The parson and his faithful canine companion, Charlie Brown, headed to the place of their morning walk. It was the nearby QuikTrip, American's finest convenience store and, in the case of this particular one, truck stop. Shortly after the parson found Charlie Brown lying beside the highway almost starved to death a short distance from the QuikTrip he began walking him there in the event his owner might come by.
Now, with the passing years, they both knew the previous owner would never come, but the walks were now habit. Besides, the parson is addicted to the QuikTrip Cappuccino.
On this day, a block before turning into the QuikTrip, the parson slammed on the brakes. Charlie Brown slid off the seat into the floor. He looked at the parson with a look similar to a tightwad church member responding to a request to minister to the destitute. The parson had braked for an obviously frightened dog who'd darted across the highway. The dog stood for a moment shaking in the median and then darted into the brush.
The parson and Charlie Brown followed their normal path around the outskirts of the large facility. The walk this morning was brisk. Charlie Brown was feeling playful. They'd almost completed the circuit when once again the parson saw the dog. This time Charlie Brown did, too. The hair on his back went up. He stared at the obviously confused and frightened animal. He didn't growl. Gradually, his fur when down and he continued to make his claim upon the property.
At the end of the trek, the dog was again seen. This time two employees of the QuikTrip were calling the dog. “Here, Puppy. Come on, Puppy. We won't hurt you.” The puppy did not believe them. He stood staring at them, shaking as he did.
The parson walked up beside them. “Sit, Charlie Brown,” he said. Charlie Brown sat.
“Come on, Puppy, come on,” they continued with snapping fingers.
“Maybe we could get a hot dog for him and he'd come,” said one.
The parson looked at Charlie Brown studying the dog. He realized the dog was also studying Charlie Brown. The parson knelt down and unhooked Charlie Brown's leash.
Charlie Brown walked over to the frightened dog. They checked each other out. Suddenly, Charlie Brown lunged in a forward motion down toward the ground bringing both his front legs on the ground. He tail beat a steady rhythm on the ground. And then it happened. The other dog lunged back. They both bolted off in a scampering play, chasing and lunging, sniffing and marking. After a few moments the parson whistled, “Come, Charlie Brown.”
Charlie Brown came, and with him came a happy puppy.
There was a phone number on the collar. The puppy's home was called. He was twenty-five miles from home. Charlie Brown walked with the puppy to the QuikTrip employee's car. The puppy was lifted into the vehicle. Charlie Brown watched the puppy and the puppy watched Charlie Brown as he left, headed back to his home.
Charlie Brown a few moments later jumped back into the parson's car, one Rescue having rescued.
Graphic by subscription with Clip Art [dot] Com
Comments