Allegory - Nancy

 Allegory By Nancy Montgomery

I really am quite simple to understand. So why don’t they get me? I don’t ask for much. I want to

be a good boy and do the right thing. Which for me means chasing balls, running, running

running, sniffing sniffing sniffing. Letting the world know I am here. The freedom to do these

things is what brings me happiness and is the essence of being a dog. But Lisa and Brandon don’t

see it that way. They insist that I stay in my crate and come out only to eat and do my business.

They control when it’s time to do both. And if I make a mess in my crate they yell at me and tell

me I am a bad boy. I am sad most of the time. But they don’t seem to care. I don’t understand

why they adopted me as they don’t seem to love me.

One day they forgot to lock the door on the crate before leaving for the day. I bumped it with my

nose and it opened. Wow I thought freedom. Time to go explore. I went in rooms I had never

seen before. I took a nap on a sunny spot on the bed. I found a sock that was fun to run around

with in my mouth. I smelled something yummy in the kitchen where my food is kept. Yep, it was

cookies. I could easily reach them on the counter so I gobbled up one and then another and

another.

Suddenly the door opened and I stopped in my tracks. “You stupid dog” Brandon shouted. “Look

what you’ve done.” What had I done but eat a couple cookies and play with a sock. “That’s it” he

said “You are going back to the pound. I won’t have a dog that misbehaves.”

So, I found myself back at the pound with lots of other sad dogs whimpering in their cells. We all

felt the same way. We just wanted to be dogs and live a dog’s life with someone who loved us.

After many days I gave up hope of ever finding a forever home with someone who would

understand me. But then this guy walked by and stopped. He said “what’s your name little guy?”

My ears perked. “It says here your owner disowned you. How come?” If only I could talk and tell

him that I really am a good boy. I heard him ask if he could take a closer look at me. My tail

starting wagging so hard it almost knocked me over as he petted my head. “ Look at you little

buddy you are a happy little guy. Want to go for a walk.” “Yes Yes I really do.” So we walked. I got

to smell all the great scents of all the other dogs. And then we sat for a while and he gave me

belly rubs. He gave me a toy and we played tug of war. I heard him tell the lady at the desk I

would like to take this sweet pup home with me today. This is the best day of my life I thought.

But I felt sad for all the other dogs still left in their cells.

But there I was walking out of there and in to his car. I got to ride with my head out the window

and my ears blowing in the wind. When we got to his house, he explained to me that this is

where I would live. He said my name is JD and today you are getting a new name. I’ll call you

Hero, because you have rescued me sweet boy. I slept on the bed with him. I got cookies at

night. We watched TV on the couch together and he rubbed my belly. He told me we would do

lots of cool things like go hiking,camping and go to the dog park and chase balls. He said he

wanted to be my best friend. In my mind he was my Hero. Because this is what every dog wants,

to be understood and the freedom to be a dog. I lived happily ever after.