Clayton and Kristen: Charlie

Of all the things Krystal wanted to talk about, of all the shocks and losses of the last few days and months...she wanted to talk about her dog. Not the move away from the city. Not the loss of luxury or drop in her station in life. Nope. She wanted to mourn her dog.

She never had a chance to say good-bye.

Bowser had been defending their yard when some low-life had slipped him some poison.

She had adopted Bowser even though her parents objected. They would have been fine with a fancy dog with a pedigree, but Bowser did not properly “accessorize” their lifestyle aspirations.

It had been tough to find places to live while she was in college. Her parents had moved to a gated community on the white sugar-sand of the Gulf Coast in the middle of her junior year. Most of the rental places she could afford did not allow pets, much less "Pit-bulls".

For a while it was her and Bowser against the world. No matter how hard her day was or how shabbily she had been treated, Bowser was overjoyed to see her and did his happy dance when she came through the door.

She had never deserved a dog as good as Bowser.

Alice was a good listener.

After Krystal wound down, Alice announced “I need a little break from digging potatoes.”

Alice pulled a battered flip-phone out of her pocket and punched in a number from memory. Alice shyly looked over at Krystal and apologetically admitted “Technology and me don’t get along so good.”

It was quiet in the garden. Krystal could hear the other end ringing. And then it was picked up.

“Hello, Janet? This is Alice” Alice said into the phone.

Krystal heard a woman’s voice from the other end but could not make out the words. She didn’t try. It was rude to listen in on other people’s conversations.

“How is your sister doing?” Alice asked.

The woman on the other end answered at length.

“That is a hard, hard thing, even when you know it is coming. Them nurses in the hospice are saints but they can only do so much” Alice consoled her friend. “Its a hard path the two of you are walking.”

“How is Charlie doing with all this?” Alice asked.

More words from the other end.

“I think you could use some company right now” Alice declared. “I am looking at some newly dug potatoes. Whaddya say I put four or five of them in a sack and we have some tea? I have a couple of new friends I want you meet."

Krystal got the sense that Janet thought that was a fine idea.

After hanging up, Krystal asked Alice “I thought we were going to help with unloading firewood/’

Alice cocked her head as if considering her question. “You gotta point” she admitted. “But I ain’t heard no chainsaws yet so those boys of ours haven’t cut too much wood. I figure we got time to visit a friend in need.”

Alice asked Krystal to drive. “My eyes ain’t what they used to be” Alice told her.

On the drive seven mile drive to Janet’s house, Alice filled Krystal in. “Judy is Janet’s sister and was put in a home about six weeks ago. She has been going downhill fast. She just got moved to hospice care. The doctor figures it will only be another week or two before she is gone. It is tearing up Janet something fierce.”

Janet let the Alice, Krystal and Mattie in through the back door. The front door was for “company”.

They were met by what appeared to be a Springer Spaniel. The dog wearing a red kerchief around its neck and was clearly much younger than Bowser had been. The dog danced and circled the new women. He copiously sniffed at Krystal and then Mattie in her car-seat.

Krystal took the chair that Alice pointed at and put Mattie's car-seat on the floor in front of her. The dog gave Mattie a very thorough snuffling, circled her three times and then laid down next to her.

Mattie was enchanted by the lustrous, curling hair on the dog’s ears and would not leave them be. The dog didn't not seem to mind her tugging.

“That is Charlie, my sister’s dog” Janet informed them. “He generally don’t like strangers but he sure took a shine to you two.”

“He is beautiful!” Krystal said.

“He has a beautiful soul” Janet said. “It is going to pain me to take him to the vet. He and my cats don’t get along so good.”

Krystal’s brows furrowed in consternation. “You don’t mean to put him down, do you?”

“I reckon I do. The dog pounds are full. They ain’t taking any more. Ain’t got room.” Janet said.

Alice intervened. “Tell Krystal how Charlie got his name” she coaxed.

“Well, Judy’s husband had just died and she just couldn’t function. Frankly, she started drinking way more than was good for her. A couple of weeks after he passed this guy showed up on her doorstep. She put the bottle down and never touched it again.

"Judy named him Charlie because he was her angel. There was an old TV show, Charlie’s Angels” Janet said "and the words just went together in her mind."

Alice presented Janet with the potatoes and they reminisced about the good times they had with Judy when they were young and the world was new and bright and springtime seemed eternal. 

As they were getting ready to leave, Alice asked “Is there any chance I could borrow Charlie for a while. I gotta hankering to have a dog around the place.”

Hearing his name, Charlie’s tail started wagging.

Janet’s face brightened. She had been looking for a home for Charlie and had given up hope. Janet had dreaded visiting Judy because she always asked about Charlie and was overjoyed to be able to share some good news.

“Lemme get the bag of food he has been eating. You know it is best not to switch him over to something else too quick” Janet said.

Charlie rode to his new home in the back seat of the Impala with is nose propped over the side of Mattie’s car-seat and his eyes raptly fixed upon her.

The smell of Mattie's diaper reminded him of his much missed master, Judy.

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