Palmer1

AboyandhisDog
AndrewPalmer
English101Section12
October2,2015
Theboyopensthedoor,dropshisbookbag,andplopsnextthedogonthecouch.Thedog
yawnsstretches,andresettleshimselfinamorecomfortablepositionnexttotheboy.Thedogis
quitealarge,especiallyforaboxer.Withabigbarreledchestlikethatofabulldogandthe
heightofadescentsizelabtheboxercameouttoahealthyonehundredandfivepounds.
Theboytiredfromhisdayofbeingkickandkickingsoccerballsreachesfortheremoteto
changethechannel.Forthisactionthedogturnstotheboyandgivesalowgrowlofdisapproval.
TheboyexasperatedcriesoutOrforgodssakeJupiter,It'sjustOprah!Thedoglooksbackat
theboyblanklyasiftosaysowhat?WiththistheboymerelysighsandwaitsforOprahs
showtoendsohecanwatchsomethingelseinpeace.Whilewaitingfortheshowtobeoverthe
boysnugglesupnexttothedog,restshishead,andfallsasleep.
Wefastforwardfromtheboyonthecouchwithhisdogtoayoungmanenteringthesame
house,droppinghisbookbag,andploppinghimselfonthecouch.Withhiseyesclosetheyoung
mantriestoleavethedaystriflesbehindhim.Hethenhearsaheavythump!Actuallyit'smore
accuratetosaytheboyfeltthatloudthumpforsomethingsoftandwetwasnowrestonhisknee.
Theyoungmansighedandlooksuptoasightnowthathewaswellfamiliarwith.Therestoodin
frontofhimflashinghissharpwhiteteethaverylargebrowndog.TheyoungmangroanedOh
BromleycantIgetfiveminutesofpeacebeforeyouthrowthesoccerballatme?

Palmer2

BromleywasquitedifferentdogthanthatofthepreviouslymentionJupiter.Theironly
similaritiesarethattheyarebothdogsandbothlargefortheirbreeds.Afterthatthereareonly
differences.ForoneBromleywasadifferentbreedofdoginthathewasaBrownLabmix.He
hadlargesharpteethandlongsnout.Hehadalongbigtailthatseemedtoknockover
everything.HewasquitebigespeciallyforamuttHewasbuiltlikeashepherdandyetwasas
tallasasmallGreatDane.Andhehasanunassailableamountofenergymuchtohisowners
chagrin.
MuchtoBromleysdelighttheyoungmangetsupfromthecouch,opensthesidedoortothe
yard,andpuntstheballtotheendoftheyard.Withthisthelargelabboltsoutsidetofetchhis
ball.Afteratriumphantsnapofhisjawsontotheballthedogturnsaround,butthereisnoone
there.Theyoungmanhasleftandgonebackinsidetowatchtelevision.
Bang!Theyoungboycomesinthruthefrontdoorwithpissedemotions.Goddammit!theboy
screams.Whydoesntthecoacheverplayme?IknowthatIcouldhelpuswin!Theboydrops
hissoccerbagtothegroundwithobviousdisgust.Hewasjustcomingbackhomeafteranother
humiliatingdefeatbyhissoccerteaminwhichhedidnotplayin.Theboygoesovertothelarge
Boxeronthecouchandconsoleshisfeelstothedogaboutbeingbenchedforanothergame.The
dogstaresblanklybackathimasifhedoesntreallycare,but,hestillgivestheboyabigwet
kissanyway.
Creak!Thefrontdooropensslowlyastheyoungmanstepsthru.Hesighsandthinkstohimself

GodImtired.
Theyoungmantiredfromteachingkidstoswimandlifeguardingletsout
anothersighandentersthekitchen.Assoonthekitchendooropensabrownblurisuponhim.
BallinmouthBromleyrunstotheyoungmantailvigorouslywagging.Theyoungmanthinksto

Palmer3

himselfGodDammitnotnow!Butneverthelesstheyoungtakestheballfromthedogand
goestothesidedoortopunttheball,andlikehealwaysdoesBromleybarreledouttotheyardto
fetchtheball.ButbythetimeBromleyturnsaroundtheyoungmanisbackinside.
Theyoungmanhasnotquiteabandonthedoghehassimplygonebackinsidetoprepare
Bromleysdinner.Theyoungmanhastilyscoopsthedogkibbleintothedogbowlandprepares
aneggtogoalongwithit.HemutterstohimselfUngratefulbrat.ashemixestheeggwiththe
kibble.Bromleydoesntknowhowluckyheis.Heplacesthebowldown.Jupiterwouldhave
goneheadoverheelsforanegg.HeopensthedoorandBromleyburstthroughandovertohis
foodbowl.Uponarrivalthedogsniffsthebowlandliftshisheadbackattheyoungman.Oh
ImsorryitsnotChickenbutyoueatitalllastnight!barkstheyoungmanatthedog.Idont
havetimeforthis,Ineedtogonow.Saystheyoungmanhethengrabshiscleatsandhisball
andheadstothefrontdoor.Therewerepickupsoccergamestobeplayedandhewaslate.
Bromleystaredathimasheleftsighandwentbacktohispatheticdinner.
Backtothepast,backtotheboy.Heisathisschool'ssoccerpitchwarmingupwithhis
teammatesastheypreparefortheirgamethatafternoon.Thecoachcallsouttotheboytocome
overtohim.Whentheboygetstherethecoachpresentshimsomegoodnewshewasgoingto
bestartingtoday.Theboystaresbackblanklyatthecoachnotquiteabsorbingtheinformation.
Thecoachtakenabackbythelackenthusiasmbytheboyproceedstogivehimapeptalkand
sendstheboybacktohisteammatestowarmup.Thegamestartsandtheyoungboyplays
terrible,but,tobehonesthedoesntreallycare.Allheisthinkingis
WhatamIdoing?
The
boysteamlosesandhereturnshome.Heopensthedoordropshisbag,throwshiscleatstothe

Palmer4

ground,andplopsontothecouch.Butinsteadofbeinggreetedbyawarmkiss,heisgreetedby
silence.Thereisnotherethedogisnotthere.Jupiterwasnotthereanymorehewasdead.
ThenightbeforethegameJupitersstomachhadflipped.Therewasnothingtheboycouldhave
doneandthedogwasputoutofhismisery.Itwasalongnightandboydidnotfeellikeaboy
anymore.Hefeltlikethatpartofhislifewasgonenow.Theboyinhimwasdeadalongwith
Jupiter.
TheBoyandtheyoungmanarethesame.Onewasfilledwithhopeanddreamstheother
pragmaticandtired.Butwithallthingsthatpassonemustletgoandmoveon.Ayoungmanin
ordertobeamanmustopenhimselfupafterlossandmoveonfromit.Aftersomeoneclosedies
toyouitcanbetoughtoopenyourhearttosomeonenewbut,inordertotrulymoveonyou
must.
Fastforwardnowandtheyoungmanisbackfromhissoccerpickupgame.Heopensthedoorto
awarmwelcomefromBromley.Theyoungmansmilesthistime,dropshiscleatsandbagand
grabsasoccerball.Heheadstothesidedoortopunttheball.Bromleylikehealwaysdoes
rushestoretrieveit,butthistimewhenheturnsaroundtheyoungmanisstillthere.Theyoung
maniswaitingforBromleytoreturnwiththeball.Waitingwithawarmsmileofacceptance.
Bromleyrunsoveranddropstheballtheyoungmanpicksitupandpuntstheballagain.They
wouldthisfortherestofthenightfortherestoftheirlives.ForayoungmannamedAndrew
hadacceptedthenewdogandhadmoveonfromJupiter.

Palmer5