A Canine’s Loyalty

Todd sat in the corner booth of the diner. His back was arched over, he had is elbows

tucked in the front of his body with his hands clasped in between his thighs. His legs jittered

under the metal table. This was the first date he had been on in a while. He didn’t like getting

attached to things or people. “Would you like to order?” the waiter asked. “Not yet, I’m waiting

for someone,” Todd replied. She showed up several minutes later. “Hi,” she said. “Hello,” he

replied. “Are you ever going to leave me?” he asked. ​Your coming on too strong that was so

stupid! ​ “No,” she said. He smiled. They got married a few months later. Todd got attached.

Todd loomed over Sarah as they watched TV. It seemed that he was watching her more

than he was the TV. ​I wonder if she’s thinking about me. I hope nothings wrong. Maybe I should

ask her. No everything's fine. Should I tell her I love her? ​Todd was too clingy. He never gave

Sarah her time alone. When they started living together he would follow her around everywhere

showering her with unconditional love. This started to annoy her. Sarah got up from the couch to

use the restroom. “Where are you going?” Todd asked. “To the bathroom,” Sarah replied. The

bathroom seemed like the only place in the house where she could be alone. She questioned

her compatibility with Todd. She questioned why they even got married. She questioned if they

moved to fast. She seemed to be on “business trips” a lot after that.

Why is she going on so many trips. I miss her.

A year went by. It was their one year anniversary. Todd wanted to pull all the strings for it. It felt

like they had been growing apart. He didn’t feel that she cared for him as much as she once did.

So despite the chaos at work, he took the day off to make sure everything was set up perfectly

for Sarah when she got home from her business trip. She was always gone. He decorated the

patio with lights, set up the record player with their favorite songs playing, he picked up the
same food they had on their first date and set it up over a white tablecloth that enveloped the

outdoor table; candles lit in the center. The final touch was individual red rose petals drizzled on

the floor from the front door to the patio. A car door slammed.

She’s home​.

“Hey honey! How was your trip, who dropped you off-” Todd said. “Heyyyyy youuuu.”

She’s drunk.

Sarah gave Todd a sloppy hug and kiss as she walked through the front door. “Whoa food!” she

said as she walked right past the decorations with no acknowledgement. “Actually honey-” Todd

began to say. “Hey why are there rose petals and stuff around here you should clean that up,”

she interrupted. “I’m faded, I'm going to bed,” she continued.

She forgot.

Todd was working a late shift the next day at work.

I usually hear from Sarah when I work this late. Why hasn’t she texted me yet.

When he arrived home from work he found Sarah playing with a puppy. The puppy was

familiar. It looked just like the dog Todd had when he was a kid. The one his father got him. The

one that he had to remember his father after his death. The one that ran away. Todd stared at

the puppy, his heart fell into his stomach. His initial smile he had when he saw Sarah receded

from his face. He took a deep breath and left the room. He came out of the shower to Sarah

sitting on the bed. Her arms were crossed, her eyebrows like two ramps leading up to the

scrunch in her forehead. “Do you not like him?” she asked. “No I do, I’m just tired,” he replied.

The dog trotted into the room and hopped onto the bed. “What should we name him?” Sarah

asked. “I don’t know,” he said. They fell asleep on opposite sides of the bed that night. Neither

of them touching the other.

 On his way to work the next morning he received a text from Sarah: Don’t forget, I’m

going to be gone again for a couple of days. Remember to take care of the puppy. He still needs

a name by the way.

She’s leaving again? Why? Is she going to see someone?

Over the next couple of days Todd did what he was told. He knew that if he didn’t take

care of the puppy Sarah would be upset. He’d never want to let her down. He cared for her too

much. Todd fed the dog, walked the dog, and pet the dog. But he wouldn’t snuggle or love the

dog. Every night it would cry out high pitched wails in it’s crate. Todd dealt with it. He called it

puppy while Sarah was away, he refused to name it. He didn’t know how long it would last.

