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.

A few thousand miles away, Nancy Patterson was walking home from the bus stop after working all day in the city. Nancy was an accountant for a large insurance company. Nancy’s husband was also an accountant, but he had suffered a stroke and had been unable to work for the last six months. Nancy was rushing home to relieve the day nurse who was taking care of him while Nancy worked.

Nancy’s head was down and she was deep in thought trying to maintain a cheerful attitude for her husband.

All at once she saw a big beautiful yellow dog standing on the sidewalk blocking her way. He didn’t look threatening. He looked like he was smiling, and his tail was wagging.

“Hi there, fella. What’s your name,” she asked.

The dog just wagged his tail faster, smiled more broadly, and did a little dog dance.

And the Heavens looked down and smiled.

(The end.)