A Short Story by John Daly

Copyright © 2009 by John Daly
This revised version was originally published in The Fiction Writer and Other Short Stories, which is copyright © 2007 by John Daly. No part of this story may be used without permission of the Author.

“If a big yellow dog
comes into your life,
it was sent
by the gods
to relieve you of strife.”

Chinese Philosopher
Sin Lin Ho
216-156 BC

It was a beautiful sunny day in September. The hint of fall was just beginning to assert itself into the air. The leaves had put on their flamboyant season display before leaving the trees and falling to sleep on the ground. No one should be unhappy on a day like this. It was too perfect to spoil with any negative thoughts.

Billy Joe Mason was not happy. How could he be? This was the first day of his senior year in Fairmont High School. Billy Joe had met with Mr. Sampson, his high school student advisor this morning. The mandatory meeting had been dreaded by Billy Joe. He had thought about it all summer. He knew what Mr. Sampson was going to say, and he agreed with the message. The meeting had gone just as he expected it would.

“Billy Joe, this is your last year to get it right,” said Mr. Sampson.

“I know sir,” replied Billy Joe.

“Ever since you and I started meeting, when you were just a freshman, we talked about your going to college after you graduated from Fairmont. We even talked about the colleges you were going to apply to in your senior year. This is your senior year!

I definitely felt that you were college material. Your grades reinforced my belief. You were an A student until last year, but halfway through your junior year your grades started to drop dramatically! You went from being an A student to being a C student. Billy Joe, in order for you to get in any college you must do well on your SAT, and you must have good grades. Your student activities are not bad. You are a delegate to the Student Government, a member of the football and basketball teams, and on the staff of the school newspaper. You should participate in more activities; but it’s your grades that need immediate repair.”

Billy Joe could only sit there in Mr. Sampson’s office and silently absorb Mr. Sampson’s verbal assault. He could not tell him that no matter what his grades were his parents did not now have the money to send him to college. He could not tell Mr. Sampson that, this summer, his father had been “laid off” off from his job at the GM factory after 30 years of being a loyal and dedicated employee. He could not tell Mr. Sampson that his father was so distraught, that his father, once a non drinker, had started drinking and was very depressed. He could not tell Mr. Sampson that his father had not been able to get another job, although he tried every day. He could not tell Mr. Sampson that not only was he not going to be able to go to college, he might have to drop out of high school, and go to work to help his father support his family.

“I’ll try to do better, sir,” said Billy Joe softly.

“I heard about your dad losing his job,” said Mr. Sampson. “I’m really sorry, Billy Joe. I know it must be difficult for your family right now. You might have even considered not finishing high school and going to work to help out at home. That would be a very bad mistake! Do not ever think about not finishing high school! You would regret it the rest of your life.”

“I don’t think my father would like us talking about this subject, Mr. Sampson,” said Billy Joe, hesitantly. “My father is a proud man. He has worked all his life. He can’t stand to be unemployed.”

“I understand what he is feeling,” said Mr. Sampson. “I would hate to lose my job here at the school. Unfortunately he is not the only one in this town who has lost his job through no fault of their own. It is hard for him and your family to believe this right now, but things will get better. But while we are waiting for that to happen let’s all direct our energies to your getting a college education.”
Billy Joe left the school and started walking home. He was deep in thought, still smarting from the verbal lashing he had received from Mr. Sampson. He reviewed in his mind the unpleasant meeting, and what he wished he had said instead of what he actually said.

“It’s easy for you to comment on what my grades should be, Mr. Sampson,” he would have said. “No one knows better than me, I mean I, know how bad they are. It’s hard to be motivated to make good grades when you can also graduate with just average grades. A high school diploma earned with C grades is just as valid as one earned with A grades. If you can’t afford to go to college, who cares what your grades are in high school?”

Billy Joe continued walking, deep in thought, over his “could have said” conversation. He was abruptly jolted from his reverie by the sight of a very large yellow dog directly in his path. Normally, he had a healthy respect for dogs who were strangers to him. If he did not know their owners, or the dog’s personality, he gave them a wide berth. However, this dog looked friendly. In fact he looked like he was actually smiling at Billy Joe. His tail was wagging in a happy friendly manner. Billy Joe felt like the dog was actually trying to speak to him with facial gestures and body language. He, and the dog, stood facing each other, no more than ten feet apart.

Billy Joe judged the dog’s weight to be about 110 pounds. He was a big dog!

He was the color of butter from his head to the end of his tail. Billy Joe was no authority on the various breeds of dogs. He had no idea what breed this dog was.

“Hi there boy, how’re ya doin?,” he asked. The dog smiled more broadly, wagged his tail faster, and did a little dog dance to show his pleasure at Billy Joe’s greeting.

“You are a big dude. Do you live around here? I’ve never seen you before. You are not wearing a collar. You must belong to someone. Where do you live?”

In reply, the dog did more of his dog dance.

“Well it’s been nice talking to you. I’ve got to go home now. I’ve got things to do. See you later. Hope you get home all right. Tell your owner to get you a collar with your name and address on it. So long boy.”

Billy Joe now having no fear of the dog started to walk past him. The dog, still smiling, fell in beside him and started walking with him.

“Whoa boy, you can’t go with me,” Billy Joe said, reaching down and petting the dog. “Your owner will be worried about you. Go on home boy. GO—–NOW!” The dog just looked at Billy Joe, smiled, and wagged his tail some more.

The standoff between them continued for a few more minutes. Billy Joe then decided to break the impasse. He started to walk around the dog again and continue on to his house.

The dog immediately fell in beside him and again started walking with him, all the while wagging his tail, seeming to be happy for the company.

“OK, big fella, I give up. Where are you going? I’m going home, how about you? Are you walking me home? Are you lost? Are you hungry? You look well fed and very healthy.”

No answer from the dog. He just kept smiling and wagging his tail.

So they walked along together for some time enjoying each other’s company. After awhile, they turned into the street where Billy Joe lived. The dog immediately ran ahead, and without stopping, turned into the walk leading up to the house were Billy Joe lived. He then walked up on the front porch, stopped and turned facing the sidewalk and waited for Billy Joe to catch up.

Billy Joe arrived a few minutes later. He had lost track of the dog when it ran ahead. He was surprised to see him on his front porch, his tail still wagging.

“Hey boy, how did you know this was where I was going? I know for a fact that you don’t live here. So why did you come here?”

The dog did another dog dance, smiled, and wagged his tail.

(To be continued…)