ABANDONED

ABANDONED
A TAIL-WAGGER STORY

The vibrations of the vehicle had lulled us to sleep. My brothers and sister were curled up against me keeping me cozy and warm. Wonderful dreams were drifting through my head when ruff hands grabbed me. Scared I yelped as the cold air and gravel hit my young body.

“Stop! Stop Master! I fell out. Come back,” I yelled and managed to stand on four shaking legs. What was wrong with Master? He wasn’t coming back.

“You might as well forget them,” growled someone from the side bank. “You’ve been dumped. They don’t want you anymore.”

Sitting in the road I watched the car disappear and the dust settle as my heart thudded heavily in my chest. “You mean he won’t come back? Never?”

“You’ll never see them again. The same thing happened to me last year,” He sniffed my side and added, “Where did you come from?”

“I don’t know? I don’t even have a name,” I whined. My bruised side ached and my head drooped lower and lower until my lower lip almost touched the gravel.  Lost and alone I had know idea what to do next.

“By the way, my name’s Chewy,” he said and licked the dust from his nose. “You can come with me. I’m headed home for supper. My Master might give you some food.”

Chewy turned and trotted up the road with his white tail held over his back. I could tell he was proud by the way he held his head. My brain registered that he didn’t say ‘and give you a home’. Well, at least I can fill my rumbling stomach.

Chewy’s Masters didn’t have a warm welcome for me, but they fed me some very good food. I tried to impress them by jumping up and down, licking them every chance I got, and I even wagged my tail so fast that I thought I was going to fall off my hind paws.

“Sit down and behave,” Chewy half barked, half growled. “They’ll try to find you a new home, so don’t get your hopes up about staying here.”

“I’m trying to make them like me,” I wrinkled my nose and curled my upper lips into a smile hoping it didn’t look like a snarl.

He shook his head and walked toward the back of the house. I followed. “Girl, you have a lot to learn.” I could see the disgust in his dark brown eyes.

“Wow! Where are all the houses? Where I used to live there is a lot of houses.” My mind was still too young to concentrate on one thing for very long.

“This is the country!  You have more space to explore and chase things,” he grunted with annoyance.

“Look at that black worm over there. Let’s attack it,” I panted in excitement.

“Leave it alone. That belongs to Master and he doesn’t like his things chewed on.”

“No, it’s a worm. See that, it just moved.” I started to run after the worm but Chewy ran into me, knocking me down.

Standing over me he snarled, “Leave it alone.” As he walked toward a small house he added,” Come on it’s late and I need to get some sleep.”

The next morning Chewy was gone and I could see the big black worm from the doghouse that we slept in last night. It moved. I know it did. I need to kill it so it won’t hurt my new Master. Several attacks later I almost had its head chewed off. The other end of the worm was attached to a metal tube running up the side of the building and with my vicious attacks it let go of the tube. I decided to attack one more time but was too tired and decided that later might be better.

Something grabbed the scruff of my neck and I yelped in fear. Did the worm’s tail grab me? Holding still with my tail tucked between my hind legs I watched Chewy’s Master yank the worms head off and shake it in my face while he yelled at me. I was so scared that all I understood was, “This is mine but if you want it you can wear it,” and he slid the worm’s short head over mine. It fit around my neck with room to spare but I couldn’t get it off.

I stayed by the doghouse the rest of the day while Chewy lectured me about chewing on his Masters belongings. Then Chewy perked his ears and whispered, “Come on, their calling us.” I follow him to the front of the house where Chewy’s Master and Master’s wife waited with food. They took the black worm’s head from around my neck and told me never to chew on the drain hose again. Master’s wife scratched my ears and rubbed my back. It felt so good that I wanted to crawl into her lap and lick her face but she wouldn’t let me.

“I think Goldie would be a good name for you. Your fur is almost a gold color.” She ruffled the fur between my ears and added, “I need to take you to the vet tomorrow and get you checked out.”

“Chewy, did you hear that. I have a name now, Goldie. Isn’t that a beautiful name?” I wagged my tail so hard that my hind legs gave out, so my front paws danced up and down. In my excitement I rushed over to Chewy and licked his face.

“Enough! Enough! I can clean myself,” he grumbled. “Goldie isn’t a bad name, but you also have a home now. Didn’t you hear her say she was taking you to the vet tomorrow?”

“I have a new name and a new home with good Masters.” I was so happy I licked Chewy’s face again. “And I have you to tell me what not to chew on so I can stay out of trouble.”

It may be a dog’s life but now I’m happy.