Norman's Neighborhood

Six

No one was home at the Greens' house, so Mike went on to the next one. Patty Ballard answered the door, but hadn't seen Norman at all that day. Art Cummins was mowing his lawn, while his wife Carla weeded the flower beds. They had been outside all morning, and had seen no sign of Norman.

Meanwhile, Dena rang the Wusthofs' doorbell. Marguerite answered the door cheerfully,
"Hello, Dena - is something wrong?" Her expression changed to one of concern when she saw Dena's face.
Dena held up the red collar, which she had fastened back into a loop and slipped over her left arm.
"Norman's missing. I found this by the hedge, and wondered if he went into your yard."
"Yes, he did come visit us. In fact, we gave him a couple sausages. We were having breakfast on the patio, and all of a sudden there was Norman coming up the path... But he went back afterward! We saw him go through the hedge."
Marguerite's bright blue eyes widened in her pleasant, round face.
"He must have lost his collar on the way back through," explained Dena. "He dug under the back fence. Logan thinks he went looking for us. I suppose I'd better check with him; he went to find out if Kathy has seen Norman."

Kathy told Logan about the encounter with the depraved dachshund and his obnoxious owner.
"I don't care if I never run across that man again," she declared. "He was unbelievably rude! But good-natured Norman didn't want to fight; he just let out one loud bark like a reprimand, and left. Unfortunately, I don't know where he went. I'll do whatever I can to help find him," she offered.
Logan thanked her, and sent a text to both parents at once: "Norman was in Kathy's yard. She doesn't know which way he went."

Mike and Dena both texted back that they would meet Logan at Kathy's house. While he waited for them, Kathy's phone started ringing.
"Hang on a sec - Hello?"
Logan could hear a woman's voice on the other end, and then Kathy answered,
"That's fine - I just gave them all a snack about half an hour ago, so they shouldn't be starving! See you in a bit." She ended the call and explained, "That was Joey's mom. She's running a little late picking up the boys."

Dena came jogging across the vacant lot and up onto the deck, Norman's collar jingling on her arm.
"Hi Kathy - how long ago was Norman here?" she asked, puffing a little. Kathy looked at her watch. "Oh, I'd say about... an hour ago. I took the kids inside for a snack after the set-to with Mr. Personality."
Dena furrowed her brow a little, sighing.
"Where are we going to start?"
"Did you talk to Bill and Marguerite?" asked Logan.
"Marguerite - she said Norman did visit them, and they gave him some sausages. They decided we must not be home, and that for some reason he hadn't been fed."
"Oh, there's Dad now," Logan noticed.

Mike crossed the field at a quick trot.
"The only thing I accomplished is finding out where he didn't go," he called out as he got within earshot.
He joined them on the deck, where Dena related to him what she had learned from Marguerite.
"So -" Mike conjectured, "sounds like he went through to Bill and Marguerite's, had some breakfast, got caught and lost his collar on the way back, then burrowed under the fence and came here."
"I didn't see him leave," Kathy said, "but he probably went that way," pointing to the back of her house, "because Hansel-the-High-Strung and his miserable master went the other way."

Just then, a dark blue minivan pulled up in front of the house.
"Oh - there's Candy to pick up the boys! Let me get them, and then I have a suggestion." Kathy gave a quick wave toward the driver of the van, and opened her front door.
"Boys! Joey, Zane, time to go!"
Thumping, scuffling sounds came from inside the house, accompanied by treble-pitched laughter. Kathy stood aside as three boys burst out the door; her son Todd - a quick-moving blond boy - was followed by a smaller, black-haired boy with olive skin, and finally by a stocky curly-haired redhead with rather thick glasses.
Todd stayed on the deck and waved to his friends, who waved back and climbed into the waiting van.

"Okay, now I need to take the girls home - and I know you need to go hunt for Norman. When I come back home, I'll make some posters and put them up," Kathy offered. She put her hands on Todd's shoulders and pressed him back against herself. "Todd and Daisy can help. Does anybody have a good picture of Norman?"
Dena immediately held up her phone.
"He's my wallpaper."
"Perfect! Text it to me. I'll use it for the poster."
"Thanks, Kathy. We'll keep you updated," answered Dena.

