|
Melony was deathly
afraid of Beau, our Chow. As much as possible we kept him tightly in
control. He knew he wasn't going to get any praise for growling or
snarling at people, let alone barking at them. However, when he sensed
fear in a person he was like an old man who glared them down. He made it
plain the feeling was mutual in the way his eyes focused on the individual
while he lowers his head to pin point their every movement. This was what
he was doing to Melony at the time. She in turn walked around him as far
as was possible while she came into the house. If he had his eyes on her
she too kept him locked in her visual path. The two remained guarded
during her entire visit with the family.
“Ooww look at him!”
She would say. “He would just love to tackle me.”
“Oh I wouldn't
worry about that.” Dee tried to console the fearful woman. “He hasn't
ever bothered anyone. I think it is the element of surprise you have to
fear with him. He doesn't like to be surprised by strangers. He knows you
well enough. You are no stranger.”
All of Dee's
attempts to reason with the woman made no impression on her and she
remained cautious around Beau.
The day was
altogether beautiful like any late spring day in Oklahoma can be. Gone
were the chilly, earlier times, now replaced with these pleasant
temperatures. There was a giant wild rose blooming on the front close to
the drive. The lawn was freshly mown and the smell of the grass reminded
Dee of the meadow right after it was cut. The children were laughing and
tumbling on the front yard as if it had been created solely for them.
Melony was sitting at
the edge of the sofa close to the door. She could glance out to where the
kids were playing while the two women visited. Dee was in her coveted
lounging chair. The cement floor she had lived on for all these years made
her wish to capture every moment when she could use the foot support on
the chair to put her feet up. From her position she wasn't able to see
what the children were doing but she could easily hear their laughter as
they played.
Dee knew Melony was
uneasy about the children playing with the Chow. His owner never worried
though. He was, if anything, very protective toward the children. They
both were trained to be respectful. The kids rolled over his big bushy
coat like he was some sort of pillow for their heads. He in his stately
duty never complained. Beau always looked like he was smiling while he
stretched out on the ground, paws in front of him, watching the
children.
All at once the
children's laughter had turned to screams. Immediately the two women were
out of their chairs. Melony was a tiny woman but she didn't let that stop
her in being able to move quickly.
When Dee looked out
the tall glass door she could see the commotion. Beau was chasing a baby
rabbit all over the yard. Evidently the little thing had been hiding under
the wild rose bush. For some reason it started to make a run for it. The
very small rabbit was only a little bit of cotton tail fluff but doing a
good job of staying ahead of the dog. Beau caught the rabbit by simply
opening his jaws to suck it in much like someone would suck coke up a
straw. Anyway, this is the way it looked. Whether that happened or not
the dog had the rabbit in his mouth.
Melony was on top of
the dog in a heartbeat. She was wearing a pair of soft scuffs for shoes.
One of these the woman jerked off her foot. A few moments before she had
been a retiring picture of femininity. All of a sudden she was now
aggressively attempting to pound Beau about the head with the pliable,
rubbery looking shoe.
“Spit it out. Spit
it out!” She yelled to the startled dog.
In his excitement
Beau forgot he had planned to eat the tiny animal. He opened his mouth
and the little rabbit simply hopped out and then hopped away while
everyone stood watching in disbelief.
Dee was laughing
hysterically.
“If I live to be a
hundred I'll never forget the sight of you beating that dog you have
always feared about the head with that old soft scuff of a shoe. I think
he was too surprised not to obey you.
“Did it occur to
you that his fur is so thick he probably never even felt that shoe?”
It was Melonie's
turn to glare a look of mutual dislike toward the dog. She sauntered back
over the lawn and into the house with a lighter step now. The woman
bravely walked away from the once feared animal. |
