From Her Eyes…

By David Yancey

I have a new home!

I’m going to miss my brothers and sisters and my mom, but I have a new home. My girl—she's pretty. I just know that she’s going to play with me, take me for long walks, buy me toys, feed me special treats. Maybe she’ll give me food that she likes to eat too. I want to try all the food.

I have a new home!

I’m not alone here. There are others, they are just smaller. They like to boss me around, tell me that I can’t go near their food. But I like their food, it’s not like mine. There are others like her, too, one who is really tall; he must be a giant. He must be a mean giant; he hasn’t given me any love yet. I love getting love.

I’m getting big, bigger than my brothers and sisters, except for one, she’s really big, and loud. They aren’t my real brothers and sisters, but they are like me.

I got in trouble, my sister, she’s my big sister, but she’s smaller than me. She came close to my food. I thought she was going to eat it! I growled. I don’t think I was supposed to do that because the big giant said ‘no, no’ to me really loud.

I won’t do that again. Maybe if I fold my ears back and hide my tail, the giant will know that I’m sorry. He’s bending down close to me. He’s saying something, it sounds different than when he said ‘no, no.’ I think he does like me.

I’m going to wag my tail now.

I have a new sister. She came here after my really big sister went away and didn’t come back. She was sick. My girl, her brother, and her dad—the giant—were all sad when they took my sister away. I’m sad too. I have a new sister, she’s my size. I bet she’ll run with me outside. My new sister does love to run with me. We run in a big circle around the yard, round and round and round. She’s fast. One day, I’ll be faster than her and beat her.

My girl left and hasn’t come back home. I don’t know how long it’s been. I miss her. The giant, she told me, that he was ‘papa’ and that I needed to be a good girl for him. I like him. He plays with me and my sister outside.

My brother, not the oldest one, he went away. I hope he’s okay.

My older sister did too. A lady came and took her away.

I miss my brother and older sister.

My new sister still likes to run with me. Someday I’ll catch her.

My sister and I got into a fight. We didn’t mean to; it just happened. I got so excited. Papa got bit. Not by me. He had to go away. But he came back, not like my girl, who is still gone. I’m sorry my sister and I fought. I hope she doesn’t have to go away.

Papa and I went for a ride. It wasn’t a long one, but it was fun. I got to sit in the front and look outside. Papa rolled the window down. I don’t think I like the wind on my face; it stings. I think we are at our new home. My little brother, even though he’s older than me, he came with us. He’s the only one left; all the others went away. The oldest went to sleep in the backyard but didn’t wake up. I tried to wake him up. He was so small and looked weak. I think he was really tired. I don’t have a yard. Papa sits outside with me, and I can look down at the people walking by. Sometimes there will be another dog, like me, but not like me. I try to let them know I’m up here, but Papa says to be quiet. I like sitting out here with Papa as he smokes his cigar. I know it’s a cigar because he tells me, ‘Let’s go smoke a cigar.’ I don’t know what it means, but he pets me and protects me.

Something is wrong with Papa. He smells different. He’s crying. He got back into bed after he walked me today. He is really sad. I’m going to lie next to him; that will help him be happy again.

Papa has been sad all day. I got a new bed; it’s not by his. Papa put it in the other room so I can see the doors. Papa is still sad. I’m going to lie next to him until he falls asleep, then I’ll go to my bed and protect him like he protects me.

Someone new is here. She doesn’t live here like Papa does, but when she visits, she sleeps in his bed. She likes me and my little older brother. He’s not doing good, I think he is getting tired too.

Papa’s friend hasn’t come over. My little older brother has gone too.

Papa has a new friend; she sleeps in the other room. Not with Papa. She has a dog too, he’s my size. Older, has long hair, longer than mine. We go on long walks together.

Papa’s friend and my friend went away. I hope Papa doesn’t go.

My girl is home! I don’t know if she remembers me. I’m much bigger now. She is sleeping in the other room, that’s not Papa’s. She brought a new friend, too. He’s as big as me. I hope he likes me.

My girl has someone with her. He likes me. He sleeps in the same bed as my girl. I have to sleep in Papa’s room now. Papa closes the door. I feel better knowing that the door is closed since I can’t watch things out there.

My girl got hurt. She had to go away, but she’s back now. Papa was worried. So was my boy, that’s what I call him. He’s the one who goes to sleep with my girl.

My girl had to go away again. She took my friend and my boy. But she’s back, and so is my friend. He’s bigger now. My boy didn’t come back. She talks to him, I can hear his voice, but I don’t see him. She brought another friend too. She’s nice, tall like Papa. I think she likes me. My girl’s momma and her friend. She says she’s my momma. She doesn’t look like me; she looks like my girl. They brought home a new friend. I don’t know if I like him. He’s smaller than me. He’s nice, and my friend likes him. I need to let him know that this is my home, and he can stay here if my girls and friend say he can, but he needs to know it’s my home.

Momma’s friend had to go. She took my new friend with her. I never got to know him, but I allowed him to live here. Now it’s just me, Papa, Momma, and her boy—Winston—my friend.

He’s back! He’s back! Momma’s guy, who would talk to her, but I couldn’t see, is back. I missed him. I think he missed me, too. He pets me, calls me Sable just like Papa and Momma do. Now it’s me, Papa, Momma, Winston, and Momma’s guy. I know he’s her guy because he is back in Momma’s bed.

Momma and Daddy, that’s what they call Momma’s guy. Winston and my daddy. He doesn’t look like me. They brought home a new friend. A special kind of friend, Momma said. I don’t know what that means, but Papa said I have to be nice. I don’t know. Winston likes her, Momma likes her. Papa likes her, I think. I’m watching her.

