Chapter 6

It was another hot July Monday in Grenada Mississippi. I sat at the dining room counter top looking out at my view of a cornfield. Someone had carved my tiny lot from a farm. Someday I would find someone who knew the history of this little patch of dirt. It would add to my many unimportant facts, which no one else cared about.

Jodie joined me after I had made myself a bowl of cereal with raisins. I had almost never bought cereal until last weekend’s one hundred dollar grocery buying trip with Jodie. I had to choose between crispy bran flakes for me, someone on the Internet had written that they were a miracle food. It was either that or Jodie’s cinnamon squares. My choice was both. I even added a handful of raisins before the milk. To my surprise, I found that it actually wasn’t too bad. It wasn’t as good as left over pizza, but it was okay.

“So how did you sleep?” I asked.

“I slept fine after I finally got to sleep. I was so bored last night. After your shower we will go to Walmart, there is something I need there. But before your shower, pick a movie you want me to download for you. Oh yeah before I forget your mom said start a list of things you want from your Chrystal Springs home.”

“Why I’m not staying here,” she demanded with fire in her eyes.

“You are for a while, so get used to the idea,” I said. “You are still a minor. So get over it. Until your drug dealer friend turns himself in for his jail sentence, you are at risk.”

“Kids rat each other out all the time. That doesn’t mean they are going to die because of it,” Jodie said.

“They sometimes do die. Do you want to be one of them?” I asked.

“It would be better than living here,” she said.

“Well I don’t agree, and right now my opinion is the one that counts,” I said sternly. “Come on we will go pick out a movie for you.”

She decided on some teenage comedy, which seemed to be okay. I set up the download to run while we were at the store. It was just after 9AM when my cellphone rang. I guessed correctly, from the timing, that it would be Emily.

“Hello Emily, Jodie and I are out shopping,” I said.

“We need to talk about her school, it starts next month,” Emily reminded me.

“They have schools here,” I said. “Let’s talk about this when Jodie is not sitting beside me.” I took a leaf from Lynne’s play book and broke the connection.

I gave Jodie a cart and told her to pick out any food she wanted, while I went to the sporting goods department. One of the good things about Mississippi gun laws was that there were very few of them. I was able to buy the lowest price 12guage pump shotgun for under two hundred bucks.

Even with all the chatter from the clerk, I still had to stand by the checkout registers waiting for Jodie. When we left the store, I had petty much wiped out half of what I had made on Sunday.

In the parking lot a small gray dog limped up to Jodie and whined The dog was dirty and hungry at the very least. Without any hesitation I gave “Jodie a five dollar bill to run back inside and buy her a box of healthy dog treats. In the trunk I found a piece of string I used to tie the trunk lid down. I used it to fashion a dog lead. The mutt had no collar.

I used the down time to call Deacon’s phone. “Hey Deke, I found a stray who is hurt, so where do I take her?”

“Are you planning to adopt her?” he asked.

“That depends on Jodie,” I answered.

“Take her to Alec’s clinic. Her clinic is in the strip mall around the corner from Walmart. Tell the girl on the desk I sent you over with a homeless rescue. Alec will take care of you,” he said.

“Thanks Deke,”I said.

“That place is a nightmare when you are in a hurry,” Jodie said. “I also bought her a bottle of water.”

“Crap there goes my coffee cup,” I said pouring it’s contents out on the parking lot. I filled it from the bottle of water to make a small water cup for the stray ... The gray stray lapped it down.

“Feed her some of the treats, but watch your fingers,” I said. As we fed and watered the stray, people turned their heads to watch as they walked by.

“Now we have to take her to the vet,” I said. “I want to be sure she isn’t suffering.”

“The drive took about a minute but it was a long minute with the stray trying to get out the window. We made it into the parking space in front of the door with the VET CLINIC sign on it.

Jodie insisted on carrying the stray into the clinic. “Hello,” I said to the girl on the disk. “This Gray Stray found us in the Walmart parking lot. I know she is Hungry and Thirsty and limps, but tell me what else is wrong with her. Oh the Deacon recommended you.”

“The exam is fifty dollars and that doesn’t include any shots she needs,” the chick said.

“Just do it,” Jodie said with tears in her eyes.

“You heard the boss,” I said.

The girl behind the desk led the stray dog off by the sting around her neck. The poor frightened dog didn’t want to leave Jodie. I didn’t speak to Jodie, I just put my arm around her.

Finally I said, “No matter how this works out, you tried to do the right thing.” I stopped there, even though there was a lot more I wanted to say.

After ten minutes Jodie went back to the trunk of he Hyundai to bring in a box of ice cream sundae cones. The box of four had a vanilla, a chocolate, a strawberry, and a banana flavored cone. Jodie took the Strawberry and I took the chocolate. Yes we made a mess, fortunately the vets office was prepared with paper towels galore.

It was an hour since the gray stray found us when the vet came from behind the partition. “Mr. Martin?” she asked.

“That’s me this is Jodie,” I said.

“Wish it was under better circumstance that we met,” the chubby vet said.

“So how is the stray?” I asked cutting to it.

“She is still a little woozy from the drugs we had to give her to calm her down, but she is better than she looks. The limp is from a dislocated rear leg. We put a walking splint on it. She is going to need to take it easy for a couple of weeks and wear the split for a month. She mostly needs a secure place to rest with food and water regularly. If she gets that, she should be fine.” the lady vet said.

“Don’t worry she will get it,” Jodie said.

“How old is she Doc?” I asked.

“Between one and two years. She should have a long life in front of her.” the vet said. “I gave her all the shots since I didn’t know what, if anything she has had. Now take her home and put her to bed. Oh she weighs twenty two pounds. I expect she will get to thirty pounds when she is full grown and eating well.”

