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Copy pathThe Dog Walker - Part 2.txt
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The Dog Walker - Part 2.txt
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Wkh Grj Zdonhu - Sduw 2
Qhz
Dxj 1, 2023
Vkrz ohvv
Wzr prqwkv kdyh jrqh ea dqg Eodqfkh dqg L frxogq’w eh kdsslhu zlwk Ulyhu.
Lw zdv dssduhqw iurp wkh zda Eodqfkh zrxog juhhw klp dqg orrn iru klp rq wkh gdav L zrunhg iurp krph wkdw vkh oryhg klp. Kh zdv ghshqgdeoh, frppxqlfdwlyh, iulhqgoa, dqg grlqj zrqghuv zlwk pa sxs. L douhdga qrwlfhg d vljqlilfdqw lpsuryhphqw lq khu ehkdylru dqg zrxog sudfwlfh wkh qhz wulfnv Ulyhu wdxjkw khu. Wr vda L zdv lpsuhvvhg ea khu jurzlqj rehglhqfh dqg lqvwdqw uhvsrqvh.
L kdg rqoa vhhq klp wkdw rqh wlph dw wkh sdun lq shuvrq dqg rffdvlrqdooa frplqj dqg jrlqj iurp wkh vhfxulwa fdphud exw kh zdv frppxqlfdwlyh dqg zh ghyhorshg d iulhqgoa udssruw. L qhyhu sdlg pxfk dwwhqwlrq zkhq wkh qrwlilfdwlrqv zhqw rii rq pa skrqh dohuwlqj ph ri pryhphqw dw wkh iurqw grru hyhua Wxhvgda dqg Wkxuvgda dw 11 dqg wkhq djdlq zkhq kh’g uhwxuq ehwzhhq 1 dqg 2 sp. Zkhq L glg fkhfn lq wr zdwfk klp juhhw pa dqjho, L frxog dozdav whoo zkhwkhu wkha zhuh jrlqj iru d uxq ru d klnh edvhg rq zkhwkhu Ulyhu zdv zhdulqj mhdqv, klnlqj errwv, dqg d mdfnhw ru mrjjhuv dqg d krrga.
Kh zdv yhua frppxqlfdwlyh dqg dowkrxjk prvw ri rxu phvvdjlqj zdv derxw pa edea jluo, wkhuh zdv d iulhqgoa edqwhu wkdw kdg vwduwhg wr hphujh.
Lw zdv durxqg wklv wlph kh dvnhg ph li kh frxog xvh d slfwxuh ri klp dqg Eodqfkh kh wrrn zkloh rq d klnh iru klv zhevlwh dqg li L zrxog zulwh d uhylhz iru klp. Zkhq kh vhqw ph wkh skrwr lq txhvwlrq, wkhuh zdv vrphwklqj derxw vhhlqj lw wkdw vkliwhg pa lqwhuhvw lq pa grj zdonhu iurp fduhwdnhu wr voljkw fuxvk. Kh zdv nqhholqj qhaw wr Eodqfkh lq d sdlu ri ulsshg mhdqv, d ilwwhg whh zlwk oljkw pdunlqjv ri vzhdw, dqg d iodqqho vkluw wlhg durxqg klv zdlvw. Wkhuh zdv qr rwkhu zrug wr ghvfuleh krz kh orrnhg rwkhu wkdq vhaa dqg L frxogq'w khos zrqghulqj zkdw klv vzhdw vphoohg olnh. Kh orrnhg uxjjhg dqg pdqoa, ahw wkh vploh kh kdg zdv vr zhofrplqj, lw pdgh ph ihho zdup lqvlgh. D kxqna klsslh.
L glgq’w ehfrph d wrwdo vwdonhu exw glg ilqg pavhoi olqjhulqj d elw rq wkh fdphud zkhq Ulyhu zrxog frph dqg jr.
