CHAPTER 4: Part 1: Was she doing the right thing?
Was she doing the right thing? was Katherine’s first thought on a Saturday morning some weeks later. She was going to become a dog owner that day. Would she be a good one? Have a happy, well behaved dog? Or would he turn into a vicious, wild, destructive beast that would be a misery until he was put down? Katherine lay on her back in her vast brass bed, staring up at the slanting ceiling. She noticed how old and yellowed the paint was over her head. Her thoughts drifted to what a fresh coat of paint would do to the room. Maybe a pretty wallpaper, as well. But would the dog make a mess of it? Get his paws in the paint, stick his nose in the paste? Would she be able to handle living with an animal? At least it would be some company. She wouldn’t be all alone in a big, empty house in the country. She’d have something to cuddle, to welcome her home, to force her to play outside. Something other than work to dwell on.
For work remained a worry. Her interview with Clara had gone very well, but of course she was hardly the right guest to attract young listeners. Even though she was a great example of an active, independent woman. Hope I’m as together when I’m her age, thought Katherine. It’s rare to see single women so content when they’re old. Clara obviously never regretted not getting married and having children. She’s made a good life for herself. This was the kind of person Janine, Lawrence and she liked to feature on the show, but they were still having trouble finding content with the desired demographic profile. They were trying, though. Janine was trying to find out the age of the people who wanted to appear on the program, without coming right out and asking. “We’ve got to make Health and Healing hip and happening,” she summed up one day. Fortunately, Blaine seemed to understand that it would take time to change the direction of the show.
Katherine looked at the clock-radio on her night table. She still had plenty of time before she picked up the puppy from Sunrise. She stretched out luxuriously. She probably wouldn’t be able to have long mornings in bed on weekends from now on. The dog would probably have to go outside, have breakfast, want to explore. She was looking forward to getting her dog and seeing Clara again. But on this last morning of solitude, she could indulge herself by having breakfast in bed and a good long read of a book. She swung out of bed and went downstairs to put the kettle on.
An hour and a half later, it was time to go. Katherine put a cardboard box on the passenger seat of her car. Inside the box was an old towel for the puppy to lie on. Heading over to Sunrise, she felt butterflies in her stomach. The dog phase of her life was beginning.
It seemed ages before Clara came to the front door. “All set to get your dog?” she asked with a smile.
“As ready as I’ll ever be!” Katherine took a breath and raised her eyebrows.
“Would you like a cup of tea first?”
“If you don’t mind, not today. I just want to get my hands on my puppy, since he’s ready to come home.”
“Of course,” said Clara leading the way into the bright yellow kitchen at the back of the house. A man with a thick thatch of white hair sat at the table but rose when they came in. “Katherine, you haven’t met my husband Harry. This is Katherine Glee.”
“We listen to you all the time,” said Harry shaking her hand. “We just love your show.”
Katherine was speechless. Gone was the image of Clara as a happy single woman. She was married. Of course, wasn’t everyone? Except me, Katherine thought. The only single person in the world. She was still silently shaking Harry’s hand. “It’s so nice to meet you! I didn’t know that Clara was married.”
“Then I suppose you can’t say you’ve heard so much about me,” Harry said with a grin.
“That’s true.” Katherine turned to Clara. “Why do you keep him such a secret?”
“I don’t. The subject never came up, that’s all.”
“But you don’t even seem married. You seem so independent.”
“She is!” Harry grinned. “She doesn’t need me at all. Never has. It’s the biggest tragedy of my life.” He put one hand over his heart and the other hand to his brow.
“Nonsense!” cried Clara, swiftly rubbing Harry’s head. “You know I can’t live without you!”
Harry put up his hands to block Clara from messing his hair and exaggeratedly began combing his thick white hair with his fingers. “Don’t ruin my ’do, girl,” he said.
Clara rolled her eyes at Katherine. “Don’t mind his foolishness. You’re keen to get your puppy, aren’t you? Now, Harry, Katherine can’t even stay for tea. She wants to take her doggie right home. So will you take Irma out back while we get the pup? Irma gets a little upset if she sees one of her puppies being taken away,” she explained to Katherine.
“Rightie-o,” said Harry. “Until next time, then, Katherine.”
Clara led the way down the cellar steps. Katherine followed, and noticed the distinct scent of urine, wood shavings, cleanser, and something strongly animal. The puppies were in a bright corner of the basement, fenced in by planks that formed a complete barrier. There seemed to be a large number of pups. The first time Katherine had seen them, they were tiny, shaky things huddling for milk and warmth at Irma’s belly. Now, as before, Katherine at first couldn’t distinguish them clearly.
Then they seemed to sort themselves out and she recognized several little chubby, furry dogs. Babies with short legs and big bellies. Fluffy with puppy fur. Flashes of white teeth and underbellies as they bit and tumbled each other. Their colouring was mostly black, with mixtures of brown and white.
Gingerly, Katherine stepped over the barrier and knelt down. Some of the puppies instantly came up to her, sniffing, and slowly Katherine put her hands around the nearest belly and lifted the puppy, squealing, and then snuggled it safely against her chest. A cold nose investigated her neck and ear as she felt its soft paws and warm fur.
While she held this one, she watched the others, one spreading its legs and peeing almost on a newspaper, one trying to sleep while another one attacked its tail, and stalking off into the darkest corner, the biggest puppy of them all, lugging a black rubber toy almost as big as itself while another puppy tried to take it away.
A hot tongue touched her jaw and the puppy began wiggling strongly, so Katherine crouched and set it down. It moved off to pounce on the sleeping pup, and Katherine looked over at the big one again. “Come here, puppy,” she called brightly, making kissing noises. It looked up and as she snapped her fingers, got up and trotted over with a curious look. It smelled her hand and then she began petting it.
It was the least attractive of them all, having a huge head for its body, and an even larger ruff around the neck. Tiny dark eyes squinted dubiously at her as she examined it. This was a male, with black fur everywhere except for white socks on all four enormous paws and at the very tip of his tail. He accepted the petting without fear but also without much interest. Soon he was distracted by a sister and he flopped over onto his back, biting and flailing with his back legs.
“They’re all adorable, but I think this one’s it,” Katherine said. “The one with the white socks.”
“That’s the troublemaker, all right,” said Clara. “The big tough male who needs a country home and lots of exercise.”
“So he’s ready to go home with me?” Katherine couldn’t believe she was about to become responsible for an animal. When Clara said sure, Katherine picked up the dog. Instantly he went stiff in protest, and Katherine spoke soothingly to him, tucking him securely in her arms. “This feels so weird, to think that he’ll never see the others again. But at least he’ll be able to visit his mother later.”
“Of course.” Clara led the way upstairs and out to Katherine’s car. “You realize that he may throw up, because he’s never been in a car before.”
“I have a box with a towel in it.”
“And he’s almost, but not quite, paper trained, so be forgiving, won’t you?”
“I’ll keep him in the kitchen for the first while, and he can pee all over the floor there. It’s easy to clean.” Katherine gingerly set the puppy in the box on the passenger seat, where he sat forlornly.
Ch.4, Pt.2: After saying goodbye to Clara » »