“Didyouhearthat?” theolddogshouted.
Theyallrantothefrontoftheirkenneldoorstoseeifsomeonewascomingto “pickthem”.
“Sorry,” hesaidtotheotherdogsashisearsfelldownfromtheirperkedposition.“IcouldhaveswornIheardvoicessaying, 'Isn'thecute? It'sChristmas, can'twetakehimhomewithUS? ' ”
“Youmusthavebeendreamingagainoldman,” saidthedoginthecagenexttohim.“Anyway, what'sthebigdealaboutgettingpickedupasaChristmasgift? We' veallbeenthroughthatroutineandlookwhereitgotus.”
“Justonce, I' dliketofeelthewarmthofahandstrokingmyhead,” saidtheolddog.“I'dliketobetheonewhokissesthetearsoffasadface.I'.”
Hecurledupandsighedastheotherssaid, “Theonlyplaceyou' regoingtofindthatisinyourdreams, oldman.”
Hank' swifehadonlybeengoneayearbutthepainwasasfreshasiftimehadstoodstill.
Hewasanoldmannow, ?
Hank' scupboardswereclosetobarenowand, althoughhedidn'twanttogoout, .
Suddenly, ! Sohecoastedovernexttothecurb, , they'dlethimusetheirphone.
, failingtonoticethesignposted “EmployeesOnly”.
AsHankwalkedout, hewasoverwhelmedbyyaps, .
Slowlyhewalkeddowntheconcreteaislelookingforanattendant.
Threekennelsdownontheright, ? , hesensedaneedandcouldn'tresistofferingakindlookandagentlewagofthetail.
AsHanknearedtheolddog'scage, helacedhisfingersthroughthechainlinktosteadyhisgaituntilthefirstfeelingofcomforthe'drememberedinoverayearcamefromawetnoseandlickacrosshisarthriticfingers.
JustthenavoiceofauthoritysoundedandHankjumped.
“I'msorry, sir, youaren'tsupposedtobeinthisarea!” shesaid.
LuckilyHankdidn'tknowhehadwalkedintothe “finalarea” whereunclaimeddogswerescheduledtobeputdown.
'deverseen.
Ignoringtheattendant'sordertoleave, .
Shebroughttheolddogoutandinstantlythetwosouls —— oncesolost —— foundreasontohope.
Hank'scupboardswerenowfilled, awarmfirecrackledandtheolddogsmiledinsideasheremembered “onlyinyourdreams”.ClosinghiseyeshefeltHank' shandstrokinghisheadwhispering “sleepinheavenlypeace”.
ItwasChristmasafterall.