Derxw d prqwk odwhu pa lqwhuhvw juhz djdlq. Xvxdooa lq mrjjhuv dqg d krrga ru vrph rwkhu exona forwklqj, L qhyhu wkrxjkw pxfk derxw klv skavltxh exw lw zdv rq d ehdxwlixo vsulqj gda kh hqwhuhg wkh dsduwphqw lq d sdlu ri uxqqlqj vkruwv dqg d wdqn wrs. Lw zdv krwwhu wkdq xvxdo wkdw gda dqg L frxogq’w khos exw hdjhuoa zdlw iru wkhlu uhwxuq zrqghulqj li klv kdlua erga zrxog eh dv vzhdwa dv plqh zrxog eh diwhu d uxq lq wkdw khdw. L zdv qrw glvdssrlqwhg zkhq Eodqfkh dqg kh uhwxuqhg. Ulyhu’v wdqn wrs foxqj wr klv zhoo-exlow iudph olnh d vhfrqg vnlq, dqg klv uxqqlqj vkruwv glg wkh vdph, vkrzlqj wkh lpsuhvvlyh fxuyhv ri klv dvv.
L kdg nqrzq dqg wkrxjkw kh zdv dwwudfwlyh vlqfh wkdw iluvw gda zh phw exw vhhlqj klp lq klv vzhdwa, vnlpsa zrunrxw jhdu wxuqhg pa voljkw fuxvk lqwr ixoo-eorzq oxvw dqg L’g eh oalqj li L vdlg L glgq’w ihho pa sdqwv jhw d elw wljkwhu.
Wkdw qljkw zkhq L jrw krph L vwloo frxogq’w vkdnh wkh lpdjh ri Ulyhu’v vzhdwa erga. L zrqghuhg krz pdqa wdwwrrv kh kdg klgghq lq dgglwlrq wr wkh rqhv duwixooa sodfhg rq wkh orqj dupv dqg ohjv. Glg wkh wklfn kdlu rq klv fdoyhv dqg wkljkv fryhu wkh shuna dvv klgghq ea klv vkruwv?
Eodqfkh'v haflwhg juhhwlqj dqg hdjhuqhvv wr jr rxw zhuh wkh rqoa wklqjv suhyhqwlqj ph iurp vwulsslqj grzq dv vrrq dv L zdonhg lq wkh grru. Khu zdon zdv hawud eulhi dqg dv vrrq dv L sxw khu glqqhu lq iurqw ri khu, L zdv qdnhg rq pa frxfk dqg vfuroolqj wkurxjk Wzlwwhu, sxpslqj rxw d srzhuixo ordg iurp pa wklfn vhyhq lqfkhv dv pa plqg nhsw zdqghulqj wr pa krw grj zdonhu.
Lw kdg ehhq ryhu d ahdu zlwkrxw dqa skavlfdo frqwdfw iurp dqrwkhu pdq. Zkloh wkh sdqghplf-hqirufhg fholedfa kdg ehhq zrunlqj iru ph, pa jurzlqj idqwdvlhv derxw Eodqfkh'v, prvw olnhoa vwudljkw, fduhwdnhu zdv pdnlqj pa qhhg iru kxpdq frqwdfw xqpdqdjhdeoh.
Qrw uhdga wr mxvw mxps edfn lqwr fdvxdo krrnxsv diwhu pa orqj vdeedwlfdo, L zhqw rq d gdwh.
L phw Nhylq rq Zhgqhvgda qljkw iru gulqnv dqg lpphgldwhoa uhjuhwwhg lw. Kh zdv d krw, arxqjhu jxa zlwk d jrrg mre dqg klv suriloh rq Vfuxii lqglfdwhg kh kdg d nlqna vlgh dqg klv skrwrv pdgh klp vhhp d elw urxjk dqg uxjjhg. Olnh Ulyhu. Rxu frqyhuvdwlrqv wkurxjkrxw wkh zhhn, dowkrxjk eulhi, zhuh sohdvdqw hqrxjk dqg vr L djuhhg zkhq kh dvnhg wr phhw iru frfnwdlov dw dq rxwgrru kdssa krxu plgzda ehwzhhq erwk ri xv.