“Thank you Doctor,” I said.

“It’s what I do,” she said.

I handed her a business card. “If you ever need anything call me,” I said.

“Dad aren’t you ever off duty?” Jodie asked with an expression I didn’t recognize.

The receptionist brought the stray out to us. Jodie held her while the receptionist swiped my card for the one hundred and ninety one dollar charge. I didn’t mind the stray was going to keep me and Jodie company. I knew all the research said that Pets had a way of filling in the gaps between people. That should be especially true in the case of a parking lot rescue.

We stopped by a quickie mart for a couple of cans of dog food and a bag of kibble. The charge was exorbitant, but I really wanted to get home. Jodie and I needed to patch together a place for our stray. Plus I had images to tweak.

During the short drive Jodie came up with all kinds of names. I listened respectfully but nothing grabbed me. When we got home, we found a squirrel standing on our deck. He was just standing there waiting for us. He was the same color as the stray.

“Let’s name her after the book mom used to read me at night. Earl the Squirrel,” Jodie demanded.

“Okay, but lets name her Earlene. You can call her Earl, if you want,” I suggested.

“Earlene it is,” Jodie agreed.

It was a warm day so I laid Earlene in a shady corner of the deck. I gave her the winter blanket from my bed. The deck wouldn’t hold her securely, but honestly I didn’t see anything she could get into. For the moment at least she had the run of the place.

“After she is awake and steady on her feet, you are going to have to figure out a way to give her a bath. She has to be clean and sweet smelling before she comes into the house. So make a list of things we need to buy for her,” I suggested.

“Alright but we are not going to leave her in a hot car while we go to the store,” she said.

“No but you are not going to be home alone. You can wait outside in the shade with Earl, while I go in to pickup what we need,” I said. “It’s not safe for you to be alone yet.

“Okay,” was her only response.

I tweaked Simone’s images from the day before, while Earlene slept off her drugs. When she was up and moving around she had the runs, so I put off the bath until the next day.

I allowed Earlene into the house to watch the movie with Jodie, but I would not allow Jodie to sleep with the stray. Of course neither of them liked that solution. After an hour of Earlene whining I relented. Earlene slept on the blanket beside Jodie’s bed. I worked on images and plans for the weekend. I really wanted to shoot some picture of Earlene for the Vets office lobby, but she was still in the splint, so it would have to wait. At least until she was clean and fluffy. She might be cute in the splint for a portrait, I thought.

Jodie had no problem talking to me about Earlene, it was just when it came herself that she clammed up. The three of us made it to the weekend without anyone dieing or running away from home. By the time Emily arrived on Saturday, we had cleaned Earlene up. Jodie and I were working to teach her what her new name was.

Emily fell in love with Earlene instantly. “Saving that dog might be the best thing I’ve seen you do since the divorce,” she said.

“Well it seems to have helped Jodie a little. I think it’s called responsibility,” I said.

“Well whatever it is, she seems to be doing better,” Emily said. “It helps that she has her nose out of the computer and smart phone.”

“Don’t be too thrilled, she is still going through withdrawal pains,” I said.

“I’m going to stay in a motel tonight, can Jodie come with me.” Emily asked.

“I’d rather she didn’t, but that is up to you,” I said.

“I think she will be fine. I’m going to insist,” Emily said.

“In that case listen to me very closely. Do not allow her to communicate with any of her friends back home. She will only tell them where she is so they can come get her,” I said. “That dealer is still out on bail until he turns himself in to start his sentence. It’s not just about the two of you. If she gives up my address, she pens an x on my ass as well.” I said it hoping that my long explanation would get through to her.

“I’ll explain it to her,” she said.

“She won’t get it Emily, because she doesn’t accept that she is not an adult. She thinks everything will work out. If you do this you might as well take her back to Crystal Springs. She will be in just as much danger here if she tells anyone where she is.” I said.

“Can she take Earlene?” Emily asked.

“No, she can’t take Earlene,” I said.

“You are just being petty,” Emily said.

“Well she is going to have cartoon red hair within a week. I don’t think Earlene deserves to be collateral damage, when the shit comes down,” I said.

“You don’t get it, she and I need each other,” she said.

“Then, do what you can to keep her safe,” I said.

I wouldn’t stop caring, but I figured I had done all I could. I failed her, but she wasn’t the first and wouldn’t be the last female, I let down.

“I’ll try to get down more often,” I said. I knew it wasn’t likely to happen, especially if Jodie reverted to her old self. She wouldn’t want to see me, because I wasn’t going to hide how I felt about it.

Jodie came into the kitchen where I was having a glass of sweet iced tea. I looked up before I said, “Going back home is a mistake. Lots of shit can happen and none of it will be good,” I said. “If it get too bad, you can come back.”

“Mom said you wouldn’t let me have Earlene,” she said.

“If something happens to you, I need her with me. You have your mom,” I explained.

“Okay,” she said. “At least it isn’t to spite me.”

“No it isn’t,” I agreed.

“We are loaded and ready to go. Could I have my phone and laptop?” Jodie asked.

“Sure,” I walked to my car where she took the electronics and hugged me before she left.

They were gone by 10:00 PM. I was pretty lonely, but Earlene helped with that. Since she was clean and was wearing a flea spot she was a good companion. I drank iced tea and planned my next advertising display. I did that while Earlene chewed her mass produced fake dog bone. I did have a bag of smoked pig’s ears for her. Now that Jodie was gone, I could give her one.

Finally I became tired, but I pushed on. I had permission to set up my small display on the sidewalk in front of a boutique. The boutique was located in a small strip mall. I decided the night before the display to stay no longer than four hours. From noon till four, then I would be out of there and headed home.