Dog and Pony

Young Ryder entered the living room early Christmas morning to see a large box lying beside the tree. It was too large to fit among the other presents. There were holes around the top.

Ryder stared in awe as he thought he saw the box move. He whispered, “A pony? Santa brought me a pony?”

He ran to the box and peered into one of the air holes. A Beagle puppy stared back. Its wagging tail thumped. It whimpered, begging for release.

“Mom! Dad! Santa brought me a pony!”

Ryder’s parents, Paige and Levi, entered. Still in pajamas, they were bleary from the previous late night.

‘Here we go…’ was the unstated message they shared with matching eye rolls.

Paige crouched by Ryder. He struggled to open the box.

“Let’s see what’s in there, okay? It’s a big box. And whoa! Something’s inside there… wants to get out! But it’s pretty small for a pony… Don’t you think?”

Levi stood by, leash in hand.

They got the box open, and the puppy bounded out squealing and barking. It leaped into Ryder’s lap and franticly licked his face. Ryder fell giggling onto his back while the puppy danced around, barking.

“I got a pony! Santa gave me a pony!”

Levi said, “Look at him, Ryder. He’s not a pony. He’s a puppy… A Beagle puppy.”              

Paige added, “A baby doggie.”

“Why would I get a Beagle? I didn’t ask for a dog.” Ryder stood. The puppy pranced about and jumped against his legs. “Let’s go outside, Trigger! Wrangle some cattle.”

Paige spoke to Ryder, face to face. “Ryder. Stop being silly. Trigger is a puppy. ”

Ryder was defiant. “Hello? You said if I ask Santa, and I’m good, he’ll give me what I ask for. Didn’t you?”

“Yes.”

“Well, I was good, right?”

She nodded.

“And I asked Santa for a pony. Not a stupid puppy. So…” The puppy continued, desperate for attention. “I got the pony I asked for.”

Paige looked past Ryder to Levi, who shrugged.

Ryder hugged Trigger and said, “I can’t wait to ride you…”

Exasperated, Paige said, “He’s too small to ride. Wait ‘til he gets bigger.”

Levi handed him the leash. “Don’t forget the ‘reins…’”

Ryder clipped the leash onto Trigger’s collar. They ran to the door. He called to his parents.

“We’ll be outside!”

The door slammed.

Levi took Paige’s hand. 

She said, “Now what?”

“I have some ideas. And he’s clever. He’ll figure it out…”

In a while, Ryder and Trigger reentered.

“Mom! How do we feed Trigger? He doesn’t like grass.”

Paige walked into the kitchen and pulled a can of dog food from the pantry.

“We bought him some special food.”

“That’s weird. Never heard of a pony eating out of a can.”

“It’s what they sold us at the pet store. He’ll love it.”

She opened the can and spooned the food into Trigger’s dog bowl. The puppy ran to it when she set it on the floor. It ate voraciously.

“Wow! I guess you’re right.”

“We’re all set. Half a can in the morning and the rest in the evening.”

Doubtful, Ryder nodded. “Okay…”

Levi walked in carrying two plush stuffed animals, a dog and a pony.

“Look what I got!” He held the toys up. Kneeling, he imitated Trigger’s bark for the toy dog. He reared back the toy pony and whinnied.

Ryder was not impressed. “Dad, are you joking? That isn’t a pony. Trigger is a pony. These are stuffed animals. I’m a kid but I know the difference between a real animal and a toy.”

Levi looked at Paige. She shook her head, sympathetic for his failed experiment.

He shook it off. “Hey kid, let me show you something.”

“What?”

“You’ll see. Get your cowboy hat and let’s go.”

“Can Trigger come too?”

“After that big meal, Trigger wants a nap… Take him out to poop. And clean up after him…”

He told Paige, “Bring your camera.”

~

Levi pulled up to the pony ride concession at the city park. Parents, with their kids in tow, lined up for tickets. Some kids, there for a birthday, held balloons.

Levi smiled at Paige as they joined the line. “Remember riding these when we were kids? I loved it.”

Ryder, though dressed in jeans, boots and cowboy hat, looked sullen.

“What’s up kid?”

“But I have a pony. Why’d we hav’ta leave Trigger at home?”

She straightened Ryder’s collar. “But you can’t ride Trigger. You’ve been wanting to ride a real pony for a while…”

“Yeah, but these ponies are kinda’ old and tired.”

Paige traded looks with Levi.

“Ryder, Trigger will be happy to see you at home. But we’re here now. You can tell him all about your visit with his friends this afternoon…” She aimed her camera. “Let me get your picture. Smile, Ryder... Smile…”

Ryder’s turn came and the attendant assisted him in climbing onto the pony’s saddle. He shook the reins but the pony didn’t move. Ryder stared at the ground.

Parents stood behind the barrier waving, clapping and shouting at their kids. Most of the children had great fun. Some held balloons and laughed.

Ryder looked glum. The mother of the birthday boy offered Ryder a balloon. He took it but let it slip from his hand. Everyone watched it float away.

Paige kept snapping pictures. “Ryder! Look at me! Smile!”

