Dave
by Jane White
Dave slipped
out the door and did not look back; he just
assumed Jane was following him. He was sick of
being inside. They really did not get out enough.
Well, at least not as much as they used to. The
combination of the cool winter air and the warm
sun awakened senses that had been rendered
sluggish by too much chemical air freshener and
the quotidian dust that circulated continuously
through the heating vents. Being outside reminded
him of his youth - playing in the yard with his
brothers and sisters, curling up by a warm fire
after a long day...he inhaled deeply, and began
walking briskly down the street. He could hear
Jane’s boots sloshing through the melting
slush behind him.
He stopped
suddenly, his nostrils widening. What was that?
That smell? It was mouth-watering! He had to find
where the smell was coming from. He began walking
faster. Jane called to him to wait, but he
ignored her. She never could keep up, and rarely,
if ever, did they get to go where he
wanted. He’d pay hell for it when she caught
up to him, but he just couldn’t stop himself.
The smell was just too tantalizing. There, just
ahead! There, by the side of the road! He began
running. Jane was screaming at him now, running
too, but he didn’t hear her. He was drunk
with the smell. He skidded to a stop, next to
some very smeared road kill that was none too
fresh. He gave it one huge sniff, wriggled with
delight, dropped to the ground and began rolling
in it with great abandon. Jane finally
caught up to him.
“Jesus
Christ, Dave,” She yelled, “STOP,
dammit!”
Dave stopped
briefly and smiled up at her. Then he began
rolling with continued vigor. She watched
helplessly for a moment, and then steeling
herself, reached down and yanked him up by his
filth-covered collar.
“What the
hell, Dave! You crazy dog! Now I’ve
gotta give you a bath!”
Dave cringed
at the word bath; he looked longingly over his
shoulder at the road kill as Jane dragged him up
the street. “I hope you enjoyed that,”
Jane said grudgingly. He trotted happily next to
her, wagging his tail. At least he’d smell
good for a little while.
|
