4 for you, 16 for me

‘It’s so dark here…’

A painful ache filled the small child’s chest, a feeling her youthful innocence had hidden from her heart until now. As she stared out across the barred and broken wasteland, a junkyard for abandoned and repossessed pets, she feared for her safety and theirs. Countless cramped cages formed the dystopian landscape before her and she knew with a newborn weight to her soul that she could not save them all.

For more than a year now she had begged, bartered and schemed her way into getting her parents’ permission to bring home just one. She had been so excited when they finally said ‘yes’, but how could she pick just one?

Her big blue eyes, bright with the tears now forming within them, met her uncle’s grim gaze.

Knowingly he put his hand on her shoulder, “You can save one, and one life is important.”

“But how can I pick?” She whimpered, “There’s so many.”

With a weak smile, he imparted the words of wisdom that would help her the most during this dark time, “Rescue pets are different to ones in the store. You don’t pick them. They pick you.”

He gave her a slight nudge and off she shuffled towards the low yaps and howls of discarded dogs. Small crowds flitted from cage to cage in their little broods, oohing and ahhing at the depressing displays. Hoards of performing pets separated by bars played to their unwitting audience. The whines, the jumps, the wagging tails, and the sniffing snouts...they knew how to play the game. Their acts were a promise to be all anyone could ever want in a pup, if someone would just give them the chance.

There were big dogs, small dogs, old and new, each with a placard on their cell with their name, age and breed. The visitors giggled and whispered as fur and doggy kisses tickled their hands.

One young boy complained, “I don’t like the name Charlie. It’s boring.”

“That’s okay,” his mother hushed, “As long as the ending sounds the same he won’t mind. He seems to like you.”

The patch dog caught his checkered tail and did a little twirl, before yipping playfully and pressing his snout through the bars one more time. The cranky child’s eyes lit up and the scowl erased, as a new little laugh escaped his lips.

“Yeah okay,” he smiled, “I want this one!”

The woman ushered over one of the volunteers and before long the deal was done. The hopefully lifelong friendship between a boy and his dog had begun.

Smiling at the somewhat sweet moment, the girl with the heavy heart felt lightly lifted. Though she feared her dog would never find her in this crowd, she was relieved to see at least one other life would be saved today.

As the sky grew orange, with the sun dipped low, the corner of her eye caught sight of a little crew crouching by an empty cage, before quickly moving on with a shrug. This happened three more times as she drew closer and when she joined the final group she understood. Curled up, in the dark back corner was a dusty little dog; Lexi, a Jack Russel X, aged 4. At least that’s what the sign said.

The others whistled and clapped and called out. They were waiting for one of the normal parlor tricks, or anything really, even a glance, but this animal was giving them nothing. Like the others before them, this group moved on to more upbeat playthings, but the little girl stayed. A space in her heart filled and, overwhelmed by this emotion, she couldn’t look away, so instead she sat, two steps back from the bars.

There must have still been people there, trekking back and forth, kicking up the dust as they hurried past, but she didn’t notice them. Everything else disappeared and somehow in this bustling place, a space had opened just for the two of them. When time stood still and a private world formed, Lexi opened her eyes and looked up. As the two stared at one another endlessly, a quiet bond grew. At last, with a slight tilt of the head, matched by the patient child, Lexi trotted over and sat before the gate.

A smile spread across the girl’s face as her uncle’s voice came into focus, “Looks like you’re her person. Don’t let her down.”

For 16 years Lexi and her person became the best of friends. They shared and supported each other through all fears and doubts. They played, laughed and cuddled. They welcomed the young girl’s children into the world together and lived their best lives. Then, a little after Lexi’s 20th birthday, they said goodbye.