You will find short stories on this site. Most are autobiographical. Some are fiction.

A DOG STORY

When we returned to our home in Oregon, the children wanted a dog. They had been six years in Saudi Arabia, where dogs are considered devils. The only dogs we saw there were the wild dog packs in the desert. They seemed distant and dangerous. So it was decided that on a certain Sunday, my wife, Maura, would take the kids to get a puppy. They came home with the runt of the litter. Her name became Sahara, as she was the color of the desert. She was a sawed-off golden Labrador retriever. She was sweet-natured, not very bright, as dogs go, and quickly became the center of activity in our home.

A family with a pet, especially a dog, will learn to understand how their pet is feeling. Sahara was especially effusive with her feelings. A couple of years later, I happened to be in the yard when Sahara came up the road toward our house. She was wagging her tail and looking happy, even proud. I wondered what was up. As she approached me, she frequently glanced behind her as if expecting something to be following her. Looking back in the direction from which she had come, I could see nothing. Yet seeing her continue to look at me expectantly as if she wanted a treat, and then looking back down the road, I looked more closely. About 100 yards away, I saw something in the tall grass next to the road. As I walked towards it, I could make out an animal. Sahara was excitedly swirling around me. The animal was the color of dry late summer grasses in which it was hiding. It was a dog, larger than Sahara. I called to it. And it timidly approached. It was a beautiful golden lab male. He was long-legged and rather thin. He quickly warmed up to me as Sahara was prancing all around as if to say, “Look what I brought home.” I called my children and wife out to meet this new dog in the neighborhood. The dog seemed very happy around us and spent the rest of the afternoon playing with Sahara or resting on our driveway. At night, we brought Sahara into the house. The neighbor’s dog did not leave. The next morning, he was there at the door, so we put out food and water for him.

This pattern continued for another day, as we attempted to locate his owner. We contacted several lost pet associations and the county animal shelter to see if anyone was missing a young male golden lab. The children began calling him “Colby,” to which he soon learned to respond. He held his head high. He had a sense of knowing about him. It seemed that he understood what we were thinking. He quickly learned commands and responded promptly when given one. In short, Colby was a magnificent dog.

The lost pet people put out the word about this dog, and many people called to inquire. One family drove from Washington State to see if he was their missing pet. All went away, saddened that they had not found their beloved Lab. The kids wanted to keep him. Neither Maura nor I wanted to have two large dogs. I called the county animal shelter to see if it was OK for me to find a home for him. They said “No. You must bring the dog into the pound and leave him here for three weeks before he is eligible for adoption.” I decided to take him to the pound in order to claim him as ours.

As Colby and I drove to the pound, I explained to him what was happening. I assured him that I would be back to bring him home in three weeks. When I left him, the attendant warned me that I must be there on the day he is eligible for adoption, as their facility was full, and large dogs are euthanized if not claimed quickly. I marked the calendar for the day he could be released for adoption. I called several times to assure myself that I had the right date for his release and to inform the staff that I would be there to pick him up.

The day finally came. A staff member led me back into the kennels. As we walked past endless cages of dogs, I could see Colby in a cage a long way off. His face was against the bars; he had heard my voice. As I approached, he exuded excitement. It was a wonderful reunion. As we drove home, both of us were happy that Colby was now our dog.

We kept two dogs for a few weeks, but it became apparent, even to the children, that two large dogs were too much. I tried to convince them that we should keep Colby and find a good home for Sahara. But that appeal went nowhere. We placed an advertisement and received calls from many interested parties. We had decided on a list of requirements. One requirement was that the prospective owner must have a lot of space for him to roam. We turned away several prospects. Then a young woman called. Laura lived on a farm. She was an accountant and worked days. However, Colby could run in a very large fenced yard while she was at work. Laura needed a dog for companionship and security. We asked her to come to meet Colby and us to see if the match was good.

Laura arrived in a small two-seat sports coupe, which she parked in the road in front of our house. She and Colby introduced themselves. We talked for some time and decided she would be a good mistress for Colby. Then the issue became, how were we going to get that large dog into her tiny car? We talked about it. I went over to look inside the car. It was very small. I returned to the group, inadvertently leaving the car door open. As we talked, Colby walked around looking at each of us. He then turned, walked directly over to Laura’s tiny car, jumped up onto the passenger’s seat, and sat down. For a moment, he looked straight ahead, then he turned his head, looking at us as if to say, “Let’s go.” We stood dumbfounded and then broke into laughter. We saw that Colby recognized what was going on, and he approved. He agreed that Laura would be a good mistress. She went to her car, and they drove away.

We kept in touch with Laura over the next few years. She and Colby had many hiking and camping adventures together. It was a terrific match.