Kitty

'Kitty, Kitty. Here Kitty Kitty. C'mon Kitty, breakfast.' Kate
shouted out of the back door.

Alfie yawned and stood at the window, looking out to the garden
scratching himself unmentionably as he gave Kate the benefit of his
wisdom.

'That's a really daft name for a dog. How can you stand there with the
door wide open and shout 'Kitty' to a dog. It's ridiculous. It's
freezing. . . '

Kate gave him the benefit of her scornful look, the one she usually
reserved for customers who not only asked, but also expected, the
impossible.

'Kitty' was the version of the little white terrier's name they
used.
'We'll call him Kit Carson,' Kate had said, cradling the puppy with the
ridiculous tan patch of hair on its head and down onto one shoulder
that made him look as if he was wearing a frontiersman's cap.

Kit Carson had become Kitty immediately as the puppy licked and
frolicked and chewed his way into their affections. Even Alfie was fond
of the little dog and would suffer his fingers being gnawed by sharp
little teeth.

Now, however, Kitty was fully-grown. Alfie would never have called out
his regular name in public. When he took him for a walk in the park and
needed to bring him to heel, he whistled. Once or twice he had nearly
called him by name, but stopped himself by the time he'd got to the
't', so that was all right.

Time went on. Kitty was becoming a little bit aggressive, so public
opinion (his mother and her father) decided it was time for him to be
neutered. Kate was horrified, but she had to admit that Kitty was
becoming a bit difficult to handle. He was intent on making contact
with every canine creature near him by either fighting or becoming
amorous, depending on circumstances. He didn't seem to appreciate that
he was a small dog, and would square up to, or attempt to mount, much
larger fiercer animals.

He had to go on a lead most of the time, of course, but in the park
where he was allowed to run free, there were sometimes problems caused
by what Kate called 'his frontiersman 's spirit'. They eventually
decided, after much soul-searching, that he would have to be
'done'.

Kate was taking him to the vets. Kitty seemed to know that something
was up and trotted beside her on the lead beautifully, not looking at
other dogs, motor bikes, cyclists, even the cat down the road didn't
cause a flicker.

'Good dog,' said Kate with a catch in her voice. 'I've just to go to
the Bank and then it's into the vet's.'

She looked sad, and Kitty wagged his tail to cheer her up.

Kate was at the front of the queue when there was a hold-up. A scruffy
individual with a gun rushed through the door and started shouting and
threatening the cashier. He thrust over a large paper bag and demanded
money and lots of it. He waved the gun threateningly and warned
everyone to stand still.

Kate was conscious of a continuous low growl from Kit and she managed
to release the catch on the extending lead handle. Kit didn't hesitate.
He lunged forward, jumped three feet in the air and fastened his teeth
round the man's wrist.

A shout of pain and surprise was followed by a shot. Luckily it hit the
counter only. Customers were screaming and shouting and the gunman was
desperately trying to get the dog's teeth off his wrist, which was by
now pouring with blood. Kit was dangling in the air but wouldn't let
go.

'Call him off, Missus,' he appealed to Kate in a half shriek.

After the police had carted him away, and the rest of the customers had
gone off with a story to bore their friends with for years to come,
Kate looked at the little dog. She couldn't . . .

At home, she tried to explain it to Alfie. He said nothing. The whole
subject made him acutely embarrassed and even caused him some actual
bodily pain when he thought about it. They spent a very quiet evening.
Even the dog seemed lost in its own thoughts.

The next day after work they both had news. Kate went first.

'We'll have to get rid of him, Alfie, I'm pregnant. We've no
choice.'

Alfie behaved as Kitty had done as a puppy. He gambolled around
whooping with delight. The dog followed his lead. Kate smiled
indulgently, then remembered the problem.

'But what about Kitty?' She was sad. Delighted about the baby. They'd
waited a long time for that, but what would become of Kitty?'

Alfie, when he stood still long enough, fished in his briefcase and
came out with some leaflets.

'Dog Obedience Classes'
'Dog Behavioural Therapist'
'Group Therapy for Dog Owners. Be the leader of the pack in your own
home.'

There were more. He looked at the dog. Kitty was looking at him with a
quizzical expression, one ear cocked, the other flopping forward.

'We'll give you another chance, Kitty. . . '

Did Kitty actually look relieved?