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- Story Listed as: Fiction For Adults
- Theme: Drama / Human Interest
- Subject: Flash / Mini / Very Short
- Published: 01/08/2025
Happy To Be Home
Born 1947, M, from Oceanside, United StatesHappy To Be Home
Tony never did anything like this before. He never freaked out, no matter what sounds he might have heard. But it must have been that new fire engine’s unique siren (very loud and piercing) that caused him to leap out of the open car window and take off.
My heart stopped when I saw him scrambling out the window, but I couldn’t do anything because, I was stuck in the left lane of town traffic.
After trying like heck to turn toward the curb, I finally managed to work my way into a Macdonald’s parking lot, at which point, I jumped out of the car and ran back toward where Tony had disappeared.
I spent the next hour searching for him, asking people if they’d seen a German Shepard running loose. Only one man said he thought he saw a Shepard running into a nearby alley. I took off and ran to where the man said he saw the dog—but no luck.
Heartbroken, I made several phone calls from my car, explaining to the cops and others what had happened and to be on the lookout for a German Shepard running loose. Of course, he had tags, but that didn’t stop my fear for his safety. Then with a heavy heart, I headed home. This was five days before Christmas.
How was I going to explain this to my wife, Janet? But even worse, how was I going to explain this to my nine-year-old daughter, Kelly? Janet would understand, of course. But Kelly would be devastated; she and Tony had grown up together. We got him around the same time she was born. From the beginning they were inseparable. When Kelly was a baby, Tony slept beside her crib. Later, he slept on the rug beside her bed.
Watching my daughter cry when she learned what had happened, sent a stab of heartache through my gut. She stayed upset for days.
Time passed with no sign of Tony or any calls from anyone who might have found him. But then on Christmas morning, while we were eating breakfast, someone rang our Ring doorbell. Immediately, Kelly shouted that maybe someone had found Tony and leapt up, running toward the front door.
Before I could reach her, she had the door opened and was kneeling, hugging Tony and saying his name over and over. Thank God! As for the dog, his tail was wagging like a propeller. Obviously, he was as happy to be home as all of us were happy to have him home.
I wanted to thank the person who had returned him, but when I looked out, there was no one there. Had the person left Tony on our stoop and then, after ringing our bell, ran away?
After we got both Kelly and Tony back inside, I checked the Ring’s video to see who might have rung the bell. That’s when I got one heck of a shock. The person who rang the doorbell was Tony! Watching the video, I saw him rear up and push the button with his paw.
“I guess you’re smarter than I thought,” I said to him.
From then on, Janet and I made sure, that if Tony was in the car with either of us, the windows were positioned halfway so he could enjoy the breeze without any chance of him jumping out.
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Denise Arnault
01/09/2025
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