A Walk in the Park--Larry Stylinson

The Shrink

When they had left the vet hospital after Horace was put to sleep, the receptionist had told Mr. Stewart she would bill him. Louis and Harry helped Mr. Stewart into the backseat, and Harry said he had to go back into the hospital to use the restroom. Louis thought it strange that he hadn't used the facilities when he was inside, but of course, didn't mention it.

In the following days, Louis noticed Harry checking the mail on a daily basis. He hadn't done that before. They had more or less taken turns.

"What's this with the mail?' Louis finally asked one day.

Harry, who couldn't tell a lie to save his soul admitted that when he'd gone back into the hospital to "use the restroom," he'd asked the receptionist to send the bill to their address—not Mr. Stewart's.

Louis gasped. Harry's generosity once again. He supposed he'd better get used to it, because Harry wasn't likely to change.

Without even thinking twice, Louis protested. "You're not payin' it, I am!"

"No, I want to pay it," Harry retorted.

"Okay, then let me pay half."

They settled on that. But still, the bill did not arrive. Harry finally called on about the tenth day. The receptionist went to get the chart, then came back to the phone.

"The doctor made a notation on the chart that there was no charge for the visit," she said.

"No charge?" Harry was jarred. This had been, after all, Mr. Stewart's first visit to that vet.

"No. No charge."

"Tell him thank you from the bottom of our hearts," Harry's voice broke a little.

Right after that, he called and ordered flowers for the vet and staff. A huge bouquet with a thank you card. And this time he wouldn't budge about letting Louis pay for half.

"Harry, you surprise me on a regular basis," said Louis after Harry got off the phone. He hugged him close.

Two days later, there came a decisive knock on the door. They opened it to find Mr. Stewart standing there, Matilda on a leash and sitting at his feet. There was no vehicle parked outside the building that was unfamiliar. Apparently Mr. Stewart had walked, even though it was about two miles from his home.

"I didn't get a bill from the vet hospital, so I called, and they said there was no charge," he said without even a greeting. But his eyes were twinkling.

"That's right, there wasn't," Harry replied, then clapped his hand over his mouth, having blown it once again. "Whoops!"

"How'd you know that?" Mr. Stewart was looking curious.

Louis spoke up. "Well, since Harry let the cat out of the bag enough to where it can't be stuffed back in—we called too, because Harry had told them to bill us, and they told us the same thing."

"Well, I'll be! You rascals! You just never stop doing kind things for people, do you?"

"Harry never does," and Louis pointed at the culprit, who humbly blushed. "It was his idea."

"Well, Matilda has been lookin' for Horace, and whinin' and pacin.' After what Harry suggested the other day, I started thinkin' about it. I guess I need to get another dog sooner than I thought," the older man explained.

"We'll be glad to help you! Or I will, if Louis will be busy or sommat," Harry threw a sidelong glance at Louis, not sure how he felt about this. Louis immediately piped up with, "Of course we will! When do you want to go, Mr. Stewart?"