**********
"We stayed in Normandy until Paris was liberated, and then we moved there." The dog whined softly at Millie's words. She had been staring down at his paw, which she was absently stroking with her thumb as she recalled the time spent in the midst of war. Now she glanced up at Evelyn's earnest face and suggested,
"Since we don't know this nice fellow's name, and he seems to respond to "Normandy", how about if we call him that?"
Norman answered, "Bff!!" in agreement.
Evelyn laughed. "I think he likes it!"

A cloud partially covered the sun, dimming the bright day. Millie shivered a little in the strengthening breeze, and wrapped her cardigan around herself tightly. Norman took his paw from her knee, but remained sitting at her side.
"I think we'd better go in, Miss Millie!" Evelyn exclaimed, taking note of the lowering sky.
Millie agreed, "Looks like rain coming - that's a surprise!" and started to get up. She braced herself on the edge of the table and stood slowly, reaching for the blue cane that was hooked on the arm of her chair.

Evelyn had gathered up the lunch dishes, but left the tray sitting on the little table so she could accompany Millie into the house.
"I'll come back for that after you're settled inside."
She walked beside Millie, ready to support her if necessary but knowing that the elderly woman wanted to maintain independence as much as possible.
Millie turned and looked back at the dog she called "Normandy".
"You're bound to get wet if you stay out here. Come on in, Normandy!" she offered.
Norman was conflicted. He had just met these ladies, and they had both been very kind to him. They had fed him, had given him fresh water, had talked to him - indeed, even knew his name! Yet, this was not home. He sat on his haunches and watched them go, brown eyes intent beneath his almost comically noble brow.

Evelyn came back out a few minutes later and picked up the lunch tray. She looked up to the sky as a large raindrop landed on the back of her hand, and she encouraged the furry visitor to take refuge inside with them.
"Come! At least to the porch...Normandy," she advised him, feeling a bit silly about using the name - while acknowledging to herself that the dog did seem to respond to it.
His tail moved back and forth almost imperceptibly, but he didn't otherwise move from his spot. Raindrops were coming down faster now from the blackening clouds, and Evelyn wanted to get into the house.
"All right," she told him, "I'll come check on you in a little while." She rapidly climbed the steps to the porch and opened the door with one hand, balancing the now depleted tray - waitress-fashion - on the other upturned, spread out palm. Stepping over the threshold, she turned her head and looked over her shoulder once more at Norman. Raising her eyebrows inquiringly as she tilted her head toward him, she held the door wide for a few more seconds. When the dog remained where he was, she closed the door.

Norman was still sitting in the same spot a few minutes later, despite the increasing rain. He was torn between accepting the offer of shelter and resuming his journey back to his home. Suddenly there was a flicker of lightning, followed by a blazing flash that lit the tempestuous heavens. Close upon it came a terrific, rumbling "BOOM!" of thunder that caused Norman to scramble up and dash through the now pelting downpour to the haven of the covered porch. He whined softly and pawed at the closed door, then tried a pleading "Awuff?"

The door opened, and Evelyn unlatched the screen door.
"Changed your mind? Come on then - Oh! There's another one," she exclaimed, as Norman slipped through the door into the warm, cozy house. As lightning illuminated the windows, he stopped in the middle of the room and gave himself a hearty shake, scattering glistening water droplets in every direction. Some of them splattered the walls of the entryway, where they sparkled in the lamplight.
"Well, now it smells like wet dog in here!" observed Millie from her armchair.
"I'll get a towel," Evelyn said, going out of the room briefly. She re-appeared, carrying a frayed and faded blue and white striped towel with which she approached the dog.
"Will you let me...?" she asked him, draping the old towel across his back. He didn't object, so she began to rub vigorously at his thick, wiry coat. He flicked out his tongue and gave a little swipe to her hand before flopping down on the rug. His eyes closed, and in moments he was sound asleep.