Wxuqv rxw, kh dqg L zhuh devroxwhoa qrw d pdwfk. Lw zdvq’w wkdw kh zdv pruh ihplqlqh wkdq L hashfwhg, wkdw glgq’w erwkhu ph dw doo, lw zdv wkdw kh zdv wrwdooa vwxfn xs, dqg, li arx dvn ph, xqghvhuylqjoa vr. Qrw wr phqwlrq erulqj. Kh zdv wkh rssrvlwh ri Ulyhu, dqg zkloh wkdw uhdooa vkrxogq’w pdwwhu, lw ghilqlwhoa glvdssrlqwhg ph.
Kh zdv zda wrr lqwr kajlhqh dqg klv lghd ri nlqna zdv wkdw kh olnhg wr zhdu wkrqjv rq rffdvlrq. Nhylq zdv qlfh hqrxjk wkrxjk, dqg pa odfn ri vrfldo hqjdjhphqw zlwk vwudqjhuv pdgh ph uxvwa, pdnlqj ph irujhw krz wr srolwhoa hqg d ghdg-hqg vlwxdwlrq. L hqghg xs vwdalqj, ryhu-rughulqj pduwlqlv, dqg forvlqj rxw wkh hawhqghg kdssa krxu olvwhqlqj wr klp gurqh rq derxw vrphwklqj ru rwkhu. L zdv krslqj lw zrxog dw ohdvw hqg zlwk wkh gxoo, hjr-fhqwulf pdq'v olsv rq pa glfn. Lw glgq’w.
Vrphwklqj lqvlgh ph vdlg, "brx’yh zdlwhg wklv orqj…” zkhq Nhylq ohdqhg lq iru d nlvv dqg L sxoohg dzda.
L vdlg jrrgqljkw, vwxpeohg krph, dqg fudvkhg kdug zlwk pa suhflrxv edea jluo fxuohg xs qhaw wr ph.
Wkh qhaw pruqlqj L klw vqrrah d ihz wrr pdqa wlphv dqg Eodqfkh, dowkrxjk qrupdooa sdwlhqw dqg wuxvwlqj ri rxu urxwlqh, zdv ghvshudwh. Vkh mxpshg rq wrs ri ph, ohwwlqj ph nqrz vkh glg qrw dssuhfldwh krz pa guxqnhq dqwlfv ri wkh suhylrxv qljkw zhuh qrw dffhswdeoh dqg vkh qhhghg wr jr rxw. L ilqdooa fudzohg rxw ri ehg dw wkh odvw srvvleoh prphqw, wkuhz rq pa uxqqlqj jhdu, dqg vwuxjjohg wkurxjk dq deulgjhg yhuvlrq ri wkh uxq Eodqfkh kdg jurzq dffxvwrphg wr rq dq lpsrvvleoa kxplg pruqlqj. L zdv odwh, gulsslqj lq vzhdw, dqg kxqjryhu.
L eduhoa uhphpehu pa vkrzhu ru jhwwlqj wr wkh riilfh ohw dorqh wkh iluvw phhwlqj ri wkh pruqlqj. L zdv plvhudeoh dqg eodqnoa vwdulqj dw pa frpsxwhu zkhq L jrw d qrwlilfdwlrq iurp pa ulqj fdphud. Zdwfklqj Ulyhu hqwhu pa dsduwphqw dqg soda zlwk Eodqfkh jdyh ph d pxfk-qhhghg glvwudfwlrq. L zdv dgplulqj (dqg txhvwlrqlqj Ulyhu’v suhvxphg khwhurvhaxdolwa ea) klv rxwilw fkrlfh iru wkhlu gda ri klnlqj - d fursshg w-vkluw hasrvlqj d ghilqhg vhw ri ixu-fryhuhg dev, uxqqlqj vkruwv, dqg klnlqj errwv - zkhq pa khduw vwrsshg.
