I reached back for the K-98 bayonet I carried and pulled it from its metal sheath. It made that sound, sort of a metallic whisper, that I loved as it pulled free. I smiled hearing the sound. I thought to myself. When I looked up at the couple they didn't seem so friendly. Actually they looked nervous.
"You want me to cut them?" I asked.
"Sure." The woman answered.
"You want to call the kids over?" I asked her.
Again the look between them. She yelled "Kids! Come here."
They came running and Woof watched them come. His tail gave a tentative couple of wags, really twitches, which didn't past unnoticed by the couple. I sliced the melon into pieces and handed them to the Mom who handed them to the kids. They were well behaved. No pushing or elbows were thrown. The last one I cut for us. The woman took the heart, the best slice, and pulled it apart and gave that to the kids. She and the man split the heel and I had a heel for myself.
The kids liked it. They liked the melon a lot. So did I. If Thursday wasn't going to eat his I planned on it. I did offer a small piece to Woof who sniffed it and decided to pass. Instead of racing off they stood there and stared at me. I knew they were dying to ask me questions. I mentally bet on the oldest girl to go first. I was right.
"Is that a wolf?" She asked.
"No. It's a Woof." He looked over at me when he heard me say his name.
"Does he eat people?"
I thought to myself "Hmmm...how to answer?" So I told her "Yep. He doesn't eat kids though but stay away from those other dogs...okay."
She said "Okay." She didn't have a problem with his eating people. I wasn't surprised by that. "Can he play with us?" Her Mom sat up and her Dad opened his mouth. I cut them off. "Ask him. Not me."
Her Mom said "Maria..." She ignored her Mom. Instead she asked Woof "You wanna play?" Maria didn't wait for an answer. She took off running and the other two kids followed her. So did Woof. The man was getting to his feet. I told both of them "He's fine. They're safe with him." They both looked at me. I added "Really." We watched the kids charge him and watched as he danced away. I looked away. I had seen this movie before.
This brings back a childhood memory. I was about 9 years old, playing at a friends house, walking through his neighborhood. We walked by one house with a chain link fence and three german shepards came tearing out to the fence barking. They were also wagging their tales a mile a minute. I let them smell me through the fence, and they started licking my hand through the chain link. So I talked to them a while and they wagged their tails some more.
ReplyDeleteA few minutes later I was over that fence and playing with the dogs. Rolling on the ground with them. They were great dogs and loved to play. The owner of the house opens the back door and just stands there. We met eyes and he is obviously confused. I said I was sorry and that he had really nice dogs, then hopped the fence and kept walking. The owner just sort of shook his head and told me to be careful.
I've always loved dogs, especially german shepards. They're so damn smart. Looking back I wonder what the owner was thinking. Maybe he was thinking that his security system had gone to hell. Or maybe he was thinking that his dogs really were smart enough to know the difference between a threat and a playmate.
Yeah,
ReplyDeleteSad that Gardener remembers the previous kids
playing with Woof.
Maybe these ones will live a little longer?
As to my previous comments, it seems that the guy is American and the wife Mexican, but legal? Sounds good to me, Nova.
That is just a matter of acceptance to me, after the point that TEOTWAWKI happens, I really won't care, man. :D
- Leonidas, III
D^2
ReplyDeleteI had the same thing happen but I didn't go in the yard. The owner came out. Yelled at the dog. Then I heard him mutter about it supposed to be a watch dog...
Leonidas III
I don't care now. Hating illegals is like hating someone who bought a house they couldn't afford. Hate the mortgage brokers and bankers. Go up the food chain where the real meat is.