Now Will Ya Leave Me Alone?

MAX!

Now will ya leave me alone?

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“Hi. What’s his name?” he heard her ask, as he bent to pick up a stick in their neighborhood park. Deliberately ignoring her, he gave the stick a strong overhead heave and hurled it high and far. Bending slightly, he placed his hands on his knees and watched his dog pounce on the stick as it hit the ground.

Not one to be ignored, she asked again, in a louder tone of voice, “I said, ‘what’s his name’?”

Before he had the chance to open his mouth to reply, she demanded, “You could at least be polite and answer my question!”

Tommy twisted his head, and with a scowl on his face to indicate his disapproval, looked up at the young girl. The harsh tone in his voice displayed his annoyance at her interruption. He said curtly, “Max! His name is Max! Now will ya leave me alone?”

Being the kind of girl she was, she tried being friendly and persisted.

“He’s cute. Can I pet him?” she asked more enthusiastically as she walked closer to where Max had returned and dropped the stick at his master’s feet.

Tommy turned so suddenly, he startled her enough to cause her to take a stop back. The look on his face momentarily frightened her, but he never noticed.

“Cute? Awk! Max ain’t cute! Cute’s for girls,” he said, horrified at the thought.

Proudly, he raised his chin in a defiant manner and continued, “Max is handsome! He’s a handsome dog! But cute?” His face now seemed as though he’d just bitten into a fully ripened lemon. “Yuck!”

The changed look on his face as he spoke almost made her smile I amusement, but she decided to hold back her grin to see what else he had to say.

He turned and picked up the stick again. For a few seconds, he only stared at it and then grunting, he gave it a disgusted sideways fling. Tommy had the greatest intentions of walking away but then, hesitated for a reason he couldn’t figure out. Whatever the reason, he had yet to discover it and whatever it was, changed his mind.

Trying to sound a bit tough, and now, somewhat more disgusted with himself for saying it, he gruffly said, “Yeah, I guess ya can pet him. But watch out, he might bite ya.”

Mary Ellen knelt on the soft, thick carpet of summer grass. Even though the big elm provided a large patch of shade, the grass was warm and comfortable beneath her. Although she was only ten years old, Mary Ellen was always conscious of not soiling her clothes. She sat back on her heels and avoided having her light blue shorts touch the ground. She stretched out her bare arm and directed her hand very slowly towards the big dog. With a soft and gentle touch, Mary Ellen stroked Max’s head. She spoke slowly so the dog would not feel afraid or threatened. “Ma, you’re such a handsome dog. Come here, boy. Give me a kiss.” She leaned a bit closer to him.

With that, Max moved closer and gently licked the cheek of the pretty girl who, for a stranger, showed him so much affection.

As quickly as Max licked Mary Ellen's cheek, Tommy grabbed Max's collar and restrained him. Just as quickly and very angrily, he said, “Hey, waddya doin’ ta my dog? Don’t kiss him. He don’t kiss nobody. Leave him alone.” He took another step toward Mary Ellen, and reached down to grab the hand that stroked the hair on his pet but she waved one hand in a dismissing sort of way and playfully slapped the hand that held the black leather collar. She had no way of knowing that Max often licked Tommy's cheeks. Tommy just didn't want anyone to know.

“Oh, poo! Don’t be mean. Max is just being friendly, that’s all. Which, by the way, is more than I can say for you!”

Looking up at Tommy and squinting against the glare of the sun that peeked through the branches of the tree, she continued, “By the way, as long as Max likes me, I might as well introduce myself. My name is Mary Ellen. What’s yours?” Mary Ellen continued stroking Max’s head as she kept her eyes on the boy standing beside his pet. He still held tightly to Max’s color, his arms now stiff and straight, as Max tried to pull his way closer to his new friend.

With an impatient glare for a young boy he looked at this pretty girl with the eyes of the oddest color blue and said, “Tommy. My name is Tommy.”

After a long silence, Tommy felt extremely uncomfortable. Obviously, this girl was not about to leave. Feeling somewhat resigned to that fact, he released his death grip on the thick leather collar and said more like a statement than a question, “So, uh, I guess ya not leavin’. I might as well as where ya live.”