Real Life: Good Dog

[stinglikeabee]

I wasn't planning on posting tonight, but that's life for ya.

Shortly after 10.30am I saw a strange grey blur in the middle of the road. I quickly parked the car and jumped out, waving my arms and yelling. The dog started and bolted up the pavement, narrowly missing a four-door turning into a parking lot. Before I could cross the space between us, a black-and-white appeared, blocking the dog's way.

I stupidly called out 'Here doggie! Good dog, good boy!' as the poor mite sat beside the tyre. When at last I'd come up, the cops looked questioningly at me.

'He's not mine,' I said. 'What should I do?'

'Call animal control.'

'But I haven't got my phone with me!' Exasperation made my voice squeak. 'Could you take the dog and bring him to animal control?'

'No.'

I'm sure my jaw had dropped to the floor. These were two cops, two female cops in fact. I had hoped they'd be somewhat more forthcoming. Bully me for thinking that simply because they were women.

'Could you--'

'Hello dear!'

I turned around. An elderly woman had parked her car into a side alley. She waved.

'Are you trying to get that dog off--'

'Yeah!' I tried not to sound too bitter as the cops peeled away. 'Could you help me? Please?'

The woman smiled thinly. 'Those cops should have helped us. Isn't that just like the police?'

I agreed. We bent down and gingerly tried to lift the large mutt to her car, as she promised to drop said female dog (oops) at the shelter. The poor woman reminded me she was old and not supposed to carry heavy things, but had to do so, since the bloody coppers were off nabbing someone who hadn't stopped at the stop sign ten feet away from us. As the dog leaped out of our efforts the moment the car bumper came into view, she frustratedly let out 'I wish there was a man nearby!'

I knew what she meant. And hell, I wished the same too.

At this point, I knew we wouldn't get anywhere with the dog. The lady pointed out its good points, trying to reassure me for the inevitable moment we both knew was around the corner. I stroked its silly little face, asked if it was going to be okay, and feverishly stroked its coat again.

'You should get to work, sweetie.'

I stared at the dog, long and hard. The dog stared back out of its cataracts. 'You're going to be fine, right? Good dog.'

The lady made her way back to her car. I stood up and glanced both ways, about to cross when out of the corner of my eye, I noticed the dog at my side. I helplessly cried. 'She's following me!'

Her station wagon was already about to head up the hill, but she rolled down her windows and told me to wait while she parked. The dog then picked that moment to trot across the street and sniff around the bushes. The lady had enough and said she was going to give those cops a piece of her mind. I held up a hand and jogged upwards, not wanting this lovely woman to be given a ticket.

'Hey, could you call animal control?'

The cop in the car with a laptop nodded. 'Yeah, don't worry. We'll take care of it.' And she returned to the screen. Her partner was still trying to explain why she pulled over the driver of the SUV as I passed by, and knew a lost dog would be the least of their priorities.

I told the lady what the cop had said. She shrugged and once again reassured me the dog would be just fine.

As I climbed into the car, having previously failed one last attempt to tempt the dog with me, I caught a glimpse of its grey fur in the side mirror. The dog was sniffing the side of the car. What could I do?

I started the engine and headed towards the freeway, the smell of wet dog a haze around the rest of my day.