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.

David Mason was really tired. He had been job hunting from the leads he had read about in this morning’s newspaper. He had filled out 10 applications today, but had not been interviewed once. David knew his job skills were limited to those he used at the GM plant. He was willing to learn new job skills. He was willing to go to school on his own, or to a company school. He was only fifty two years old. He had worked all his life. He just wanted a job. He had spent almost all his savings to support his family since he was “laid off”. Things did not look good.

“Thanks for coming in,” the young man at the desk said, as he took David’s application. “We’ll call you if we have any openings that fit your job skills.”

David choked back his anger at the attitude of this condescending young twit, who was not much older than Billy Joe. He just smiled and said,

“Thank you, sir. I hope I hear something from you. I am available immediately and I would be willing to relocate to another city.”

After he left the employment office, David thought, “Janet would be devastated if she had to give up her house and move to another city. She would do it cheerfully though, because they were in this together. Still, she would be devastated! I am a lucky man to have such a loving and supportive wife. I couldn’t get through this period of my life without her support. I’m going to tell her that again tonight. I haven’t told her enough how much I love and appreciate her. It’s as hard on her as it is on me. I just wish my luck would change and I could find work.”

David had been going into the city by bus instead of driving. The jobs he applied for were not in the city, but the employment offices were all there. The bus was less expensive than the cost of driving and parking. David was very cost conscious these days.

He got off the bus and started walking the few blocks to his home. Sometimes, in the past on the way home, he had stopped off at a neighborhood bar to have a drink and commiserate with other men who had been unsuccessfully job hunting. Not tonight though. David had never been a drinking man and he didn’t want to start acquiring that habit now. It was too expensive and did not help the situation.

“I haven’t seen much of Billy Joe since he started working,” he thought. “That college thing is just one more problem we just have to solve. I want him to go to college! He’s a good student and a fine young man. Look how he pitched in by working to help us out financially. I just can’t let him down,” he muttered to himself.

As he was walking along, David saw a huge yellow dog directly in front of him, smiling and wagging his tail in a friendly manner. The dog was completely blocking the sidewalk causing David to stop a few feet from the dog.

“Hey fella, how’re ya doin?”

The dog kept smiling and wagging his tail and began a happy dog dance. David couldn’t help but smile at the dog’s enthusiasm.

“Why are you so happy, boy? Did you find a job today? I didn’t. Maybe if I had, I’d be smiling too and doing a little dance on the sidewalk just like you.”

The dog just kept smiling and wagging his tail and continued with his dancing.

“I wish some of the people in Human Resources had half of the people skills that you have. I’ve had my fill of them. They sure are a surly lot. You, on the other hand, don’t have a job for me, but you sure make me feel good. Incidentally, my name’s David, what’s yours?”

The dog stopped dancing, but continued to wag his tail and look directly at David in a friendly manner.

“I’d sure like to bring you home with me to spread some of your contagious joy in my house. We are in short supply of happiness and good times there since I lost my job. I know Janet and Billy Joe would be glad to meet you. You would certainly pick up their spirits!”

“That’s not such a bad idea either,” David thought. “But, this dog is too healthy and too good looking not to have an owner. Besides how could I afford to feed him? He could eat table scraps and stuff we always waste. I’ll bet the neighbors have extra food they also throw away,” David thought, completely rationalizing his spur of the moment decision.

“I’ve never seen you around here before fella. Where do you live? Have you been abandoned? I see you are not wearing a collar. Did you run away from home to seek adventure and see the world?”

The dog just stared at David and wagged his tail furiously. David looked around to see if anyone was going to come up and claim this beautiful dog. The streets in all directions were deserted. No cars, no pedestrians. A good sign.

“Would you like to come home with me and meet my family?,” David asked. “Perhaps you could even stay for dinner. Of course I’ll have to introduce you as an old friend, not someone I just met. You understand, don’t you boy? It’s just that my family is sort of in a state of shock just now. Things have been pretty grim around the house recently. It may take a little while before they seem hospitable. You’ll like them though, you’ll see. I know I love them both very much. You will too once you get to know them.”

David started walking home. The dog immediately fell in beside him and started walking with him. David was surprised to see the dog walking with him so naturally and without any hesitation. Fearing the moment might pass before they reached his home, David stopped talking to the dog.

As they turned into the street where David lived the dog, once again, immediately ran ahead, and without stopping, turned into the walk leading up to the house where David lived. Then he again walked up on the front porch, stopped and turned facing the sidewalk and waited for David to catch up.

David arrived a few minutes later.

As his son Billy Joe had done before him, he had lost track of the dog when he
ran ahead. He too was surprised to see the dog on his front porch, his tail still wagging.
He stared at the dog in astonishment!

“How did you know that I lived here?,” he asked. “Do I know you? I can’t believe I wouldn’t remember you if you had been to my house before. Are you a trained dog? Is this some kind of trick someone is playing on me?”

(To be continued…)