?" Jeezum. I mean, mutant weirdos are nothing new to me, you know? But a talking dog? "Why didn't you mention this before?" I asked him. "It's not like I lied about it," said Total, reaching up with a hind leg to scratch behind one ear. "Between you and me, I'm still trying to get used to the whole flying-kid thing.
The narrator is surprised by a talking dog named Total, who flops onto the grass and responds casually to the narrator's questions. The narrator is taken aback because talking animals are unusual, even though mutants aren't new to them. The dog, Total, mentions that he hasn't lied about being a talking dog, implying he's used to being unusual but still getting accustomed to the strange circumstances of their lives.
During the exchange, Total also comments on his own experiences, mentioning he's still adjusting to being around a flying kid, which indicates a world filled with strange and mutant beings. The narrator's reaction highlights surprise and curiosity about the oddities of their environment, emphasizing themes of adaptation and acceptance of extraordinary situations.
