l k ed, because a lt hou g h h i s body p l odded a l ong t he snow co v e r ed ro ad, h i s m i nd w as s til l back at 1201 W i ns t on T e rr ace w it h W i ll o w . H e r eached i n h i s poc k et and pu ll ed out t he sc r ap of paper t hat ca rri ed her phone nu m ber and deba t ed w he t her he sh o u l d s i m p l y do t he ri g ht t h i n g … t he easy t h i n g , and t ear i t t o p i eces and t h r ow i t do w n t o d i s i n t e g r a t e i n t he sno w . H e h es it a t ed. Wou l d i t be so w r ong t o g i v e her a ca ll ? H e k new th e ans w e r . I t w as v e r y w r on g . I t w asn ’ t m o r a l . I t w asn ’ t e t h i ca l . B ut t hen, s i nce w hen had he e v er been m o r al or e t h i ca l ? H e f o l ded t he paper and put i t back i n t o h i s poc k e t .
H e s m il ed at t he t hou g ht of t he ea rf ul he ’ d g et f or dec i d i ng t o adopt t he dog t o her i f he d i d ca ll . But he w as no cand i da t e f or pe r m anent o w ne r sh i p f or t he an i m a l . W i l l ow w as k i nd hea rt ed and w ou l d g i v e h i m a l o v i ng ho m e. T he dog w as as s w eet as t hey co m e… or at l east i t had been a ft er i t b i t h i m . A nd t hat he s til l cou l dn ’ t exp l a i n an y m o r e t h a n he cou l d fi g u r e out t he s tr an g e sensa ti on he ’ d f e l t as t hose r a z or sha r p t ee t h sunk i n t o h i s fl esh and d r ew b l ood.
A nd of cou r se, he cou l dn ’ t he l p but c o n ti nue t o w onder w hat w ou l d happen i f t he dog d i d r ea ll y end up a b l ock of s t one, li k e he w as, but i t w as t oo l a t e t o w o rr y about t hat no w . H e w ou l d ha v e t o j ust k eep a d i s t ant e y e on t he an i m al f or t he next f ew w ee k s…or as l ong as he w as ab l e t o un ti l t he next ti m e he chan g ed, and see i f i t exh i b it ed any s i g ns or s y m p t o m s of t u r n i ng i n t o so m e k i nd of ‘ do g - g o y l e ‘ . T hen he supposed he ’ d ha v e t o g r ab i t and haul i t t o h i s pe r ch so i t cou l d s i t out t he next fift y y ea r s at h i s s i de. T he i dea of t hat scena ri o ce rt a i n l y g a v e t he t e r m ‘ m an ’ s best fri end’ a w ho l e new m ean i n g . H e w a l k ed a l ong t o w a r d h i s des t i na ti on w a t c h i ng as a l a r g e tr uck w it h a sno w p l ow passed h i m .
I t w as not g o i ng t o be f un d i gg i ng up m o r e m one y , sa v i n g s bonds and be l on g i n g s i n t h i s m ess. I t w as do w n ri g ht sh itt y , t o be exac t . B ut t hen a g a i n, w asn ’ t t hat th e w ho l e po i nt of h i s cu r se…h i s lif e?
H e r ounded t he co r ner and headed up t he s tr eet t o w a r ds C h i co ’ s w he r e he ’ d ea t en l ast n i g h t . Ma y be t hey w e r e open and he cou l d g r ab so m e b r ea k f ast be f o r e con fro n t i ng any o t her t as k s at hand. T he i r “ O pen 24 H ou r s” s i g n w as s til l on and fl ash i n g , desp it e t he n i g h t’ s f oul w ea t he r , so he w as i n l uc k .
