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第18章 回家（第2页）

时间一天天过去，那浑身疥癣、肚子饿得咕咕叫、差点死在我面前的野狗，现在可是肌肉健壮，重达80磅。他有着宽大的胸脯，身上的黑毛浓密而有光泽。有好几次，当我的身心被孤独和沮丧快要摧垮的时候，谢普为了报答我的恩情，都会把他那无拘无束的友情传达给我，直至我别无选择，重新露出笑脸，和他玩起“丢棒拾棒”的游戏。

回首往夕，我与谢普相识时，我们都处于生活的低谷，但是如今我们不会感到孤单，也不再流浪。我想说的是：我们两个都回家了。

Afreezingdownpourwashedtheblackasphaltstreetinfroazingierydarkness，aloneasusual。Acrosstherain-drenchedroadwaywasthetownpark：fiveacresiaonight，anankle-deepgofcold>

Ihadbeeninthatbatteredoldpubforhalfanhour，quietlynursingadrihoughtfulstarefinallyfoedium-sizedlumpinagrassypuddleahuaway。Foraes，Ilookedhthetear-streakedwiodecideifthelumpwasananimalorjustawetandihing。

&befermanshepherdlookingmongrelhadeintforpotatochips。Hewasmangyandstarvingandjustthesizeofthelumpiion。Whywouldadoglieinacoldpuddleinthefreezingrain？Iaskedmyself。Theansle：eitheritwasn'tadog，orifiteaktogetup。

Theshrapnelwoundinmyrightshoulderachedallthewaydowntomyfingers。Ididn'twanttogooutinthatstorm。Hey，itwasn'tmydog，itwasn'tanybody'sdog。Itwasjustastrayonaightintheraier。SowasI，Ithought，asItosseddoasleftofmydrithedoor。

Hewaslyinginthreeier。WhenItouchedhim，hedidn'tmove。Ithoughtheutmyhandsarouaohisfeet。Hestoodunsteadilyinthepuddle，hisheadhuattheendofhisneck。Halfhisbodywascoveredwithmange。Hisfloppyearswerejusthairlesspiecesoffleshdottedwithopensores。

"eon。"Isaid，hopingIwouldn'thavetocarryhisiedcarcasstoshelter。Histailwaggedondheploddedweaklyafterme。Iledhimtoaothebar，wherehelayontheentandclosedhiseyes。

AblockawayIcouldseethelightsofalatenightcestore。Itwasstillopen。IboughtthreesofAlpoahemihercoat。IwaswetanduglyandtheclerklookedrelievedasIleft。Therace-typeexhaustsonmyoldHarleyDavidsohewindowsinthebarasIrodebacktothebar。

Thebarmaidopeheeandsaidthedog'sname。ShetoldmehewasaboutayearoldandthathisooGermahimoeallthreesofdogfoodiringsingleness。Iethim，buthesmelledlikedeathandlookedeve;Goodluck，"Isaid。Thengotonmybikeandrodea>

&dayIgotajadumptruallpavingpany。AsIhauledaloadofgravelthroughtheteroftostandingonthesidewalkhebar。IyelledtohimandthoughtIsawhistailwag。Hisreaefeelgood。

AfterwhtthreemoresofAlpoandacheeseburger。Mynewfriendaogetheronthesidewalk。Hefinishedhisfirst。

&night，whenIbroughthisfood，hewelewithwildenthusiasm。Nowandthen，hismalnsbudhefelltothepavement。Otherhumaedhimaedhim，butnowhehadafriendandhisappreorethanobvious。

Ididn'tseehimthedayasIhauledloadafterloadupthemaihebar。Iwonderedifsomeoakenhimhome。

AfterworkIparkedmyblackHarleyoahesidewalklookingforhim。IwasafraidofwhatIwouldfind。Hewaslyingonhissideinanalleynearby。Histoiandoipofhistailmoved

Thelocalveterinarianwasstillathisoffice，soIborrotruployerahelimpmohecab。"Isthisy？"thevetaskedaftergthepitifulspethatlayhelplesslyonhisexaminingtable。

"No，"Isaid，"he'sjustastray。"

"He'sgotthebeginningsofdistemper，"thevetsaidsadly，"Ifhedoesn'thaveahome，thekihinguthimoutofhismisery。"

Iputmyhandonthedog'sshoulder。Hismangytailthumpedweaklyagaiaiable。Isighedloudly。"He'sgotahome。"Isaid。

Forthesandtwodays，thedog—InamedhimShep—layonhissideinmyapartment。Myroommateahwaterinhismouthandtryiosscrambledeggs。He'tdoit，butwheouchedhim，histailwaggedslightlyattheverytip。

Atabout10：00a。m。ohirdday，Iweoopemeelephoaller。AsIsteppedthroughthedoor，Iwastenedbyajumping，wigglingmassofeuphoricmutt。Shephadrecovered。

Withtime，themangystarvingdogthatnearlydiedinmylivingroomgrewiy-poundblouscle，withamassivedasuperthickcoatofshinyblackfur。Manytimes，whenlonelinessanddepressioeofme，ShephasreturnedmyfavorbyshmewithhisunbridledfriendshipuntilIhadosmileandtrademymelanchameoffetch-the-stick。

WhenIlookbaseethatShepahelowpointofbothofourlives。Butwearen'tloersanymore。I'dsaywe'vebothe。