Lucky

I have lived on the streets as far back as I can remember, never having a place to call home. Oh, it hasn’t been too bad as I have not had to answer to anybody and I’m free to wander in whichever direction I might choose. I lived anywhere I lay my head down to sleep. Mostly alleyways, abandoned buildings, or fields. When I felt like it was time for a nap I’d just find myself a comfortable spot and lay my head down and snooze. 

I’d often go without having something to eat which made me look a bit unsightly with my ribs showing through my skin. I prowled around in back alleyways scrounging through trash cans searching for some kind of tidbits to eat. Sometimes I’d hit the jackpot and find enough to fill my belly. Those times I ate until I couldn’t eat another bite then I’d find a spot to lie down and take myself a nap. 

Sometimes I had to fight off other street dwellers who were also trying to survive on the meager tidbits of food. I’m not as big or as strong as many of them and fighting, therefore, is not an option for me. In those cases, I’d just tuck my tail and move on to look elsewhere for food. I tried to avoid those mean street dwellers. I have tangled with some of them on more than one occasion. Once, I was so chewed up from a fight that I spent a few days holed up behind an old wooden crate too weak to even try to stand. I learned after that to not tangle with those bigger than me. Or those who run in packs. Trying to fight off a half dozen street dwellers is more than just dangerous. It can be suicidal.  

It wasn’t just the street dwellers I had to be leery of. Many times it was the humans who were throwing out the food who chased me off with brooms or some kind of stick. Sometimes they threw rocks or maybe a tin can at me. It can be a pretty dangerous place out there. Once in a while I ran across a kind human who offered me a scrap of food or maybe a bone. Mostly I stayed my distance from them as I would not know their intentions. Perhaps they meant well and did not wish to cause me any harm, but I didn’t know who I can trust and who I couldn’t. 

I often laid around and daydreamed of what it would be like to have a real home. To have a friend who loves me and who would play with me. To be fed a meal every day without my having to spend my entire life always on the prowl looking for something to eat. I’ve seen others of my kind who live with humans in big houses. I’d sometimes see them outside romping around together or maybe playing fetch with a ball. What a joy that must be to belong to someone. To have a warm place to sleep on bitter cold nights seemed like nothing more than fantasy. 

It was just ten days ago I was snooping around in an alleyway in the search for something to eat when I noticed two humans coming toward me. They each had a long pole in their hands and I sensed this meant trouble. I had nowhere to run because the alley way was a dead end. I had to somehow get past them to make my escape. I waited until they were almost within reach of me with their poles before I made a break for it. The first pole glanced off my shoulders as I shot past. I tried to run faster but then the second pole hit me on my head and suddenly I felt a noose around my neck. I lunged forward but the noose held me back. I fought frantically trying to pull my head from the noose, but to no avail. I struggled as hard as I could trying to get free. After a few moments I knew it was useless to fight and lay on the ground, cowering, not knowing my own fate. Then the man holding the pole with my neck in the noose began pulling at me, forcing me to get up and walk. They led me to the rear of a van where the other man opened the rear door. I was then forced inside. Once inside the noose was removed from my neck and the door slammed. A few moments later I felt the van moving.

When we came to a stop the door was opened and again the noose was put around my neck. I did not fight so hard this time. I was removed from the van and taken inside a building and then put into a small area with walls on three sides and a gate on the front.

In the beginning, I thought I had found paradise. I thought this must be what it’s like to have a home to live in. I could hear the sounds of many others such as myself in other cages. I was brought bowls of food and water daily. On occasion humans would come and stop at my cage and gaze at me. I was cautious of them and stayed far enough away from the gate so that they could not touch me. I would only raise my head and look at them. I decided if this is what it’s like to have a real home I’d rather be back on the streets.

The days passed and I got more and more depressed about my situation. This was not like I had envisioned in my dreams.

Today two humans came to my cage; a man and a boy. The boy called out to me, “Come here, boy. Come here.” His voice sounded friendly. I raised my head slightly and looked in his direction. I did not sense any danger. He called out to me again. I let the tip of my tail wag just a bit. He kept calling to me trying to assure me he would not hurt me. There was something about this boy that seemed different to me. I stuck my nose out and sniffed the air. I still did not sense any danger. The boy continued urging me to come to him. After several long moments I rose to my feet. I took a step forward and stopped. The boy continued calling for me to come. I paused briefly before slowly making my way to the gate. The boy had his hand as far into the gate as he could get it. I smelled his hand. I still sensed no danger.

“Dad, I think he likes me!” the boy exclaimed excitedly.

“Yes, I think he does. He looks like he could use a good home. Do you like him?” the big human asked.

“Oh, yes, papa! He’s wonderful. Can I take him home? Please?”

“Well, let’s see about him.”

A woman came over. I recognized her as being a worker there as I’d seen her every day. She spoke to the other two humans. “Do you think you might like this one?”

“Yes”, the boy shouted out.

“Good, I think he will be a good choice. Lucky for him too, as he’s been here ten days, and after ten days if they don’t get a forever home we have to put them down.”

“That’s what I’ll call him. Lucky!” said the boy.