little hair he had, and he had a warm and inviting smile on his milk chocolate face.
“Hello, hello. You must be the famous Angie Graves. My name is Steve Rangel. I am the head of the Animal Control officers. This is Mark Summers, our director. Of course, I believe you know Dr. Saracen. This must be your dog. What is his name? Can I pet him?”
“This is Murder, and he is sometimes iffy around new people.”
Steve leaned down to the dog’s level and extended his hand. Murder sniffed it with a businessman’s interest.
“Does he have some shepherd in him?” Steve asked.
Angie shrugged. “Possibly, but I don’t know. I got him off the side of the road. Found him under a murder of crows.”
Steve wagged his finger knowingly.
“Dr. Saracen’s said a lot of good things about you, Ms. Graves,” the director said while he held his hand out for Murder to sniff. The Director was shorter than Steve Rangel, had a small belly that was threatening to overtake his belt, and two patches of hair over his ears that guarded his sweating head. He stood with his arms crossed and did not shake Angie’s hand.
“Well, this whole thing was his brainchild,” Angie said, thumbing at Dr. Saracen.
Steve said, “So he’s the one to blame if this is a complete waste of time, right? I’m just kidding, Angie. I’m sure you will do fine. You sent us your training logs. They were more extensive than we expected.”
“I like to be thorough. You never know what will turn up in court.”
“Well, as I am sure Dr. Saracen told you, we understand that you are training your dog ultimately to find wasp larvae, but today we want to make sure your dog can track a wasp. So we are going to do a little exercise. About half an hour ago, we placed a crimson wasp somewhere in the mall. Your goal is to find the wasp. You will have one hour. Any questions?”
“Can you tell me where the wasp is?” she jested to perfunctory laughter.
“Let’s get in where it isn’t so hot and start,” Steve said.
“Before we go in, I want to make something clear, Ms. Graves,” Mark Summers said. “I’ve seen dogs work in the past. I don’t think they are good, especially when compared to the programmability of a robot. Specifically for your dog, how do we know it will track a live wasp and not a dead wasp? I’m sorry, but I wanted to be upfront about this. I don’t expect your dog to work out.”
As the two officials entered the mall, Angie held Dr. Saracen back.
“A complete waste of time? Don’t think my dog will work out? Who are these a-holes?” Angie growled.
“They are the people we have to convince, Angie, nothing else. And don’t worry about Steve. Steve Rangel is known for his office humor. Don’t take it to heart.” As they started to go inside, Dr. Saracen added, “Don’t take it too lightly, either.”
Angie brought Murder inside the doors, then commanded him to sit. She unclipped his leash, but before she could give him the command to search, the director stopped her. “I’m sorry, but I think there has been a misunderstanding. Your dog needs to work on leash.”
“He’s a recall dog. It doesn’t work very well unless he is off lead.”
“But this is a place of business, and the city of Jack Calf does not allow dogs off lead in a place of business. I cannot sanction this test unless the dog is on lead.” Director Summers gave Dr. Saracen a look of see what I mean? as he turned to walk away and discuss the matter with Steve Rangel.
“Federal law allows service dogs in a place of business,” Angie said to Dr. Saracen.
“Let’s let them figure that out.”
As Steve and Director Summers returned moments later, Angie reiterated the law to them.
Steve held out his hand. “We discussed that. But Jack Calf defines service dog as animals that have been filed with the City. We just have to get your dog confirmed.”
“That’s bullshit,” Angie said. “There is no way any dog that isn’t a police working dog
“Hello, hello. You must be the famous Angie Graves. My name is Steve Rangel. I am the head of the Animal Control officers. This is Mark Summers, our director. Of course, I believe you know Dr. Saracen. This must be your dog. What is his name? Can I pet him?”
“This is Murder, and he is sometimes iffy around new people.”
Steve leaned down to the dog’s level and extended his hand. Murder sniffed it with a businessman’s interest.
“Does he have some shepherd in him?” Steve asked.
Angie shrugged. “Possibly, but I don’t know. I got him off the side of the road. Found him under a murder of crows.”
Steve wagged his finger knowingly.
“Dr. Saracen’s said a lot of good things about you, Ms. Graves,” the director said while he held his hand out for Murder to sniff. The Director was shorter than Steve Rangel, had a small belly that was threatening to overtake his belt, and two patches of hair over his ears that guarded his sweating head. He stood with his arms crossed and did not shake Angie’s hand.
“Well, this whole thing was his brainchild,” Angie said, thumbing at Dr. Saracen.
Steve said, “So he’s the one to blame if this is a complete waste of time, right? I’m just kidding, Angie. I’m sure you will do fine. You sent us your training logs. They were more extensive than we expected.”
“I like to be thorough. You never know what will turn up in court.”
“Well, as I am sure Dr. Saracen told you, we understand that you are training your dog ultimately to find wasp larvae, but today we want to make sure your dog can track a wasp. So we are going to do a little exercise. About half an hour ago, we placed a crimson wasp somewhere in the mall. Your goal is to find the wasp. You will have one hour. Any questions?”
“Can you tell me where the wasp is?” she jested to perfunctory laughter.
“Let’s get in where it isn’t so hot and start,” Steve said.
“Before we go in, I want to make something clear, Ms. Graves,” Mark Summers said. “I’ve seen dogs work in the past. I don’t think they are good, especially when compared to the programmability of a robot. Specifically for your dog, how do we know it will track a live wasp and not a dead wasp? I’m sorry, but I wanted to be upfront about this. I don’t expect your dog to work out.”
As the two officials entered the mall, Angie held Dr. Saracen back.
“A complete waste of time? Don’t think my dog will work out? Who are these a-holes?” Angie growled.
“They are the people we have to convince, Angie, nothing else. And don’t worry about Steve. Steve Rangel is known for his office humor. Don’t take it to heart.” As they started to go inside, Dr. Saracen added, “Don’t take it too lightly, either.”
Angie brought Murder inside the doors, then commanded him to sit. She unclipped his leash, but before she could give him the command to search, the director stopped her. “I’m sorry, but I think there has been a misunderstanding. Your dog needs to work on leash.”
“He’s a recall dog. It doesn’t work very well unless he is off lead.”
“But this is a place of business, and the city of Jack Calf does not allow dogs off lead in a place of business. I cannot sanction this test unless the dog is on lead.” Director Summers gave Dr. Saracen a look of see what I mean? as he turned to walk away and discuss the matter with Steve Rangel.
“Federal law allows service dogs in a place of business,” Angie said to Dr. Saracen.
“Let’s let them figure that out.”
As Steve and Director Summers returned moments later, Angie reiterated the law to them.
Steve held out his hand. “We discussed that. But Jack Calf defines service dog as animals that have been filed with the City. We just have to get your dog confirmed.”
“That’s bullshit,” Angie said. “There is no way any dog that isn’t a police working dog
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