A dog's tale

By Daisy

Since the older boy named Andrés moved out five years ago, Kevin has been my special kid. Every day he has fed me my supper and taken me for a walk. Sometimes twice a day!

I like to think I taught him to love animals as much as he does. Sure, he used to love stuffed animal toys, but after he outgrew them I was Number One, let me tell you.

We are pretty much a mutual admiration society.


This week I knew something was up. The front room of the house was filled with boxes and duffel bags and plastic bags and shopping bags, all crammed with things I didn't recognize and clothing whose scent I did recognize. Definitely Kevin's.

It made me nervous. We've had a lot of changes around here in the last two years, and usually a commotion like this means another one of my people is going away. I really hate it when that happens.

Two years ago my girl Melinda left and stayed away for months at a time. People talked about "Syracuse" and Otto the Orange. Whatever Otto is, it can't be as cool as a dog. Every time she came back home for a while, I stuck close by as she watched TV on the couch. Melinda is the champion at scratching the itchy spot on my back, right near the top of my tail. Ahhhh.

Then my older boy, Andrés, who hadn't been living with us for a while but came over almost every week to visit, moved to someplace called Ohio. Now I only see him a few times a year. It's not fair. He used to be my best bud, before Kevin.

Last year my alpha man, "Pop" as the kids and I know him, stopped living here during the week. At least he comes home most Friday nights. Boy, do I get excited when I hear the sound of his car engine pulling into the driveway!

Even with three of my five people gone, this past year was all right because I had my main caretaker, "Mom," at home after work. I pretty much follow her everywhere she goes around the house. I sleep beside her bed on a comfy cushion. Gotta make sure she is OK at all times.

Kevin was with me the most this past year. Every afternoon I could hear him walking up our front porch steps after he took the bus home from school. I literally howled for joy when he unlocked the door and came inside! Ah-woo-woo-wooo. He was never too busy to get down on the floor and play with me or ruffle my fur and hug me. That guy kept my tail wagging.

Yesterday morning, Pop stowed the stuff from the front room in his car. This didn't look good. Mom commented that boys sure were easier to move than girls – a lot less to pack, she said.

Then Kevin called me over to where he was sitting in a chair on the porch. I jumped into his lap and he hugged me and stroked me. Usually I would be ecstatic and lick his face. But instead, I felt even more worried. What was going on? Brrr – I shivered.

They all left in Pop's car. Many hours later when Mom and Pop came home, Kevin wasn't with them. Just what I'd been afraid of! Pop had a new purple decal for his car window, and those two kept talking about something called "Curry College."

All night I waited for Kevin to come home. A few times I checked his bedroom. Why was it neat and tidy? No clothes thrown on the floor? Uh-oh.

This morning I'm still waiting for my boy to come back. Mom has been extra nice, petting me a lot and taking me for a nice slow walk along the beach. The mailman came a little while ago and gave me a dog cookie; woof, I love those.


But I won't be able to relax until I hear those familiar footsteps on the front porch – the ones that mean my Kevin is home. When I do, I am going to let out the biggest and happiest howl of my life! Just you wait.