第8章TwoLostSouls

第8章twolostsouls

“didyouhearthat?”theolddogshouted.

theyallrantothefrontoftheirkenneldoorstoseeifsomeonewascomingto“pickthem”.

“sorry,”hesaidtotheotherdogsashisearsfelldownfromtheirperkedposition.“icouldhavesworniheardvoicessaying,'isn'thecute?it'schristmas,can'twetakehimhomewithus?'”“youmusthavebeendreamingagainoldman,”saidthedoginthecagenexttohim.“anyway,what'sthebigdealaboutgettingpickedupasachristmasgift?we'veallbeenthroughthatroutineandlookwhereitgotus.”

“justonce,i'dliketofeelthewarmthofahandstrokingmyhead,”saidtheolddog.“i'dliketobetheonewhokissesthetearsoffasadface.i'dliketocurlupnexttoafireinsteadofthiscoldconcrete.ithurtsmybones.”

hecurledupandsighedastheotherssaid,“theonlyplaceyou'regoingtofindthatisinyourdreams,oldman.”

hank'swifehadonlybeengoneayearbutthepainwasasfreshasiftimehadstoodstill.

hewasanoldmannow,aloneandlongedforthecomfortthatheknewnootherpersonwouldeverbeabletogivetohimagain.whatwouldhislifebecomewithoutherbyhisside?

hank'scupboardswereclosetobarenowand,althoughhedidn'twanttogoout,heknewheshouldatleastpickupthebasics.hedroveslowlydownthesidestreetsforfreewaydrivinghadbecometoochallenging.

suddenly,thecarstartedingandsputteringuntilfinallytheenginequitaltogether.oneofthebasicneedsheforgotwasfuelforthecar!sohecoastedovernexttothecurb,spottingabuildingwithinwalkingdistance.hopefully,they'dlethimusetheirphone.

hewalkedintoanofficeareaandrangthebellforservicebutnoonecame.hespottedanotherdoorgoingoutside,failingtonoticethesignposted“employeesonly”.

ashankwalkedout,hewasoverwhelmedbyyaps,barksandinsanejumpingfromdogsallsizesandshapes.hethenrealizedhehadunintentionallygonetothedogshelter.

slowlyhewalkeddowntheconcreteaislelookingforanattendant.

threekennelsdownontheright,theolddogcalmlysatthere.whyshouldtheolddoggetexcited?noonewouldwanthim.but,hesensedaneedandcouldn'tresistofferingakindlookandagentlewagofthetail.

ashanknearedtheolddog'scage,helacedhisfingersthroughthechainlinktosteadyhisgaituntilthefirstfeelingofcomforthe'drememberedinoverayearcamefromawetnoseandlickacrosshisarthriticfingers.

justthenavoiceofauthoritysoundedandhankjumped.

“i'msorry,sir,youaren'tsupposedtobeinthisarea!”shesaid.

luckilyhankdidn'tknowhehadwalkedintothe“finalarea”whereunclaimeddogswerescheduledtobeputdown.

therewentthenudgeandlickthingagain.hanklookeddowntothemostpleadingeyeshe'deverseen.

ignoringtheattendant'sordertoleave,hankaskedifhecouldseethedogcloser.herdemeanorchangedcompletelyandhersternnessmeltedaway.shehadforcedherselftobethiswaysoshecoulddothepartofherjobshedespised.

shebroughttheolddogoutandinstantlythetwosouls——oncesolost——foundreasontohope.

hank'scupboardswerenowfilled,awarmfirecrackledandtheolddogsmiledinsideasheremembered“onlyinyourdreams”.closinghiseyeshefelthank'shandstrokinghisheadwhispering“sleepinheavenlypeace”.

itwaschristmasafterall.