Papa takes me to the park to run now. I like running and letting the others know that I’m running. Sometimes they’ll talk back. Papa always tells me to be quiet, but I just like to talk.

Momma and Daddy had to go. I know they are coming back because Winston and Rosie are still here. I like Rosie; she likes to run and play. I like her when Momma isn’t here. Rosie doesn’t let me protect Momma, said it’s her job.

Rosie can sense things in Momma like I can in Papa. Momma wasn’t doing good and Rosie wouldn’t let her stand. I think I like Rosie; she can protect Momma. She just can’t come into my room. It’s mine.

Papa left. Momma and Daddy are still here, and Papa’s things are still here, so he’s coming back. I need to protect his stuff. I hurt Momma. I didn’t know what she was doing in Papa’s room. I have to protect it when he’s not here. I didn’t want to hurt her. I hope she still likes me. Papa came back. He told me that I have to be nice to Momma. I was being nice, but she came into his room, and I had to protect it. Momma said she loves me, she threw my ball. I can tell that I scared her. I didn’t mean to. I hope she knows I’m sorry.

Momma and Daddy’s friend came back. They left with Rosie, and now they are back with their friend. I hope she remembers me. I like her. She’s sad. I would give her kisses, but I can’t leave my room. Not when Momma’s home.

Papa moved us to a new home. It’s not far. I can’t look down on my friends anymore. I only go outside now when Papa takes me for a walk. Sometimes, when Momma, Daddy, and Auntie go away, Papa will take me, Winston, and Rosie to the park. We all get to run together. Winston and Rosie like to tell the others we are running too. Sometimes we tell the hoppers that we are there, and that they can join us so we can chase them.

I don’t like the new rules, that I can’t just come out of my room. I try to sneak out, but they see me before I get far. When I do get out, and Momma is home, Rosie doesn’t like it if I get too close. I think she knows that I hurt Momma, more than once. I hope she knows I didn’t mean to. We moved again. This new home is bigger. Auntie has her own room. I have a gate that stops me at my door. I like it because I can look out of my room. I don’t like it because I can’t go and play with my brother and sister. Momma, Daddy, and Auntie left. They are coming back because Winston and Rosie are still here. Their rooms aren’t empty either. I’m glad they are coming back.

Papa is asleep. He smells different. This isn’t good. I can’t wake anyone else because they aren’t here. I have to wake him. I can stand above him; if I do, he’ll tell me to lie down. He’s not waking. Maybe he’ll wake if I kiss his cheek. Yes. That’s working, he’s moving. He tells me to lie down, but I don’t. He needs to wake up and do something. Papa is up. He’s doing something, poking his finger. I’m sitting next to his chair; I need to make sure he’s okay. Are you okay, Papa? He is petting my head and neck, told me good girl. Papa is going to be okay; he’s eating. I’m hungry. I can eat later; Papa is going back to sleep. I’m going to sleep next to him to make sure he is okay.

Night Papa.

Auntie has a new friend. He’s bigger than me, kind of looks like Winston, but different. I don’t know what they call him, but I don’t like him. As long as he stays away from me and my room.

Winston came into my room. He smelled my food. It’s not his. Now I have to protect my food when they come near. If I see them, I’m just going to check to make sure it’s okay.

Momma, Daddy, and Auntie have a new friend. He sleeps on the couch. He says hi to me. I think I like him. Winston came into my room. He’s up on Papa’s bed—my bed. I let him know that he’s not allowed to do that. I got in trouble. Papa told me I have to be nice to Winston.

Mamma let me out. I can run around. Winston, Rosie, my friends. Where’s the new one? There he is. I need to let him know I’m in charge around here. He moved. He’s by Auntie's door. I’ll yell at him. That will let him know. Mamma didn’t like that. She’s protecting him! She’s my momma. I can’t have this. Papa has pulled me away, and now I’m back in my room. But I wasn’t done teaching the other one a lesson.

Papa, Momma, Daddy, and Auntie have left. It’s just me, Winston, Rosie, the other one, and Auntie’s new friend. I know he’s her friend because he stays in her room, and Auntie watches from the couch. Auntie’s new friend is taking me out for a walk. It’s not Papa, but I like it. The other one is at the door when we come back in. I can let him know now. Auntie’s friend yells at me. Puts the other one through the door. Outside, but not outside. I’m back in my room. I’m in trouble. I didn’t mean to hurt the other one. I just needed him to know.

Papa’s back with Mamma, Daddy, and Auntie. Everything is back to normal. I’m so excited to see them. Mamma came in and threw me the ball. I was a good girl for Auntie’s friend. Except that one time. I hope they will be happy. Papa is excited to see me. He let me show him how excited I was. I kissed his face, gave him hugs. Papa’s sad, though. He’s crying.

Papa is taking me for a ride. I don’t get to go for rides much anymore. I like to, but I’m usually really tired. He bought me a treat. It’s so good. It’s got meat and bread. I’ve never had a treat like this before. Not one that I didn’t sneak away.

It was good.

Papa is crying. He put my leash on me. We must be going for a walk. He’s walking me into a building. Another human is there, waiting for us; we are following her. We go into a room before she takes my leash and leads me back. Where’s Papa? She has me stand on a plate, then she takes me back to Papa. Papa is crying. He’s trying to hide it, but I know.

I sit next to him, so he feels better.

Papa tells me to lie down. He sits down on the floor next to me, he’s petting my back.

Ouch! That stung. The lady says something to Papa. I’m glad he’s here.

I’m sleepy now.

Night Papa.