H e w as a ft er a ll , g o i ng t o ha v e t o l ay l ow un ti l a ft er dusk be f o r e head i ng back t o t he g r a v e y a r d. T oda y ’ s ne w spaper hadn ’ t been de li v e r ed y e t , but he s t opped at t he co r ner m ach i ne hop i ng a copy of y es t e r da y ’ s ed iti on m i g ht s til l be i n t he r e. I t w as, and he depos it ed so m e c oi ns and pu ll ed fr ee a copy of t he da y - o l d ne w s t o check t he c l ass ifi eds f or a r oom or a s m a l l apa rt m ent c l ose by t hat he cou l d r ent or m a y be a n i ce ho t el w he r e he cou l d s t a y . A lt hou g h he ne v er s l ep t , he s til l w ou l d need a p l ace t o sho w e r , chan g e c l o t hes and hang ou t . T hen i n a f ew w ee k s, w hen he f e l t t he ch ill s and t he s l o w i ng do w n of h i s m i nd and body s t a rti n g , he w ou l d e i t her pay h i s b il l and check out or l ea v e h i s t e m po r a
H e s m il ed at t he t hou g ht of t he ea rf ul he ’ d g et f or dec i d i ng t o adopt t he dog t o her i f he d i d ca ll . But he w as no cand i da t e f or pe r m anent o w ne r sh i p f or t he an i m a l . W i l l ow w as k i nd hea rt ed and w ou l d g i v e h i m a l o v i ng ho m e. T he dog w as as s w eet as t hey co m e… or at l east i t had been a ft er i t b i t h i m . A nd t hat he s til l cou l dn ’ t exp l a i n an y m o r e t h a n he cou l d fi g u r e out t he s tr an g e sensa ti on he ’ d f e l t as t hose r a z or sha r p t ee t h sunk i n t o h i s fl esh and d r ew b l ood.
A nd of cou r se, he cou l dn ’ t he l p but c o n ti nue t o w onder w hat w ou l d happen i f t he dog d i d r ea ll y end up a b l ock of s t one, li k e he w as, but i t w as t oo l a t e t o w o rr y about t hat no w . H e w ou l d ha v e t o j ust k eep a d i s t ant e y e on t he an i m al f or t he next f ew w ee k s…or as l ong as he w as ab l e t o un ti l t he next ti m e he chan g ed, and see i f i t exh i b it ed any s i g ns or s y m p t o m s of t u r n i ng i n t o so m e k i nd of ‘ do g - g o y l e ‘ . T hen he supposed he ’ d ha v e t o g r ab i t and haul i t t o h i s pe r ch so i t cou l d s i t out t he next fift y y ea r s at h i s s i de. T he i dea of t hat scena ri o ce rt a i n l y g a v e t he t e r m ‘ m an ’ s best fri end’ a w ho l e new m ean i n g . H e w a l k ed a l ong t o w a r d h i s des t i na ti on w a t c h i ng as a l a r g e tr uck w it h a sno w p l ow passed h i m .
I t w as not g o i ng t o be f un d i gg i ng up m o r e m one y , sa v i n g s bonds and be l on g i n g s i n t h i s m ess. I t w as do w n ri g ht sh itt y , t o be exac t . B ut t hen a g a i n, w asn ’ t t hat th e w ho l e po i nt of h i s cu r se…h i s lif e?
H e r ounded t he co r ner and headed up t he s tr eet t o w a r ds C h i co ’ s w he r e he ’ d ea t en l ast n i g h t . Ma y be t hey w e r e open and he cou l d g r ab so m e b r ea k f ast be f o r e con fro n t i ng any o t her t as k s at hand. T he i r “ O pen 24 H ou r s” s i g n w as s til l on and fl ash i n g , desp it e t he n i g h t’ s f oul w ea t he r , so he w as i n l uc k .
H e w as a ft er a ll , g o i ng t o ha v e t o l ay l ow un ti l a ft er dusk be f o r e head i ng back t o t he g r a v e y a r d. T oda y ’ s ne w spaper hadn ’ t been de li v e r ed y e t , but he s t opped at t he co r ner m ach i ne hop i ng a copy of y es t e r da y ’ s ed iti on m i g ht s til l be i n t he r e. I t w as, and he depos it ed so m e c oi ns and pu ll ed fr ee a copy of t he da y - o l d ne w s t o check t he c l ass ifi eds f or a r oom or a s m a l l apa rt m ent c l ose by t hat he cou l d r ent or m a y be a n i ce ho t el w he r e he cou l d s t a y . A lt hou g h he ne v er s l ep t , he s til l w ou l d need a p l ace t o sho w e r , chan g e c l o t hes and hang ou t . T hen i n a f ew w ee k s, w hen he f e l t t he ch ill s and t he s l o w i ng do w n of h i s m i nd and body s t a rti n g , he w ou l d e i t her pay h i s b il l and check out or l ea v e h i s t e m po r a
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