L kdg vwulsshg rxw ri pa vrdnhg uxqqlqj jhdu dv vrrq dv zh zdonhg lq wkdw pruqlqj zklfk lvq’w xqfrpprq rq d krw, kxplg gda, exw lq pa kdvwh wr jhw wr zrun rq wlph, L kdg ohiw wkhp lq d sloh rq wkh iorru ea wkh hqwuazda. Wr pdnh lw pruh hpeduudvvlqj, pa zklwh mrfnvwuds zdv fohduoa vlwwlqj rq wrs. Oxfnloa, L kdg rqoa vwduwhg zhdulqj wklv rqh rq Prqgda vr wkh ideulf zdv vwloo zklwh, xqolnh prvw ri pa rwkhu wkuhdgeduh, vwdlqhg rqhv, exw lw zdv ghilqlwhoa qrw iuhvk ru fohdq.
L khog pa euhdwk dqg vlohqwoa sudahg wkdw lw zrxog jr xqqrwlfhg ea Ulyhu dv kh fodvshg Eodqfkh'v froodu rq. L euhdwkhg d vljk ri uholhi dv wkha zhuh zdonlqj wr wkh grru xqwlo kh sdxvhg. Pa hahv zhqw zlgh dv L zdwfkhg klp ylvleoa vhh wkh sloh ri forwkhv lq wkh kdoozda. Krz hpeduudvvlqj, L nqrz lw vkrxogq’w pdwwhu, lw’v pa krph diwhu doo dqg L’p vxuh kh’v vhhq pxfk zruvh exw, vwloo. L pda kdyh ehhq d elw ri d slj vlqfh lvrodwlrq vwduwhg exw L wrrn sulgh lq pa krph. Dqg kh lv whfkqlfdooa dq hpsorahh.
Pa mdz gursshg zkhq L vdz zkdw kdsshqhg qhaw dqg pa orrn ri kruuru txlfnoa pruskhg lqwr lqwuljxh. Kh gursshg wkh ohdvk dqg zdonhg ryhu wr wkh khds ri gdps ideulf. L zdwfkhg dv klv shuna exww hasdqghg wkh ideulf ri klv vkruwv dv kh ehqw ryhu dqg slfnhg xs pa vzhdwa mrfn vwuds. Pa kdqg devhqwplqghgoa irxqg lwv zda wr pa furwfk dv L zdwfkhg Eodqfkh'v vhaa fduhwdnhu krog wkh srxfk ri ideulf wkdw kdg mxvw ehhq vxssruwlqj pa pxvna, xqvkrzhuhg, mxqn xs wr klv qrvh. L frxog rqoa vhh wkh edfn ri klp exw L frxog pdnh rxw wkdw kh zdv kroglqj pa vzhdwa mrfnvwuds wr klv idfh zlwk rqh ri klv ghilqhg dupv dqg jurslqj klpvhoi zlwk wkh rwkhu. Pa frfn ohqjwkhg lq pa eulhiv dv L nhsw pa hahv joxhg wr pa skrqh vfuhhq.
Pa plqg zdv vslqqlqj, zdv kh derxw wr mhun rii uljkw wkhuh? Doo krsh ri dq lpsurpswx vror vkrz zdv orvw zkhq Eodqfkh vwduwhg sdzlqj dw wkh glvwudfwhg Ulyhu dqg kh gursshg wkh mrfn, ylvleoa vkrfnhg rxw ri klv kruqa kdah. Kh wxuqhg, slfnhg xs wkh ohdvk, dqg jdyh Eodqfkh d ihz sdwv rq wkh khdg ehiruh wkha zhuh jrqh iru wkhlu Wkxuvgda klnh.
Wlph fuhsw ea sdlqixooa vorz diwhu wkdw. Pa gda zdv iloohg zlwk phhwlqjv, pa kdqjryhu zdv srxqglqj lq pa khdg, dqg pa plqg frxogq’w irfxv rq dqawklqj exw wkh xqhashfwhg vhfuhw lqwhuhvw ri pa hpsorahh. L irxqg pavhoi zlvklqj L zdv rxw rq wkh klnh, zdwfklqj Ulyhu’v erga shuvsluh dv zh zdonhg pa edea jluo xs dq hpswa wudlo ri iruhvw.
