I was outside doing some minor gardening when Angela arrived home. Angela was a twenty year old blonde. Hazel eyes, nicely shaped body, and a pretty face. Last, but by no means least, she had a magnificent rack, high and firm, leading the way when she walked. (I'm only guessing about the firmness as I've never had the pleasure of finding out personally.)
She drove up in her little sports car and just sat there, not moving. Looking a little closer I could see she was crying. I strolled over and opened the driver's door.
"What's wrong, Angela?" I asked, injecting sympathy into my voice.
"Jojo is dead," she wailed and the silent tears became a full on crying jag.
It took me a while to remember who Jojo was and then I remembered she had a rat-sized dog with a penchant for trying to bite ankles. Why losing that mutt was a crying occasion was beyond me? I'd have thought a celebration was more in order. Still, the girl was upset so I had to do something.
I coaxed her out of the car, extracting her keys at the same time. I led her inside and had her sit on her couch, sitting next to her with an arm around her.
"Do you want to tell me about it?"
She shook her head in refusal so I just sat and waited. After a while she started talking.
"Jojo was sick last week," she said. "I took him to the vet who gave him some medicine and also drew some blood for pathology. Jojo was fine after taking the medicine but the Vet called me earlier asking me to bring Jojo in for a follow-up. No charge, he said, so I took poor Jojo over. That rotten man took Jojo from me, excused himself and went into the back room to give Jojo an injection. Poor Jojo dropped dead on the spot."
"That's terrible," I said, and I did feel a little shocked. "What did the vet say?"
"He claimed that Jojo had a contagious disease and had to be put down as people could get it. He said it was a disease that dogs caught from pigeons. Jojo has never played with a pigeon in his life."
Maybe not but I'd wager it would have eaten pigeon poop. Little dogs like that eat everything.
"Didn't he even discuss it with you?"
She shook her head mournfully.
"He said health regulations were very firm on this point. If your dog has Chlamydiosis it is immediately euthanized. They don't ask the owner as it saves a lot of trouble."
I bet it did. If Angela thought the vet was going to kill her dog she'd have grabbed it and run. It would have required a SWAT team to get it back.
I wasn't stupid enough to say that, I just sympathised for her loss, giving her a chest to cry on. She leaned against me and sobbed, mourning the loss of her beloved pet.
I held her and stroked her back, brushing up and down, trying to give her the comfort she needed. Somehow or other she wound up in my lap, holding onto me. This change of position also meant when I stroked her back I found that the down stroke travelled further than I expected.