She stopped loving him one day......

His wife stopped loving him one day. Vance tried to understand. At first he thought it was a stage Linda was going through. She had colored her hair, trimmed her figure, and started making fitness coaching sessions on Youtube. Overnight, Linda became an 'influencer' for mature women.

Vance was left wondering why. Linda told him she no longer loved him, and he took a hike from the family home. No, his wife no longer loved him unconditionally. Where had his teenage bride disappeared, now he was bulging and grey?

He blamed it on his truck driving job, but he was no longer a family man as in the days now gone. His adult sons did not have much time for their old man any more, they were not exactly daddy's little adoring boys any more. They had their own love lives and posh jobs. Vance supposed that expensive exclusive education was worth it.

Vance moved into a rental home with a large backyard. He phoned his ever bossy big sister for a moan about Linda and his single status. Linda had just stopped loving him one day. His older sister was designed and put on earth to dominate her younger siblings. "Unconditional love!" she scoffed, "You need to get a dog."

Vance agreed, "Great idea."

"Get a rescue dog from the animal shelter. Take it to obedience school. You need to move on from Linda now."

Vance did not argue with anyone's big sister, they were born empowered. He had learnt his place in the pecking order of the nuclear family years ago. His big sister took after their mother.

So, Vance ate some cold baked beans, the height of single guy cuisine. He only had one saucepan after all. Off to be a knight in shining armor to rescue a dog from its doom. He liked working dogs, so he was hopeful. He could have a wingman, for a bachelor reborn.

Vance could not really resist. it was love at first glance. Not one, but two largish black working dogs, wagging their tails. They had been abandoned by their owners, very reluctantly. They would need a lot of feeding and exercising, but Vance manned up. Their names were Jack and Dax. Yes, the fur boys showed instant gratitude for their rescuer.

Vance bought all the necessary at the pet shop, and made a pit stop at the supermarket for some tinned food. These were his like-minded guys, it was food before dudes. The 'boys' arrived home, and all was cool. Soon, Vance had two large black soul mates, wingmen. They followed him around the house, and would sit on his lap on the couch, or leaning against his leg.

Jack and Dax were soon enrolled in Sunday Dog Obedience classes. After all, Vance's big sister had dictated, as ever. Born to boss. Sunday mornings were spent in a giant field, giving treats for successful mastery.

Vance did decide his pair of canines were not destined to be too obedient. They did like the treats, and were more inclined to snore on the couch. They regarded Vance as their hero, always raced up to the front door to welcome him home, with unconditional love and slurpy dog kisses.

Tails were wagging, for Vance and his boys. Unfortunately, Vance had a nosy neighbor who complained that Jack and Dax never stopped barking when he was at work, driving his truck. "Okay, can't have dog discrimination!" Vance told the old hag next door.

So he ordered two custom made yellow jackets for his boys, one each. On the dog tops was printed in large red capital letters, "ASSIST DOG". Vance had a lateral sort of plan. He had applied to work in the office of the trucking company, he was getting to that kick back stage of life. On his first morning at his desk job, in walked Vance with Jack and Dax, newly promoted to be his assist dogs.

The trucking manager did a double take, but Vance was ready. "These are my social anxiety dogs. Covered under the Dog Discrimination Act, that is part of the statute of working dogs." No one was allowed to comment. But, it was all good.

Who does not love a fur pal or two, with lovely soul mate eyes, sharing in morning tea biscuits? Jack and Dax now had even more fans, they were good company, leaning against people's legs, always welcoming, tails wagging. As canine thoughts go, the dogs regarded this as Vance's best idea yet. He was, indeed, their One, their boss dog, and their knight in baggy shorts, with ageing knees ablaze.

Time elapsed, Vance was no longer so bulging. He was getting two daily walks, enjoying his new status, despite the social anxiety. He did ask his older sister to suss Linda, to see if she would take him back in her arms again. Phone silence ensued, then his sister sent him a slightly catty message, "Linda says your dogs are far nicer than their owner."

He glanced at Jack and Dax, still wagging their tails at him. His wife had stopped loving him one day. Maybe one day, Vance would understand. Linda had stopped wagging her tail at her husband, or, indeed, any man. They were heading for the grey divorce. It was one of those mature woman things. Vance could not blame it all on her menopause, that was marginalization and discriminatory to all females.

Tough! His sister did send him another text. "Linda is right witch. She would give anyone social anxiety. Mum would have said, "Told you so." Yes, Vance and his older sister were family, after all. Vance put his dogs in the backyard for one final wee for the day, then the three lads headed off to bed. Jack and Dax loved sleeping with Vance, he was their man, the hero of the household.

Vance privately thought his dogs had been sent to choose him as their soul owner. They slept on his bed, settling in for a collective snore. Jack farted, bit of a pong, but all boys do. Dax licked his groin before closing his eyes in slumber. Vance wished he could lick his own groin, would make life so much easier. He supposed feeling young would never really grow old.

Peace ensued, golden slumbers for three males, united in bliss. They slept with their fleas, so favorites. It would take a brave woman to sleep with Vance, plus Jack and Dax. Not much room left on the bed. Linda stopped loving him one day. His fur friends so did not care!!!