A 'Happy' Thanksgiving

Our dear friend passed yesterday, so I have no words today. 

Mitch and Barbara Sterling were married in June and had settled into Mitch’s little bungalow on the beach. They met through mutual friends and although Barbara was relatively new to the beach community, she had no trouble making new friends and settling back into married life.

One morning, sitting on the back deck, drinking her morning coffee and watching the waves lap onto the shore, she spotted a dog. She was surprised because dogs were not allowed on the beach without a leash and this dog was running free.  She put down her coffee mug and moved in the direction of the dog.  He spotted her and came bounding up to her, tail wagging furiously. 

“Where did you come from boy?  Are you lost?”

Listen to me, talking to a dog and expecting answers.  She petted the dog and searched for a collar.  Finding none, she looked up and down the beach, and on decks and balconies of homes facing the beach for any sign of someone looking for this sweet little sheltie.  Nothing. 

“Well boy, come follow me home.  I’ll see about putting up some posters and reporting finding you so we can get you back to your rightful owner.  I bet they are missing you?”

There I go again, talking to a dog, and expecting answers.

He needed no coaxing.  The minute she moved toward her house, he was right on her heels.  He bounded onto the deck just as Mitch walked out.

“What do we have here, Barb?”

“I was sitting here drinking my coffee when I saw him.  I looked up and down the beach and there’s no one in site, so I guess he wandered away.  I’ll make a few calls and put up a few posters.”

“He’s not staying here.”

“What do you mean he’s not staying here?  Of course, he is.  I intend to keep him until we find his rightful owner.”

“No, I don’t want to have any pets.  They tie you down.”

“Oh Mitch.  It’s just until we can find his rightful owner.  Look how sweet he is, how can you possibly not fall in love with him.”

“That’s what I’m saying, Barb, I don’t want you getting attached and falling in love with him.  I don’t want pets.”

“Oh, you are just a big meanie.” She told him and stuck out her tongue.

“Watch out girl, that tongue could get you in trouble.” He gave her a sharp slap on her bottom.  She giggled

“Stop, the neighbors could be watching.”

“Good, let them watch,” and he turned and walked inside, the dog close on his heels.

                         

Barb called the animal shelter and the local sheriff’s department.  He wasn’t chipped or registered anywhere.  She printed up posters and placed them at all the local businesses and around the community.  She asked all of her friends and friends of friends and no one came forth to claim “Happy”.  It was the perfect name for him because he was always happy and hungry. 

She couldn’t understand it; he was such a nice dog. He turned out to be a she and she wasn’t neutered.  When they had Happy for two weeks, Mitch told her to turn her over to the animal shelter.

“No, I will not do that.  She is much too sweet and I can’t do it.”

“If you don’t do it, I will. Nevertheless, before I do I will turn you over my knee and spank the daylights out of you. Are we clear?”

Barb hated this threat.  She knew it was a possibility.  He had always threatened to spank her, long before they were married but until now, it had always been in fun.  This time he sounded serious.  Well, it doesn’t matter I am not taking that dog to a shelter, spanking or not.  Neither will I allow him to do so.

True to his word when he came home the next day and found Happy still there, he took his wife into the bedroom, pulled down her jeans, put her over his knee and walloped the dickens out of her.

Thinking she would be chastened, he let her up and asked for the dog’s leash so he could take her to the shelter. 

“You don’t need the leash.  Happy and I are going to be staying at Carol’s house.”

“What do you mean you will be staying at Carol’s?”

“I called her and told her it was a possibility and she was fine with it.”

“Are you telling me you would leave me over a dog?”

“No, I’m not leaving you.  Happy and I are going to live at Carol’s until you come to your senses.”

“I have half a mind to take you right back over my knee.”

“Do what you feel you must just as I am doing what I feel I must.” She told him.

He was so angry with her, he left the room.  Damn him.  Why is he being so stubborn about this?

She and Happy were at her daughter Carol’s for three days before Mitch came to call. Barb flew into his arms, she was so glad he had come to his senses.  Happy was happy too, she kept twirling in and out of his legs.  He finally reached down and petted her, showing her the first signs of affection.

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The three of them settled into a happy existence until one day there was a knock at the door.  Barb opened it to a man holding one of her posters in his hand.  He introduced himself and said his dog had run away when the repairman left open the screen door.  He said he had been searching for her for weeks and had given up hope.  There was no doubt he was the rightful owner because when Happy saw him she started barking and leaping up on him, giving him doggy kisses that he didn’t seem to mind at all. 

Barb hated letting her go but she could see how much Happy (whose real name was Susie) meant to him.  Before he left, he thanked her for taking such good care of Susie.  He told her he planned to breed her when she came in heat and offered to give her one of the puppies in return.  Barb knew she should say no, but also knew that wasn’t an option for her.  She enjoyed having a dog around and even though Mitch was a “bear” about it, she knew he would come to accept a little fluff ball and love it to pieces.  His biggest thing was that it would tie them down but Barb knew that Carol, or one of their other kids, would always willingly take the dog if they wanted to travel.

