A Collection of My Favorite Short Stories: Grandpas, Puppies, Avocados, Golf Balls, and More
An excerpt from Beyond Puppy Love:
Out of the gloom, a white rocket appeared on a collision course with him. A trailing leather strap slapped Zach's leg; an instinctive reflex had him grabbing the end. The white rocket jerked to a stop, turned, and leaped into his arms. Reality hit him; the rocket was a frightened white puppy.
"Hey, baby, where'd you come from?"
Zach juggled the squirming, shivering pup and turned around, expecting the owner to appear at any minute. As time passed without anyone's arrival, he searched the collar for an ID tag. The dim light prevented him from reading the etching. A loud clap of thunder drove the pup deeper into his arms.
"Don't care for all this noise, do you? Let's go to my place before the rain comes. OK?" Zach's suggestion brought an onslaught of sloppy puppy kisses. He laughed and held the puppy close as he continued home. "Sorry for the lame pickup line. Didn't your owner tell you not to accept offers from strangers?" He ruffled the puppy's head and tucked the little body further into his jacket.
Once home, Zach eased the collar off the pup and tried reading the tag.
"M … a … g … and I can't figure out any other letter. Why don't you wear a rabies tag or a license?" The pup's cocked head and steady gaze answered him. "Well, you're no help. Damn. What am I going to do with you?"
A yawn and drowsy eyes provided no assistance.
Pulling out his phone, he took photos of the pup. After he posted a plea for help with identifying his new furry friend on social media, responses trickled in. One by one, he read through them. Some offered reassurances of his success, a few suggested methods of widening his search, many shared his post with others, and a few claimed they owned the puppy. None of the self-professed owners identified a name beginning with the appropriate letters, so he disqualified them as jerks or worse. Night fell without encouraging news, and Zach worried about the pup's future.
"Your owner's out there somewhere. I promise I'll find your home. Until I do, I'll call you, Magic, because you appeared out of nowhere like magic." The whispered words didn't wake the sleeping pup, tucked beside him on the couch.