Randa’s Got A New Puppy
Coco is my New Friend!
Randa has ANOTHER puppy! I think this is her third or fourth puppy in a couple of years.
When Randa opened her door, I opened mine.
“Got another puppy, I see.”
“Yeah, I can’t resist ‘em,” she laughed.
“This one seems like a handful.”
“Coco?”
OK, so that’s the pup’s name. Coco. Appropriate.
“Oh, yeah, girl, she is. I’m surprised you don’t hear her, whinin’ and cryin’.”
“I do. I hear her most days.”
“Well, you know, I can’t keep her inside all the time. She needs fresh air. And she’s not housebroken, so you never know when – or where – you’ll find a ‘surprise,’ if you know what I mean.”
“Do you mind if I bring her inside sometimes?”
“Oh, no. Help yourself. She loves attention.”
After a few more minutes of small talk, we ended our conversation.
Coco Is My New Friend
Now that I know Puppy’s name, we can become friends, and I’ll call her by her real name.
For the next two weeks, Coco and I visited nearly every day. Shortly after Randa put her outside on the paper between our back doors, Coco would scratch on my door, and I’d bring her inside for our visit.
Sometimes we’d just sit on the steps and visit. Other times I’d let her in and we’d play on the floor, watch TV and have a great time together. Joyce even started visiting more often. Not to see me, but to see Coco!
Such a smart rambunctious little ball of fur. I think she was approaching an understanding about the house-breaking thing, too. If she was inside with me, every couple of hours I’d take her outside and put her on the blue chucks that Randa had spread all over the landing. When she “went,” I gave her a treat. So, I think we were “almost there.”
We had such a good time!
Get Rid of the Dog or Move
As regularly happens, there was a party crasher: The owner/manager of the building. He personally presented me with a Notice to Quit. I had 30 days (how generous!) to either move or get rid of my dog. MY DOG!
Even though I told her about my notice, Randa never mentioned whether SHE got a Notice to Quit. I told her we’d have to find a new home for Coco or I’d be evicted. That wasn’t gonna happen. And she STILL didn’t say whether she’d been served!
Well, moving was out of the question. I have no family. I’m not affiliated with any Senior group, and I couldn’t move in with Joyce. We didn’t even discuss it.
We did discuss finding a home for Coco.
It took two weeks to find a good, loving spot for Coco, and I spent that same period, convincing the owner/manager that “the dog” was not mine, and that I had never had a pet in all the years I’ve lived in the building – not even a fish!
I never told the Owner the dog wasn’t mine.
Once everything was worked out, life went from Glorious Technicolor to plain old black and white – like when that great movie ends and the lights come on in the theater.
The End.
I sure miss my Coco. I’ve only visited her once since the move. Bittersweet.