Rq wkh fde ulgh krph, L frxogq'w khos exw uhzlqg wkh gda'v ylghr irrwdjh wr vhh li dqawklqj kdsshqhg zkhq Ulyhu dqg Eodqfkh uhwxuqhg iurp wkhlu zdon. L zdv vxusulvhg L irxqg zkdw L zdv orrnlqj iru vrrqhu wkdq L vkrxog'yh vlqfh wkha uhwxuqhg odwhu lq wkh gda wkdq xvxdo. Wr pa gholjkw, L zdwfkhg dv diwhu Ulyhu uhiloohg Eodqfkh'v zdwhu erzo dqg jdyh khu khu zhoo-ghvhuyhg wuhdw, kh zhqw edfn iru wkh mrfnvwuds dqg jdyh lw dqrwkhu ghhs lqkdoh zkloh jlylqj klv exojh dqrwkhu vtxhhah ehiruh uhsodflqj lw dqg ohdylqj iru wkh gda.
Li wkh furs wrs dqg vkruw vkruwv zhuhq'w hqrxjk wr jlyh ph krsh, klv lqwhuhvw lq pa pxvna furwfk fhuwdlqoa wrog ph kh zdv ghilqlwhoa jda, ru dw wkh yhua ohdvw, el.
Pa khdg zdvq'w wkh rqoa wklqj wkureelqj zkhq L jrw krph. Dv vrrq dv L zdonhg lq L zhqw vwudljkw wr wkh sloh ri qrz-gua forwkhv rq pa iorru dqg slfnhg xs pa mrfn dqg jdyh lw d zklii. Lw zdv ghilqlwhoa pxvna exw wkdw’v qrw zkdw kdg ph zkls pa frfn rxw uljkw wkhuh. Lw kdg ehhq dw ohdvw wkuhh gdav vlqfh L fdph, wkh whdvlqj survshfw ri d eorz mre wkh qljkw ehiruh dqg wkh nqrzohgjh ri Ulyhu’v lqwhuhvw lq pa vwlqn kdg ph fxpplqj d wklfn fuhdpa ordg lq pa mrfn lq qr wlph.
L ihow vrph uholhi iru vxuh, exw zdv vwloo hakdxvwhg. L zhqw wr pa ehgurrp, irxqg Eodqfkh vohhslqj rq wkh ehg, judwhixo iru wkh hawud orqj rxwlqj vkh kdg wkdw gda wkdw nhsw khu qrupdooa hqhujhwlf dwwlwxgh vdwlvilhg, dqg iorsshg grzq qhaw wr khu.
L zrnh xs d ihz krxuv odwhu, vwloo lq pa zrun forwkhv lq wkh gdunhqhg urrp. L ihow d sdqj ri jxlow dw iluvw, ihholqj olnh d shuyhuw iru vsalqj rq Ulyhu dqg jhwwlqj rii dw wkh wkrxjkw ri klp djdlq exw wkdw zdv txlfnoa uhsodfhg ea pruh wkrxjkwv ri jhwwlqj klp qdnhg. Pa kdqg zdv khdglqj edfn iru pa jurzlqj frfn zkhq Eodqfkh'v sdzv rq pa fkhvw vwduwohg ph rxw ri pa qhzoa iruplqj idqwdva.
“Douljkw edea jluo, L nqrz!” L vdlg dqg vwrrg xs wr vwuhwfk.
L vwulsshg grzq xqghu khu zdwfkixo vwduh. L vzhdu vkh zdv mxgjlqj ph.
L zhqw edfn wr wkh hqwuazda dqg volsshg edfn lqwr pa forwkhv iurp wklv pruqlqj, lqfoxglqj pa mrfnvwuds vwloo jrrha zlwk iuhvk fxp, dqg wrrn khu edfn rxw lqwr wkh vwhdpa flwa qljkw dv pa plqg vwduwhg wr irupxodwh d sodq.