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Poems & Stories Black Dog by Cara Kelley Sam Wilkens drove down a two lane country road in southern California. A chill in the air held a dampness you could see, as well as feel. Morning was at the time of transition where darkness hands over all its responsibility to the new day. In quiet retreat night slipped away to await dusk to beacon for dark favor again. The car tires sang a "slip slop" song of rubber on the wet blacktop road as it sped onward, unaware of any life surrounding it. A scent of orange blossoms filled the air from the numerous citrus groves dotting the landscaping of the hills Sam drove through. They reminded him to take care not to hit any of the laborers that walked along this road to their early morning jobs. He loved living in the country but the winding pattern of these roads was just plain annoying at times. They guided you from the dark shadows into a blinding sun with a series of quick repetitious changes of vision every fifty feet or so and this continued on for several miles too. Glare to darkness, glare to darkness, glare to darkness... Sam stroked the head of the black four month old pup sprawled contentedly across his lap as he drove. He had found the pup right in the middle of a road one morning similar to this one. It was just over three months since then. The pup had been only about three weeks old at the time. Still with blue eyes of a newborn and the smell of milk was on his puppy breath from nursing his mothers teat. It was clear this was a baby and also clear the fact he had been abandoned. Sam tried not to think of what might have happened to his new friend and companion, but sometimes he couldn't resist. "You are a lucky one my friend," Sam gently scolded. "Yes, siree. A lucky pup that it was me that came along and not a big old truck that might have flattened you like a pancake. They might never have known they had hit you. Splat! For shame you sitting in the middle of a road like that. For shame to who ever left you there." At the time, Sam had tucked the little guy under his coat to keep him warm. Not knowing yet he was to adopt the pup for his own he only wanted to help him. He had looked in the bushes for a parent dog. And for a nearby house where he might find an owner. Someone must know where he had come from. He had spotted a quick glimpse of a coyote dog running away towards a creek bed just a hundred yards ahead, but it had told Sam nothing. It may have been a mother dog. It may also have just been a predator that had spotted the pup and intended him for a snack. Inquiries to a few houses turned up nothing in the way of information or owners. So nestled on a warm lap, the pup drove to his new home with his new owner. Sam became totally enthralled with the pup from the very beginning. His eyes had a look of eagles and his soft coat was a blue shade of black. It soon was shiny from rich baby food and puppy chow mixed together for his feed. The blue eyes turned brown and within a few weeks his head squared up even more as his apparent part Fox Terrier lines came through. He was leggy and handsome. Sam saw the youngster as a photo-op, every minute of everyday. This was a true case of puppy love. In the beginning, the pup was carried around the house, when moving from kitchen at feeding time, to the sofa for his nap. And, of course, to outside for a potty break. He doubled and then tripled in size in only a few short weeks. It wasn't long before he would romp next to Sam from location to location. Half jumping up on the sofa for his nap time, Sam would oblige and scoop him up with one hand and thrust him the rest of the way up. This became a game to the youngster and you could almost see a real smile every time this routine was indulged. He quickly potty trained and all was well. Each new day brought new vitality emerging from this little black bundle of joy and soon being called "pup" shifted to the permanent name of "Rascal." He became a pleasant distraction for Sam. Having moved out here to the countryside only a few years before, Sam didn't have a lot of friends in the area. He tended to keep to himself and this community didn't pry. Sam had purchased an avocado grove with some of the money his parents had left him. A small house was on the land and a modest income from the grove just satisfied living accommodations and his expenses. Admittedly, Sam was no prize to look at, and there had been "few and far between" love relations in his life. Nope, Sam was certainly no Romeo. He was just a quiet guy trying to live each day as he found it, and that was generally alone. So it was without regret that the pup had come into his life. Clever, handsome and cheerfully mischievous, the pup had qualities that filled Sam's heart and occupied his time. Oddly enough Sam had never been happier. There wasn't a wife or children in his life. But there was his work, and this special little dog to satisfy him. The two of them shared daily walks and Sam found himself confiding his inner most thoughts to the pup. Rascal liked to help Sam with the grove and the housework. Even though his idea of help was to steal tools or dust rags or to chase the vacuum or rake, Sam never got impatient with his antics. The two were inseparable, and thus they found themselves on this day going to town to buy some supplies. The shops all knew young Rascal and allowed him to come in. He never bothered anything in the stores. Just sat right next to Sam or walked obediently by his side. Actually, more folks in the town noticed that Sam even existed now. Just because of this little foundling pup. Strange how things work out. They had even been invited to a couple of dinners at neighbors houses. Both of them. And when they walked, or drove by any of the neighbors, they received a wave or a friendly greeting. Something no one had done before Rascal came into Sam's life. Sam stroked Rascals ears and told him. "Thanks to you, if I died right now, I would die a happy man. My sweet little Rascal You are a good boy!" The pup looked straight into Sam's eyes with the kind and attentive look that was so very special. And, Sam returned the look of love and adoration. Unknowingly, he and Rascal were saying "Good-bye." Neither one saw the stalled car just ahead as they rounded that curve at too fast a speed. Was it the blinding light of the morning, one wonders? Or was it, perhaps, their friendship and love blinding them at that moment? Locked in a look of love, they had immortalized their souls forever. Cara Kelley c2000 all rights/all mine | |||
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