Mary Jo Fortes

"Brutus The Brute:"

I have a clear memory of my childhood pet that will stay with me always, etched on my heart, and forever endearing me to dogs, especially certain empathetic breeds. But, this particular day is even more memorable than the night he first arrived in our home and scared the bejeesus out of my little sister, me, and even my mom. All we noticed were his large size, sharp teeth, and ferocious bark; It was far too soon for us to know his golden heart, unbreakable loyalty, and gentle nature. Of course, had we bothered to notice his tail wagging the entire first meeting, we may have gleaned that we were safe with this stranger-canine, as my father continued to insist. But, instead, all we saw was danger when we looked at this dog, and hearing his name, Brutus, did not help matters one bit. My mother waited in the hallway, admonishing, “John, John,” as Dad fed “Brutus the Brute,” and my sister and I stood on our orange and yellow kitchen dinette, shrieking. But, that was the beginning, before we got to be such good friends.