Flash Fictions by Benjamin D. Togate

To See You Happy

"He's here" she squealed excitedly looking out of the window with the biggest smile.

It was the first time I had seen her this happy since... forever. Even when we went on walks on the brightest of days, even when I found the best mudhole ever and she had the honor to watch me roll in it, she didn't smile like this. But today she did.

I, on the other hand, wasn't so happy. I mean usually I was a pretty happy go lucky dog, but approaching 8 years of age I wasn't the youngest puppy either. I wasn't old, just... comfortable. I liked my life the way it was. The belly rubs. The long naps. The walks through the neighbourhoods and neighbourwoods. The sniffs of pee and flowers and bees. And sometimes squirrels - that was exciting enough for me.

But now, change was approaching. I looked down to where she was pointing. All I saw was a man. He was down there, two stories down, in the driveway and he waved up. I let out a quiet bark. My driveway. My driveway.

"Ohhh, you silly old boy, don't you worry!" she said now turning to me. It always astonished me how this human seemed to be able to read my thoughts.

"You're going to like him"
I woofed again. "No!" she laughed, patting my snout "really, you'll love him".

I wasn't so sure. I knew a few things about him.

For one, he stole time that I would have spent with her, my human.
For two, he had never given me treats or thrown a ball or joined walks.
For three, he probably smelt funny. Yeah. He must be one of those stinky humans.

From up here, he looked so small and kind of strange. How could I love this human, when my heart was already full of her?

"I'm going to bring him up here now" she said, looking a bit serious "when you see him, please behave".

And then she left and kept me wondering. Why didn't he just appear at the door, like she did? Why would she have to leave me to get him? I always behaved around people - why wouldn't I with him? Didn't she trust me to be a good boi?

It took forever until I finally heard the keys crackling at the door. My tail wagged. It always did that. It wasn't something I really had control over. I mean I did, I could stop if I needed, but like humans sometimes smile because they are nervous or happy or confused, so did my tail wag for various reasons. Now it was wagging in anticipation.

When the door opened I saw her, but not him. No wait, there he was! Right behind her. He was sitting down. Weird.

I ran towards my human and pushed my snout into her legs as if I hadn't seen her for a week. Then I walked around her to smell the hand he had extendet out to me. To my surprise he didn't stink.

There was some metallic smell around him though. It came from his seat. Or rather these big round things beside his seat. I went to inspect them. They smellt like pee, and bird poop, with a hint of squirrel and the faintest aroma of cat. I loved it. This was so interesting.

She laughed. "Surprised, huh?" she asked. I shortly turned around to her, wagging my tail, then turned back to this strange human who was just sitting there, still, and smiling.

I liked that he wasn't so high up. He looked kind. And calm. Not like the one before, who smelled like anger and alcohol.

"Nice to meet you, good boy" he finally said reaching out to pat my head. I jumped up instead, putting my front paws into his lap and licked him right across the face.

"Ohhh you" she laughed, pushing me off. "Well, I'm happy you like him. Because from now on he'll come around much more. And we'll all spend more time together." And with these words she leaned down and also licked him across his face, as humans do when they seem to like each other.

Maybe having two humans to myself wasn't so bad at all.