Writetober 2019

October 6-Husky

"No! Don't you give me that look! I'm not taking you home!" The bearded man insisted, glaring at his cute, furry opponent.

The black, grey, and white mask of a husky stared intently back at him.

"No!"

The husky whined.

"No!" The man looked around, but couldn't see anyone else. "Did you get lost or something? Go home!"

The husky barked and took a step forward before sitting again.

"You know, you're almost as stubborn as me," The man said. He gave the dog an appraising look. He wasn't injured or even dirty. He definitely belonged to someone, even if he wasn't wearing a collar. 

Maybe he's microchipped. The man snapped his fingers. "That's it! Don't worry, guy. We'll find your owner. Just need to look up the closest vet or animal control." The man opened his car door to retrieve his phone from the cup holder.

The husky took the open door as an invitation.

"No! Oh, come on," The man groaned. He made a grab for the dog, but the furry beast had already squirmed his way into the backseat and was vigorously rubbing his face along the cushions. "You'd better not have fleas," He grumbled.

He slumped into his seat and looked up vet clinics on his phone. He pulled up the map to the closest one and started the car. The husky settled down while they drove and was almost asleep by the time they pulled into the parking lot of a small vet clinic.

Inside, the lobby was crowded and noisy. The bearded man walked up to the front counter and asked, "Hey, uh, do you have time to scan a dog for a microchip? This husky hopped in my car, and I can't convince him to come out."

The receptionist gave the man a look up and down. "Take one of the slip leads from the hook by the door and bring him in."

"Okay?" He replied. The receptionist answered the ringing phone as he turned to look for these "slip leads". Sure enough, there was a set of coat hooks beside the door holding several flimsy and brightly colored leashes.

He picked a bright orange one and headed back out to the parking lot. The husky had his head stuck out the window the man had left half rolled down. The little fiend grinned at his returning friend.

"Yeah. Yeah. Laugh it up," The man said, rubbing between the dog's ears. He slipped the noose end of the leash over the dog's head and tightened it to where the dog wouldn't be able to back out of it.

The dog grumbled and backed further into the car.

The man chuckled and opened the door. "Come on. Don't make me carry you."

The dog wiggled and tugged against the leash a few more times before seeming to give up. He hopped out of the car and tried to bolt down the sidewalk, coughing when the leash snapped taunt.

"Sorry, guy. We gotta find your owner."

The husky fought the whole way to the front door, and the man pulled him along. When he opened the door, the husky dramatically rolled belly up and yammered at him.

"Oh, come on. Don't be like that. They're not even going to give you a shot."

The receptionist and several of the people in the lobby looked to see what all the fuss was about. The receptionist stifled a laugh and walked around the counter to help. Between the two of them—and a box of dog treats—they got the reluctant husky into an exam room.

He did, in fact, have a microchip. The unlikely pair waited while the receptionist tried to get ahold of the husky's owner. Meanwhile, the big baby huddled against the man's leg. The man scratched the nervous dog's side. "Don't worry, guy. You're going home," He said with a smile.

He couldn't help but be a little sad when he had to say goodbye.