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“…To my frustration, the dog still escaped every chance he got. One time, as I was starting dinner, the phone rang. My stomach lurched when I saw the dog warden’s number on caller ID. As usual, before answering, I gave a quick look around the kitchen where Simon was usually by my side. He was gone.

“Your dog was picked up walking on the street loose,” the woman said emphasizing that last word. I shook my head, exasperated. Once again, Simon must have slipped out when our basement door had been opening and closing with the steady stream of young local musicians.

I felt the usual embarrassment. “I’m sorry, I’ll come get him.”

“We’re closed now,” she said. “You can pick him up in the morning.”

For the first time, Simon spent the night in the town slammer. The sight of his empty bed in the corner of our bedroom looked strange and I missed him. I worried that he’d be anxious, confined to a cage all night. Did he fear going back to the pound? The thought made me sad.

Early the next morning, I drove over and there Simon stood, behind bars, looking scared. His tongue hung out, panting with worry. When I approached, his whole body wriggled, and he leapt and yipped with joy. He jumped into the car, smiling from ear to ear.

“I hope you learned your lesson,” I said to the beaming dog.

But of course, he hadn’t…”

 

Excerpt from my book:

“Tail Wags and Whiskers: Pet Tales of Love, Joy and Chaos from Forty Years of Cats and Dogs.”

Check it out on Amazon!

 

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Comments(6)

    • Beth Havey

    • 1 month ago

    I do feel sorry for Simon and certainly his eagerness for life will not be stopped after this experience. Animals don’t make those
    connections….humans also often fail to do so!

      • Laurie Stone

      • 1 month ago

      Beth, So true. Past and future don’t exist for animals.

    • Carol Cassara

    • 1 month ago

    Sneaky devil! Glad you found him!

      • Laurie Stone

      • 1 month ago

      Carol, He was a known escape artist in the neighborhood. A crazy dog.

    • Joy's Book Blog

    • 1 month ago

    Poor Simon! These days, it seems like lost dogs get reunited with some combination of posts on Facebook/Nextdoor, a chip, and the police station. That seems an improvement.

      • Laurie Stone

      • 1 month ago

      Joy, Yes, so glad Simon was found, but he was a notorious escape artist, even after his night in the clink.

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