A rope tethered each pony to the one before it. An attendant, on foot, led the string of ponies plodding around the track. They’d spent their lives following this routine. Everyone was safe and secure. There were no surprises. The ponies returned to the staging area and attendants helped the kids dismount.

Paige and Levi greeted Ryder. “How was it? Did you have fun?”

Levi said, “Your first pony ride…!”

“Yeah, this was fun, but I miss Trigger. He’s frisky.”

“Okay, let’s get lunch and go home…”

A few days later, a man came to the door. Paige invited him in. Trigger ran barking to the door. The man leaned down and petted the puppy.

Levi shook hands with him. “Thanks for coming, Mr. Jones. I don’t expect you often make house calls.”

Mr. Jones chuckled. “Rarely… But this case calls for it. I get it.”

Paige introduced him to Ryder. “Ry, this is Mr. Jones. He’s a friend of ours. He wanted to meet you.”

Mr. Jones shook hands with Ryder. “Glad to meet you Ryder. I’ve heard so much about you.”

Paige led them to Ryder’s bedroom. “Show Mr. Jones your room, Ry.”

Mr. Jones stood in awe at the Wild West themed room. It looked as if it were a museum exhibit, no detail felt false. A wooden frame held a signed portrait of Roy Rogers on Trigger rearing up on his hind legs. It dominated one wall. A Navajo blanket covered Ryder’s bed. His desk lamp base was a buffalo. Its parchment shade depicted a covered wagon. Ryder’s jacket and cowboy hat hung from mounted antelope horns. Pictures of frontier life and Western movie heroes hung on every wall. Even his window curtains had fringe in the style of a frontier leather jacket.

Tugging on his pants leg, Ryder got Mr. Jones’ attention.

“Did you meet Trigger? He’s my pony. I got him for Christmas…”

The eager puppy sat panting at their feet. Mr. Jones bent down to scratch behind Trigger’s ears.

“Yes… yes, I did. He met me at the door.” He straightened and scanned the room once again. “You have a beautiful room, Ryder. Thank you for sharing it with me.”

He turned and left, guided by Paige. They drank coffee in the kitchen with Levi, while Ryder played in his room with Trigger.

“Tell me about his friends. Any behavior problems? No bullying? How does he relate?”

“His teachers always praise him to me. His friends call him Red Ryder…”

“From the old cowboy character?”

 “I guess… He’s very good natured… gets along… No one bullies Ryder or gets bullied by him. He seems grounded in every way… but this… with his dog.”

“Well, let me say… there seems to be no great cause for concern. He’s a very well-mannered little boy.”

Paige nodded. Levi sighed with relief.

“That said, Ryder appears so identified with all things equestrian, he not only sees his puppy as a horse… or uhm, a pony. But he may likely see you, his parents, as horses also.”

Paige gasped. Levi sighed and leaned back in a profound realization. They exchanged glances.

Mr. Jones continued. “But not to worry, play along. He’ll doubtless outgrow it over time… sooner than later if I read him right.”

Mr. Jones declined more coffee and stood to go.

Paige said, “I can’t thank you enough.” She slipped him a check.

“You have my number. Call if things don’t improve over the next few weeks.”

He shook their hands and left. Paige shut the door, leaned back against it and sighed. Levi took her hand. They lingered in a warm hug.

“Let’s talk…”

Returning to the kitchen, Paige poured more coffee.

Levi spoke, almost whispering. “I didn’t want to say this in front of Jones…”

“What?”

“Ry calls me… not often, but sometimes… he calls me ‘Old Paint.’”

Paige covered her mouth in recognition. “Yes! It was so odd. I dismissed it…”

“Me too… I think Jones might be on to something…”

“And Ry calls me ‘Mare’!”

They laughed as they saw how many cues they’d ignored.

“I always thought it was a language thing from when he was a baby… But no…”

Over the next few days, Paige and Levi made some changes. Imitating the clip clop of hooves on pavement, Levi rhythmically clapped coconut shells when walking about the house. Paige announced dinner by clanging a metal triangle.

That Saturday, she called to Ryder. “Comb your mane pardner. And saddle up, we’re gonna be late. You need new shoes. Gotta head out to the farrier.”

Ryder stood in defiance. “Wait, Mare. I’m not the pony. You’re not the pony. Trigger’s the pony. Don’t you get it?”

Clopping his coconut shells, Levi entered and yelled, “Hi ho, and away!”

Shaking his head, Ryder looked at his father. “I wasn’t expecting that…”

His parents looked at each other. Paige said, “What do you mean?”

Ryder sighed. “Maybe we’re all being silly…” They looked at him expectantly. “I don’t know how to say this… I think maybe, Trigger is changing into a dog.”

Levi said, “I don’t know, Ry…”

Paige touched his arm, and he stopped. She said, “I’ve noticed it too. We won’t say anything. Let’s watch and see what he does over the next week.”

Levi said, “Will you still love him if he does?”

Ryder relaxed. “Yeah, Trigger’s great. I just didn’t want you to be disappointed.”

Paige said, “We’re happy with Trigger if you are. No matter what.”

Laughing, they fell into a group hug.