I’m stuck at the dog hotel this week and haven’t been able to have any adventures, so I’m making one up about an imaginary dog. I started doing this on Monday, so if you want to get the story from the beginning you can go back to the March 11th post and start from there.
***
Eric usually enjoyed church, but this morning he wasn’t focused. He mouthed the words to the songs and couldn’t remember later what songs were sung. The Scripture reading was from Matthew 6, where Jesus tells us not to worry. When the reader read verse 26 “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” all Eric could think about was the puppy. The puppy that could be put down any minute while Eric sat in church. Does God take care of puppies? Why was that puppy alone in the snow in the first place?
Dad had to tap Eric on the shoulder when it was time to leave. What happened to the time? Eric thought. Did the pastor finish his sermon already? The puppy had been the only thing on his mind.
At lunch Eric spent more time moving food around his plate than he did eating any of it?
“Eric, “Dad said, “the puppy will get plenty of food when we bring him home tomorrow. Eat yours now.”
“Dad, what if he’s not there anymore?”
“He’ll be there. Now eat.”
***
After a nearly sleepless night Monday morning finally arrived.
“Come on, Dad. We’ve got to get going,” Eric said as he rushed out the door.
“Eric, if we leave now we’ll be waiting for half an hour for their doors to open.”
After what seemed like forever to Eric, he and his dad were on their way. When they arrived in the shelter’s parking lot Eric jumped out of the truck and ran to the door.
It was locked.
Tears filled Eric’s eyes as his dad caught up with him.
“It’s not 8:00 o’clock yet Eric. Someone will be here soon.”
The rattle of the lock could be heard from the opposite side of the door and then it opened. Eric stepped in.
The woman behind the counter met him with an emotionless stare.
“I’m here to pick up my puppy,” said Eric.
“Your puppy?” the woman asked.
“We dropped him off here on Saturday and we’ve decided to keep him,” said Eric.
The woman checked the computer. After what seemed like forever to Eric the woman said, “there were three puppies dropped here on Saturday. What did he look like?”
“He was part beagle. Brown and white. About this big,” Eric said as he held out his hands.
The woman stared at the computer screen. “I don’t see any puppies fitting that description here. We don’t have him.”
“He’s got to be here,” said Eric.
“You can go look if you like,” the woman said.
“Of course I’d like,” said Eric.
The woman led Eric and his dad to the back where the dogs were kept. “Take as long as you want. Maybe you’ll find another dog to take home with you. I’ll be up front when you’re ready to go.”
Eric could not stand the thought of another dog. He wanted his puppy. He and his dad walked past cages and cages of dogs, all of them barking as they walked by.
The puppy wasn’t there.
***
To be continued tomorrow.
bongodogblog 
Emily @ Adventures of a Dog Mom
March 15, 2013 at 11:26 am
The suspense is killing me!
Bongo
March 15, 2013 at 4:49 pm
Hold on, Emily. I wouldn’t want anything to happen to you because of my story.
Emily @ Adventures of a Dog Mom
March 15, 2013 at 6:02 pm
🙂
marina kanavaki
March 15, 2013 at 11:34 am
Oh, NOOOOOOO!!!! I hope that puppy was hiding somewhere!!!! Gritting teeth!!!
…listening!
🙂
Bongo
March 15, 2013 at 4:50 pm
Marina, maybe if Eric had some fish he could lure that puppy out of his hiding place.
Delft
March 15, 2013 at 12:42 pm
Yoowwwwl! How dreadful!
Where is the poor puppy? I sure hope Eric and his Dad find him!
You certainly are a story-teller, Bongo. Another hidden talent coming to light: you are such a clever dog!
Bongo
March 15, 2013 at 4:51 pm
Thanks Delft. I hope I’m running out of time to help this puppy. I mean, I want the story to be over when I leave the dog hotel and I sure hope that’s soon.
onebluedog
March 15, 2013 at 12:56 pm
Maybe the puppy’s first family found him? Oh, I hope nothing bad happened to him…
Bongo
March 15, 2013 at 5:00 pm
Remy, I’m about to go looking for that puppy myself – if only I wasn’t stuck in the dog hotel.
bumpyroadtobubba
March 15, 2013 at 1:43 pm
I’m still scared that I know the end of this story, because it’s the fate of so many 😦 I hope you prove me wrong and this is one of the few happy stories! x
Bongo
March 15, 2013 at 5:01 pm
Bumpy Road, as soon as I get out of the dog hotel I’ll go looking for this puppy.
kolytyi
March 16, 2013 at 6:21 am
Oh, Bongo, you always stop at the most dramatic point! Terrible! 🙂
Bongo
March 16, 2013 at 6:28 am
Kolytyi, I’ve got to keep everybody wanting to read more. Now I’ve just got to figure out how to get out of this dog hotel.
Genevieve Petrillo
March 16, 2013 at 7:34 am
OMGoodness! How can he not be there??! We are very nervous about this…..
Bongo
March 18, 2013 at 1:21 pm
Cupcake, I’ve got to keep all my friends on their
toespaws.eripanwkevin
March 16, 2013 at 8:32 am
OH NOOOOOO!!!!!! *burst into tears* Please!!!!!!! Please find the puppy!!!! I can’t sleep well until I find out if the puppy is still alive…. *sniff*
Bongo
March 18, 2013 at 1:23 pm
Kevin, I guess you’ve read the happy ending by now. But I had to keep all my friends on their
toespaws, so they’d keep reading until the end.bztraining
March 16, 2013 at 1:18 pm
On No!!!!!! That’s not FAIR! It wasn’t open. Henry is starting to worry about this, although Zachary still has confidence it will have a happy ending.
Bongo
March 18, 2013 at 1:42 pm
BZ, I don’t think some of those people working at that shelter cared much about opening the doors.
angelswhisper2011
March 18, 2013 at 1:35 am
I haven’t seen this one coming, Bongo. Where is the puppy, we have to search for him…
Bongo
March 18, 2013 at 1:53 pm
Angels Whisper, it seems like all kinds of things are happening to that poor puppy.