X-Ray Vision Ch. 09: Family

Stopping at a bodega I got a large water bottle. Poor Snowball would be a thirsty bitch when I found her. I wasn't cruel, I'd have water ready.

Back up the hill, and where to set my lures? A standard poodle was a hunting breed(!), could cover ground quickly. That suggested wide placement. I began to wish I had a scooter or even a bicycle. Got to hit Greg up about that.

Or maybe not! They didn't cost anywhere near a thousand, not a cheap one, a used one. I could just buy it, turn in the receipt! He wouldn't even blink, I was pretty sure. Got to start thinking like a businesswoman, not a kid beholden to every adult I met.

Today I would hoof it. When I got about even with the home base I set my bag down, sat on the curb. Got out one can, the can opener. Cranked it, dumped half into one of my brand new doggy dishes. Sat it by a bush, where folks walking by might not notice but a dog would absolutely smell it.

Pack up, hoof it six blocks west, repeat. Hike back to my first lure - nothing. Keep going, another six blocks. Getting thirsty, crack open Snowball's water bottle, take a swig myself.

Set my third lure, corner of a parking lot, a storage lot for mobile homes and such. Rich people weren't happy with just a ginormous house, they had to have one on wheels too! That they hardly used, and paid to have sitting around all year gathering dust.

Now nothing to do but monitor my lures, wait. This part was gonna suck, 12 blocks to cover, who knows how many times around.

Well that was my strong point, young and fit and full of energy, right?

The second trip down and back, no luck, my feet beginning to ache, a blister probably! That bike was a cert now, I was gonna get that before I went home(!) tonight.

Starting to doubt myself, my business plan, approaching the storage lot, thinking unkind thoughts about folks on the street and rich people house-toys sitting here idle, and there she was.

Big, big poodle, startlingly big, a Standard was no slouch. Was once white but clearly been rolling in the dirt, brown and grey streaks over dirty white.

Going for the dog food, pushing the dish around, having trouble, couldn't get a proper bite. Snowball wasn't the sharpest pencil in the pencil box.

I called her name, saw her start, look up. Ready to bolt. I stopped, waited her out.

Got a little closer, saying her name soothingly, stopped. She looked at me, her tongue lolling. Thirsty.

I sat, cracked my bottle, her bottle of water, poured some in my hand. Slurped it up myself, making a show of it.

She was hooked, looked at my hand like it was the holy grail. I filled it again, held it out to her.

All caution thrown to the wind, Snowball bounded over, lapped up the water greedily. I poured more, more as she splashed it around, getting at least some in her, mostly on me.

Stopped pouring, let her lick off my hand, my arm. With my other hand fished her leash out of my bag, thumbed the latch slider. Reached to her head, gave her a pat, moved to her neck. Got the latch over her narrow collar, snap!

"Ok girl, we're gonna get you home."

She looked up, noticed the leash, lost some of her bravado. I could actually see her shoulders droop, her wild rumpus at an end.

"You had a good day, right? It's time to go home, take a bath. Get some lovin up by your worried mama. You'll be fine."

I wrapped the leash around my arm so she couldn't possibly escape. Walked her to the bowl, held it so she could eat. When she'd licked it clean I filled it with water, let her drink.

Dumped what was left in the grass, stashed the dog-licked bowl in my bag and headed home.

...

"Snowball! You naughty girl! Oh, oh, oh!"

She was crying, had actually been very worried. All her stress melted, her precious dumb pup back in her arms.

"Look at you! What have you been doing! What has my naughty girl been getting into!" She looked pretty horrified at her once-white dog. Dirt, sticks, maybe grease. Pretty sure some poop tangled in those fluffy bits, probably not even her own.

"She seems ok maam! But for the dirt. She's had a wild day. Found her over in the RV storage lot, looking for water. Fortunately I had some with me."

"You clever girl! Oh how can I thank you! Oh! My checkbook! Let me get Snowball into the house, I'll bring it out."

I followed her to the door, took the liberty of going in the entryway while she fussed over her baby. Didn't want that heavy front door closing in my face without seeing some scratch. Sat the unused can on a table by the door.

She eventually returned with the checkbook, checked my card, wrote it out for the right amount, all square.

I took the check. "Glad to be of service! If you have any cause to mention my name to your friends? It'd be such a help to me! Your good word would be more valuable than gold!"

She seemed tickled at that, took a half-dozen of my cards. Showed me the door, closed it, so much to do! Getting her doggy to the groomer! Emergency visit!

The groomer?! She couldn't wash her dog herself? Well of course not. What money was for I suppose.

I looked at the check. My first earned money! Never had a job where I got to keep any of what I earned, it'd all gone to the family, the church.

Felt a little lump in my throat. Not over the money, I had ten times that in my pocket.

But because this was mine, mine and Greg's, earned by us, our business, for us to keep. Like grownup responsible people.

Leaking a little from my face I headed down the hill, done with marketing today. I remembered a thrift shop near the pet store. Had a bike out front, about my size.