Read Online A Dog’s Journey by W. Bruce Cameron - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: W. Bruce Cameron
Ads: Link
from school too many times this semester.”
Gloria was just standing there, even though I was right by her side. I put a paw on her leg.
She looked down at me and screamed.
EIGHT
Gloria jumped out onto the porch and I followed her, wagging my tail at both women.
“That’s not a fox!” Gloria yelled.
The woman bent down and petted me. She had warm, gentle hands that smelled of soap and also nuts of some kind. “A fox? Of course not, it’s a puppy.”
“What’s it doing in my house?”
The woman stood. “I can’t answer that, ma’am; it’s your house. The dog was here when I saw your daughter last week.”
“That’s impossible!”
“Well … look,” the woman said, “here’s another copy of the citation, along with a notice to appear.” She handed Gloria some papers. “You’ll need to come to court with your daughter. Understand? Because she’s a minor, you are legally liable.”
“What about the dog?”
“Sorry?”
I sat at the word “dog.” Gloria seemed upset about something, but I thought the nice lady might be good for a treat. I liked nuts of all kinds, even the salty ones that burned my tongue.
“Take the dog with you,” Gloria said.
“I can’t do that, ma’am.”
“So you mean to tell me you’re more concerned about a high school student skipping a few classes than a woman trapped by a dog?”
“That’s … yes, that’s right.”
“That’s the stupidest thing I ever heard of. What kind of police officer are you?”
“I’m a truant officer, Miss Mahoney.”
“I’m going to file a formal complaint with the police commissioner.”
“You do that. Meanwhile, I’ll see you in court.” The woman turned and walked away, so no treats.
“What do I do about the dog?” Gloria yelled at her.
“Call Animal Control, ma’am; that’s what they do.”
“All right, I will,” Gloria said. I made to follow her back into the house but cringed when she yelled, “No!” at me. She slammed the door, shutting me out.
I wandered out into the front yard. It was another nice day. Maybe that rabbit would be outside looking for me. I trotted down the sidewalk, sniffing at the bushes.
The front yards of the houses on the street reminded me of the home Ethan lived in before he moved to the Farm: they were big enough to play in and often were bordered by shrubs. The air was full of the sweet smell of flowers and all of the growth was lush and full. I smelled dogs and cats and people but no ducks or goats. An occasional car cruised past, stirring the air and adding its metallic and oily odors to the riot of scents.
I felt a little like a bad dog, wandering free without a leash, but Gloria had set me loose, so I reasoned it must be okay.
After an hour or so of sniffing and exploring, I heard footfalls coming toward me, and a man called out, “Here, puppy!” My initial inclination was to trot right over to him, but I stopped when I saw the pole in his hand, a loop dangling from the pole. He advanced on me, holding the loop out. “Come on; that’s a good girl,” he said to me.
I could feel that loop of rope around my neck as if it were already there. I danced back.
“Now don’t run away,” he said softly.
I ducked my head and made to run past him, but he lunged and then I was twisting on the end of that pole. “Gotcha!” he said.
I was afraid. This was not right. I didn’t want to go with the man, who pulled me with his pole over to a truck. The line around my neck tightened, forcing my head toward the truck tire, and then he scooped me up and with a clang I was in a metal cage in the back of the truck.
“Hey!”
The man turned at the sound of approaching footsteps.
“Hey!”
It was Clarity.
“What are you doing? That’s my dog!”
The man held his hands out to Clarity, who stood before him, panting. I put my paws on the cage, wagging, delighted to see her.
“Now wait, just wait,” the man said.
“You can’t take my dog!” Clarity said
Gloria was just standing there, even though I was right by her side. I put a paw on her leg.
She looked down at me and screamed.
EIGHT
Gloria jumped out onto the porch and I followed her, wagging my tail at both women.
“That’s not a fox!” Gloria yelled.
The woman bent down and petted me. She had warm, gentle hands that smelled of soap and also nuts of some kind. “A fox? Of course not, it’s a puppy.”
“What’s it doing in my house?”
The woman stood. “I can’t answer that, ma’am; it’s your house. The dog was here when I saw your daughter last week.”
“That’s impossible!”
“Well … look,” the woman said, “here’s another copy of the citation, along with a notice to appear.” She handed Gloria some papers. “You’ll need to come to court with your daughter. Understand? Because she’s a minor, you are legally liable.”
“What about the dog?”
“Sorry?”
I sat at the word “dog.” Gloria seemed upset about something, but I thought the nice lady might be good for a treat. I liked nuts of all kinds, even the salty ones that burned my tongue.
“Take the dog with you,” Gloria said.
“I can’t do that, ma’am.”
“So you mean to tell me you’re more concerned about a high school student skipping a few classes than a woman trapped by a dog?”
“That’s … yes, that’s right.”
“That’s the stupidest thing I ever heard of. What kind of police officer are you?”
“I’m a truant officer, Miss Mahoney.”
“I’m going to file a formal complaint with the police commissioner.”
“You do that. Meanwhile, I’ll see you in court.” The woman turned and walked away, so no treats.
“What do I do about the dog?” Gloria yelled at her.
“Call Animal Control, ma’am; that’s what they do.”
“All right, I will,” Gloria said. I made to follow her back into the house but cringed when she yelled, “No!” at me. She slammed the door, shutting me out.
I wandered out into the front yard. It was another nice day. Maybe that rabbit would be outside looking for me. I trotted down the sidewalk, sniffing at the bushes.
The front yards of the houses on the street reminded me of the home Ethan lived in before he moved to the Farm: they were big enough to play in and often were bordered by shrubs. The air was full of the sweet smell of flowers and all of the growth was lush and full. I smelled dogs and cats and people but no ducks or goats. An occasional car cruised past, stirring the air and adding its metallic and oily odors to the riot of scents.
I felt a little like a bad dog, wandering free without a leash, but Gloria had set me loose, so I reasoned it must be okay.
After an hour or so of sniffing and exploring, I heard footfalls coming toward me, and a man called out, “Here, puppy!” My initial inclination was to trot right over to him, but I stopped when I saw the pole in his hand, a loop dangling from the pole. He advanced on me, holding the loop out. “Come on; that’s a good girl,” he said to me.
I could feel that loop of rope around my neck as if it were already there. I danced back.
“Now don’t run away,” he said softly.
I ducked my head and made to run past him, but he lunged and then I was twisting on the end of that pole. “Gotcha!” he said.
I was afraid. This was not right. I didn’t want to go with the man, who pulled me with his pole over to a truck. The line around my neck tightened, forcing my head toward the truck tire, and then he scooped me up and with a clang I was in a metal cage in the back of the truck.
“Hey!”
The man turned at the sound of approaching footsteps.
“Hey!”
It was Clarity.
“What are you doing? That’s my dog!”
The man held his hands out to Clarity, who stood before him, panting. I put my paws on the cage, wagging, delighted to see her.
“Now wait, just wait,” the man said.
“You can’t take my dog!” Clarity said
Similar Books
