Is For Life: Chapter Two (b): Waiting For Sammy

When they got home Shelly wouldn’t let the dog into the house until it had been bathed. John said that it would be too traumatic to bath it straight after taking it away from its mother. Shelly argued that John would be traumatised if he didn’t, and would brook no argument, either the pup was thoroughly bathed, from a bucket in the garage, or it didn’t come into the house… ever. His choice.

The puppy whimpered and trembled its way through its first ever bath. Being responsible owners to be, they had prepared in advance for the arrival of their dog. They already had bed and blankets, toys, lead, collar, food and puppy pads. What they hadn’t thought to buy was worming and flea products. The dog hadn’t received either treatment, and Shelly wasn’t prepared to wait until they took him to the vets for his first injections.

After a trip to Pets At Home, while John dried the pathetic bundle of misery, she insisted that he be wormed and fleaed.

Then, and only then, did she deign to have her first cuddle with him. He was soft and fluffy; his newly washed fur seemed electrified with static and stuck out from his body, making him even fluffier. He had sweet, puppy breath, and, as she held him close to her, he nuzzled into her chin and took comfort from her warmth and kindness.

It had taken Shelly an hour and a half longer than her husband to fall in love with the dog, but once that bond formed on the first embrace, it was fixed and sure. She vowed at that moment that he would never experience another moment of squalor and neglect for the rest of his life.

She was still worried about Sammy, though, this could go either way.

The clock ticked loudly in the stillness of the lounge, another hour and he’d be home. They waited, and alternated between watching the puppy sleeping in Shelly’s arms and the clock, heralding God knew what. They had discussed all the ramification of getting the puppy for him. At one point they were going to take Sammy with them to pick it up when they found one. But it was decided that being there would be too stressful for him. He didn’t cope well with anything new. In retrospect, Shelly was glad that they hadn’t taken him. He would never have coped with that place. And God knows what he would have said, she thought, wryly.

As she held the pup she began to cry, she felt her heart breaking and couldn’t stop. John asked her what was wrong and she said that she was crying for all of those other animals, and the toddler that they’d left behind.