第1章狗狗们的心事(1)
宠物治疗
&enMinutes
佚名Anonymous
OnMotwoo'clock,BeauandIwouldarriveattheSilverSpriilwaukee'ssideoftownforanhourofpettherapywiththeseniorswholivedthere。We'dwalkthehallwaysgreetingeveryoneonourwaytothehospitalityroom,whereresidentswouldetopetBeauandbaskiionofthisbeautiful,happy,ten-year-old,y-nine-poundDobermanpinscher。You'dhiswasthesamedogthatarrivedatmydhtyearsearliersobeaten,sdscaredthatassoonashemadeeyetactwithyou,he'dliedownonhisbackwithhisfeetupintheairailyoupettedaofeelingsafe。
Onourfirstvisit,aswewalkedthroughtheary-yellowHallwayOne,Iheardanelderlyman'sexcitedvoice,thickwithaGermareamingoutofroom112。"Ma,Ma,theGermandermandogishere!"
NosoonerdidIhearthevoiawrinkle-faced,six-foot-tall,ogostiaingusatthedoor,swoopinghisbig,openhandandstrongarmacrossthedoorway,invitingusin,"I'mCharlie。Thisismywife,Emma。ei;
WhenBeauheardCharlie'sfrieicvoitirebodywentintohisarywaggingfrenzyandleanagainstyhposition,waitingforapetting,whichwasimmediatelyffromCharlie。Aswewalkedintotheroom,afrailbutlivelyeighty,violet-hairedEmmasatinbed,smiling,pattingherhandonthebed。AllshehadtodoatondBeau,leashedandalwaysobedient,onthebedlyingdownbesideher,ligherface。HereyeswerefulloftearsasCharlietoldusthatheandEmmahadimmigratedtotheUesfromGermanyduringWorldWarIIandhadtoleavetheirbelovedDoberman,Max,behind。Max,agtoCharlie,ittingimageofBeau。
&door,room114,washometoKatherine,awomaiesedtalkingforafewmonthsearlierandhadbeenlivinginaiherwheelchairforthepastmonth。Noamoualkinghadbeeirher。WhenBeauaoherroom,asmalllightwasooherbedandtheshadeswerepulled。Shewassittinginherwheelchair,herbacktowardus,slouchedthevie。
Beauullingaheadofmewithhisleash。BeforeIcouldgetaroundkneelingdowninfrontofher,hewasatherleftside,withhisheadinherlap。Ipulledachairupinfrodownandsaidhello。NorespohefifteeBeauandIsatwithKatherine,sheneversaidawordandnevermasthatmaybe,mwasthatBeauher。Hestoodtheeeenminutes,hislonherlap。
IfyouknewBeau,you'dkensedswasaoetting。Nothere。HewasasfrozenasKatherine,headgluedtoherlap。Ibefortablewiththelackoflifeinthiswomaheed2:30p。m。,Irushedtosaygood-bye,stoodupaherelutBeauout。
Iaskedoheheriatonic。"Wedon'tknowwhy。Sometimesitjusthappenswhenelderlypeoplehavefamilywhoshowhem。Wejusttrytomakeherasfortableaspossible。"
Allthewonderfulpeopleandanimalswhoblessedmylifeflashedinfrontofmyeyes,aheyweregoIimagibefeeliandfotten。Iwasdetermiofindawaythroughtoher。
EveryMoer,BeauandImadeourroualityroom,stoppingtomakespecialvisitsinroom112tovisitdEmma,andinroom114tositwithKatherine。Alwaysthesameresponse—CharliewavingusiiingforBeau'slicks,bothsoalive。AoKatheriiely,nosigforhershall。
&Iattemptedtoeherineiion。Noresponse。IgrewmoreaedwithKatheritwithjust"being"withher。YetherewasBeau,meditativedog,teagmehowto"be"aly,assuming"theposition"forthefifteeateachvisit。
Onourfourthvisit,IassKatherine'sroom,butBeauhadotherplans。HepulledmeintoKatherine'sroomandtookhisfamiliarposeoside,headonlap。Iacquiesced,butsinceIhadabusierihreoccupied,IdecidedtocutshortourusualfifteehKatherieadoftalking,Iremai,fowardlyonmyupeeting。Surelyshe'diceorcare。AsIstooduptowalkoutaopullBeauaway,hewouldn'tbudge。
Ahemostmiraculousthiherine'shaothetopofBeau'sheadahere。Noothermovement,justherhand。InsteadofBeau'saryresponseofnosenuzzlingandincreasedbodywaggiiaue,nevermovingfromhisspot。
Isatbasilentshodfortheenpreinutes,reveledireamoflifeflowiherine'shandandBeau'shead。Astheedhalf-pasttwtheendofourfifteeherine'shalyslidbatoherlap,aurowalkoutofthedoor。