Genevieve and the Two Scotties by Edward Drobinski - HTML preview
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Chapter 14
Genevieve woke in the best of moods and so did the recently grouchy sky and her little back leg. The discouraging drizzle had gone the way of a punky infection after a shot of penicillin.
Infection being choked and disemboweled by heroic penicillin; property of the author.
She dashed through her morning necessities and got right to Pablo’s by the first unobstructed sign of light clearing the jagged peaks of the Denial Mountains.
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Denial Mountains, reflected in the Boggy Cleave River; property of the author.
After two days of being sequestered with only the company of his well-loved books, the lab transformed Pablo was ready to take a break from them and get outdoors again. One might say that he too was, or was too anxious to go. He was waiting by the door and was out of it by the time Genevieve had gotten half way down his front path. They exchanged the usual pleasantries and walked side by side down Pacific Lane, making a left at its end.
They walked past Bunny Park and Tranquility Lane. After that, still looking left, the walk seemed a bit long, and Pablo said; “Maybe we could try one on the right. We’ve already passed a few.”
Genevieve shrugged and said; “Nah, let’s keep with our pattern. I don’t want to get confused. We’ll do the rights in order when we finish with the lefts. ........ That all right with you?”
Pablo smirked as he thought that he had detected a word play joke. He just said; “Starboard, it’s not.”
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“Pardon me?”
“All right with me. Good walk.”
After passing four more possible rights, they finally came upon Ternary Way, and made the left onto the straight path.
Entrance to Ternary Way; the kind courtesy of Pexels.com under their CC0 license.
They walked a bit in the humming, ambient, vaguely near yet far sound of fall leaves whispering to each other in the mildest of breezes; and they drummed up more intimate decibels with their constantly moving paws. Their temporary serenity was ended when they were startled back to an imposing reality by two dogs running side by side. This might have been charming if not for the fact that the pair was running straight at Genevieve and Pablo.
Genevieve and Pablo’s thought that their worries were quickly over when they saw that one had a ball in his mouth and
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the other was trying to get it and when they remembered that they were still in perfect Poochville.
Romping dogs; property of the author.
Just in case Poochville wasn’t so perfect on this particular day, Pablo got in front of Genevieve in order to take the brunt of any possible collision. And the brunt is exactly what he got as well as the ball. He was rolled over twice and looked like the guy who had just recovered a fumble in the other team’s end zone; beaten up but triumphant.
“Eek. Sorry,” said one of the youthful appearing players.
Pablo’s mouth was occupied with something other than words.
The other young player said; “That’s pretty good. I’ve been trying to do that all morning.”
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Pablo stood, dropped the ball on the ground and said; “You see; the trick is all in the timing; element of surprise and all that.”
Genevieve said; “This blitzing expert is Pablo and I’m Genevieve.”
“Skeeter.”
“Bouncin’ Beemer.”
Pablo said; “We’re looking for two black Scotties. Have you seen anything like that around here?”
Skeeter said; “No. sorry. Not here.”
Bouncin’ Beemer added; “You might check on the forks.”
Pablo said; “Forks?”
Skeeter said; “Yeah, this road splits into three up there.”
He motioned with his head.
Genevieve said; “Oh. We didn’t know that. Never been here before. Thank you.” Not fully believing the playing duo, she and Pablo commenced making leaf decibels increase with their paws, and Pablo spiked the ball just like that reminiscent of a National Football League 2006 outlawed touchdown celebration.
Skeeter and Bouncin’ Beemer looked to the sky, jockeying for the best position when and if the ball came back down.
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Genevieve and Pablo simultaneously saw it from a distance of one hundred feet. Just ahead, Ternary Way did indeed become three separate roads.
Ternary Way, approaching the forks; the kind courtesy of Pexels.com under their CC0 license; modified.
Genevieve said; “The kids were right.”
Thinking of his recent, youthful metamorphosis, Pablo concealed a chuckle when he replied; “Yeah; strange; but I guess that it happens every so often. Got a preference?”
Genevieve smirked at his mild sassiness and answered his question with another, saying; “Have you noticed that the middle road actually bends leftward?”
Pablo said; “Actually, not until you mentioned it.”
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Genevieve said; “Yeah. If it doesn’t curve back the other way further in, I’d have to say that the makers were guilty of a leftward bias.”
Pablo said; “Could have been the result of some momentary necessity, a natural blockage, or accidental.”
Genevieve said; “I can only see the results and guess at the intent; assuming that there was some sort of a plan. But, look; to go back to our square one; let’s go left first. It’s a pattern we’ve already established.”
Pablo half curtseyed and said; “Si, mi senora.”