Mitch found her weepy when he came home that afternoon.

“What’s wrong honey?  Where’s Happy? She is usually dancing around my feet.”

“Her owner came today.  Oh, I wish you could have seen them.  They were so happy to see each other.  I hated letting her go, I am going to miss her so much.”

He wrapped her into his arms and told her that she had done the right thing and that it was better for them anyway.  A dog was a responsibility and now they were empty-nesters they were free to pick up and go as they pleased; a dog would only tie them down.  Barbara didn’t say a word.  She would lay the groundwork and line up possible dog sitters so that when a pup became available she would have an answer for every argument Mitch might raise.

Months went by.   One day, coming home after shopping, there was a note stuck to the door. 

   ‘Susie is a mom to four little girls.  They are all well, weaned and ready
 for new homes. If you are still interested, give me a call.’

                                     Jonathon Bixby (813-555-4509)

She was excited and definitely still interested.  She called Jonathon and arranged to pick up the puppy the following day.  When Mitch came home, she showed him the note.

“You are not calling him. I thought we discussed this.”

“We did and I did.  Your biggest thing is always that the dog will tie us down. She will not.  I’ve already talked to all of our children and they will be more than willing to dog sit anytime it’s necessary.”

He groused and grumbled for a bit. 

“So when are we going to pick up this bundle of fur?”

“Tomorrow, do you want to come with me?”

He nodded yes and when they picked up their new ‘Happy’ he snuggled her into his chest and she promptly peed on him.  She laughed.

“Laugh all you want, but every time Happy causes a problem, I am solving it by taking you over my knee, starting when we get home.”

                                                    ---------------------------------

Barbara and Mitch invited all of the family for Thanksgiving.  It would be their first one as a married couple and a chance for all of their blended families to be together. Barbara and Mitch asked each family to bring a favorite dish and they would take care of everything else.

It was a beautiful day and most everyone was out playing beach volleyball. Barb and Mitch stayed behind to get everything ready.  When the side dishes were all warmed and the turkey ready to be carved, they went outside to call everyone in to dinner. It took a while to round everyone up and when they returned to the house, the turkey had disappeared.  Shocked and surprised, Barb’s initial thought was Mitch had moved it back to the kitchen. Mitch, on the other hand, saw the trail of drippings leading straight into their bedroom.  There sat the culprit, in bed, the turkey resting in front and her just munching away.  Mitch went ballistic.

“BARBARA, GET IN HERE”

She came running and stopped dead in her tracks at the doorway.  She spied Happy sitting there looking well, ‘happy.’ 

“Ohhhhhh.  Happy what have you done?”

She ran over and tried wresting the turkey away, thinking she may be able to salvage some of it.  Happy was not giving up her prize and Barbara realized the turkey was a complete goner.  Mitch was so red in the face she thought he might explode.  He couldn’t even speak which was probably a good thing.  She turned on her heel and left the bedroom.

“Dinner is ready.  The only problem is there is no turkey.” She told everyone trying very hard to hold back the tears.

Sixteen people looked in her direction and said “What” all at the same time.

“Happy grabbed the turkey off the table and has had a Thanksgiving feast all by herself.”

Mitch saved the day.  He called around and found that Glen Eagles Club, a nearby community clubhouse, was having a Thanksgiving buffet.  He explained the situation and the manager offered to sell him a fully cooked turkey.  He was out the door and back in twenty minutes and the rest of the day went on without any other glitches. 

She had to hand it to Mitch.  Everyone kept teasing him about the dog and the turkey and he took it all in stride.  He would throw her a look every now and again and he never missed an opportunity to swat her bottom. It was a reminder of what she could expect when they were alone.

                                               _____________________________

They stood at the door waving goodbye to the last of the family; Barb kissed Mitch and thanked him for saving the day.

“You’re welcome.  They were my guests too.”

“Thanks for being so understanding. Happy was just being a puppy.”

“I know that but we agreed that if Happy caused a problem, it would be taken care of over my knee.  Time to pay the piper, Babe.

“Can’t we just…

“No, I am a man of my word. Let’s go.”

He led her to the bedroom, sat down on the bed and pulled her down next to him.  He reached down to pick up his slipper.  It was chewed and mangled.  He showed it to her; she rolled her eyes, stood up, took off her jeans and put herself over his lap.  I am really in for it now.  Mitch began laying into her behind, first with his hand and then the slipper.  It may have been mangled, but it more than did its job.  He kept up the staccato type spanks until her bum was on fire.  The turkey wasn’t the only thing roasted this Thanksgiving she thought as Mitch pulled her up onto his lap.



 Lucy Appleby gave me the idea for this story, thanks Lucy.  Apparently, she had a doggie that had a great Thanksgiving treat.  

See you later for more Aimless Ramblings.