汉克的食品橱现在满是食物,壁炉里温暖的火焰噼里啪啦地响着,一回想到同伴们说的“只能是在你的梦中”的那句话,老狗就开心地微笑。老狗合上眼睛,它享受着汉克一边小声吟唱“在天堂般的宁静中睡吧”,一边轻抚他的头。
终究是圣诞节呀!
“Didyouhearthat”theolddogshouted。
Theyallrantothefrontoftheirkenneldoorstoseeifsomeonewascomingto“ickthem”。“Sorry,”hesaidtotheotherdogsashisearsfelldownfromtheirerkedosition。“IcouldhaveswornIheardvoicessaying,‘Isn’thecuteIt’sChristmas,can’twetakehimhomewithus’”“Youmusthavebeendreamingagainoldman,”saidthedoginthecagenexttohim。“Anyway,what’sthebigdealaboutgettingickeduasaChristmasgiftWe’veallbeenthroughthatroutineandlookwhereitgotus。”
“Justonce,I’dliketofeelthewarmthofahandstrokingmyhead,”saidtheolddog。“I’dliketobetheonewhokissesthetearsoffasadface。I’dliketocurlunexttoafireinsteadofthiscoldconcrete。Ithurtsmybones。”
Hecurleduandsighedastheotherssaid,“Theonlylaceyou’regoingtofindthatisinyourdreams,oldman。”
Hank’swifehadonlybeengoneayearbuttheainwasasfreshasiftimehadstoodstill。
Hewasanoldmannow,aloneandlongedforthecomfortthatheknewnootherersonwouldeverbeabletogivetohimagain。WhatwouldhislifebecomewithoutherbyhissideHank’scuboardswereclosetobarenowand,althoughhedidn’twanttogoout,heknewheshouldatleastickuthebasics。Hedroveslowlydownthesidestreetsforfreewaydrivinghadbecometoochallenging。
Suddenly,thecarstartedchuggingandsutteringuntilfinallytheenginequitaltogether。Oneofthebasicneedsheforgotwasfuelforthecar!Sohecoastedovernexttothecurb,sottingabuildingwithinwalkingdistance。Hoefully,they’dlethimusetheirhone。
Hewalkedintoanofficeareaandrangthebellforservicebutnoonecame。Hesottedanotherdoorgoingoutside,failingtonoticethesignosted“EmloyeesOnly”。
AsHankwalkedout,hewasoverwhelmedbyyas,barksandinsanejumingfromdogsallsizesandshaes。Hethenrealizedhehadunintentionallygonetothedogshelter。
Slowlyhewalkeddowntheconcreteaislelookingforanattendant。
Threekennelsdownontheright,theolddogcalmlysatthere。WhyshouldtheolddoggetexcitedNoonewouldwanthim。But,hesensedaneedandcouldn’tresistofferingakindlookandagentlewagofthetail。
AsHanknearedtheolddog’scage,helacedhisfingersthroughthechainlinktosteadyhisgaituntilthefirstfeelingofcomforthe’drememberedinoverayearcamefromawetnoseandlickacrosshisarthriticfingers。
JustthenavoiceofauthoritysoundedandHankjumed。
“I’msorry,sir,youaren’tsuosedtobeinthisarea!”shesaid。
LuckilyHankdidn’tknowhehadwalkedintothe“finalarea”whereunclaimeddogswerescheduledtobeutdown。
Therewentthenudgeandlickthingagain。Hanklookeddowntothemostleadingeyeshe’deverseen。
Ignoringtheattendant’sordertoleave,Hankaskedifhecouldseethedogcloser。Herdemeanorchangedcomletelyandhersternnessmeltedaway。Shehadforcedherselftobethiswaysoshecoulddotheartofherjobshedesised。
Shebroughttheolddogoutandinstantlythetwosouls—oncesolost—foundreasontohoe。Hank’scuboardswerenowfilled,awarmfirecrackledandtheolddogsmiledinsideasheremembered“onlyinyourdreams”。ClosinghiseyeshefeltHank’shandstrokinghisheadwhisering“sleeinheavenlyeace”。
ItwasChristmasafterall。