presents

Lucky Joe

A story by Laura Scott
(No reproduction without permission of the author)

Chapter I
page 1

Lucky was worried. It had seemed like a good idea at the time, but his big adventure sure wasn’t turning out to be much fun. He gave himself a good talking to as he padded along the deserted road.

“You just didn’t think it through, you crazy mutt. What about food? The pickings from garbage cans are pretty gross. How those humans can eat the stuff beats me. Peanut butter and pickles - together? Please! And finding a safe place to sleep at night - that’s another worry. There’s some real scary stories going around these woods about coyotes and bears. OK, I’ve never actually seen one, but it’s a sure bet they’re bigger than me.”

Lucky’s pace slowed as he neared a likely resting spot. He had been walking since early morning and so far the day had been uneventful.His spirit was flagging and his stomach was empty.

He crossed the road and headed towards a grassy area under a group of tall pines, flopping down with a resigned sigh.  A squirrel, who had been gathering pine cones, scampered to a low branch to keep a nervous watch on the shaggy, golden haired dog. Lucky cast a critical eye over the creature’s scrawny body and bushy tail. “Relax Buddy” he muttered “I may be hungry, but not that hungry” Resting his chin on his paws, he closed his eyes

Dreams of childhood  filled Lucky’s sleeping hours. There he was, a tiny ball of golden fluff, the centre of attention. How they fussed over him and showered him with love. Happy days.

“My land, isn’t he just the cutest little thing you ever did see” his new Mom squealed excitedly.

“He sure is but, like ......what is he?” new Mom’s friend said.

The poor thing must have something missing, Lucky remembers thinking, if she can’t see that I’m a dog.

“Weeell now, mostly Golden Retriever with a little bit of something else I guess, not sure what” new Mom said doubtfully. Really! That startling bit of news was enough to give a dog a complex for life.

Oh yes, happy days indeed. He had lots of toys and treats and petting - until that fateful day.

It was all so unfair - how was he to know that slippers weren’t for chewing. He had a feeling that his new Dad was beginning to like him less as he started to grow up, but still, the uproar caused by the chewed slippers seemed a little off the wall. He’d chewed lots of things before and new Dad had got a bit mad, but the slipper incident really sent him off the deep end.

“That’s it” new Dad shouted, crimson faced “OUT”

And that, indeed, was it. Never allowed inside again. Banished to the dog house - on a chain.  How humiliating,  not to mention boring. He was allowed into the porch at night and even then he had to share it with a cat - more humiliation.  And to think they had the nerve to call him Lucky.

But here was a dog with spirit, a dog with courage, a dog with a sense of adventure. Yes sir, he just wasn’t going to take it. He’d hatch an escape plan. He’d stand tall and proud. In Lucky’s dream he became ‘Superdog’, breaking free of his chain with one mighty jerk of his powerful neck and soaring off into the great unknown, red cloak streaming behind like a flag of freedom.

 In reality it was, of course, quite different.  Lucky devised a cunning plot which involved befriending the cat. Yeah, well, a dog will do anything when he’s desperate. The cat, by the name of George, reluctantly agreed to help and had a word with all his buddies.

And this is what happened...

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