One day before Sarah gets back.

That last night, the whines of the puppy grew louder and more persistent. The high pitched wails

sounded like his old dog’s. Todd gave in. He unlatched the crate and the puppy licked his face

all over. Todd’s heart ached. He returned to his bed, tossed the covers over his body, and tried

to go to sleep. The puppy bounced onto the bed and nuzzled its head into Todd’s neck. A

teardrop fell from Todd’s eye onto the puppy’s head.

No, stop it. Don’t get attached. You can’t. Not again.

But he was.

He woke up in the morning, let the dog outside to pee and sat by the phone expecting to hear

from Sarah. No call. After a few moments he went to the backyard and called for the puppy, still

refusing to give it a name, reluctant that if he names it he’ll get attached to it. He put the puppy

in it’s crate, while glancing over at the phone.

I’ll give her some time, she probably just got off the plane.
Hours went by.

She was supposed to be back by now.

The doorbell rang.

Todd went to answer it, there were butterflies in his stomach. As we walked towards the door

something caught his eye from the window. There was a man with her. He was waiting in his

car. Todd felt queasy.

Who is that man.

Scenarios of who the man was filled his head. His heart started to beat faster and faster. The

question of why she kept going away started to piece together. His knees felt weak. Every step

was closer to the end. The perspiration on his hands wet the door knob as he opened the door

to Sarah. She had a sympathetic look on her face. She was fidgeting with her hands. Her mouth

was persed.

“Sarah I-” “I’m sorry Todd, this is for the best, I’m leaving you,” she said. Those words echoed in

Todd’s head. They pierced right through his heart. She kept mumbling about something but he

couldn’t hear her. Everything became foggy. The sound trying to unscramble in his ears just

faded out. He stumbled back into a chair. His vision blurred in and out. He watched her grab the

puppy and head to the door. She turned one last time, “I’m sorry,” she said as she left. He tried

to get up. His mouth trying to say her name as he struggled for the door. The words wouldn’t

come out. He made his way to the window as he saw her get into the car with another man and

drive off.

She left. Everyone I love... leaves me.

He passed out.

When he woke up he felt it again. The pain. It was all too real. He grabbed the bottle of

whiskey from the cabinet and his gun and marched out to the patio. Everything was still set up
from their anniversary. He paused, looking around at all of the decorations he slaved over, for

her. The dried torn up rose petals, the food stained table cloth, the dim now almost dead lights,

he broke down crying. Todd slumped in the chair. His head was down on the table with the

whisky, the gun lazily gripped in his hand. He slammed his head on the table a couple of times

in frustration, then gave up. He was completely broken. There was no more rage, no more

sadness, it was just emptiness. There was nothing left. He took a couple of swigs from the bottle

and cocked the gun. He raised his arm to his head then stopped.

What was that?

That familiar high pitched wail. He lay the gun back down on the table. His eyes still

watery and his face strewn with dry tears. Letting out a few sniffles, he opened the door. There it

was, the puppy. Todd took a long look at that dog, it had the same floppy ears and buggy eyes

as the dog Todd lost. He dropped to his knees. “You came back,” he said to it, still sniffling. The

puppy ran into his arms. He hugged it back, releasing a few cries. Todd cupped that puppy’s

face, and stared into its eyes. Tears rolled down his face.

“Otis,” he sniffled. “Your name is Otis, after my father.”

Rubric rating submitted on: 3/20/2018, 8:19:59 AM by kherzog@westportps.org
Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Level 5 Level 6

PHYSICAL EXPERTLY THE THE THE THE THE

DESCRIPTI CONTRIBU ASPECT ASPECTS ASPECTS ASPECTS FOLLOWIN
ON TE TO THE POSITIVEL MAKES STRUGGLE NEGATIVE G
Level 3 DEVELOP Y VALID TO LY IMPACT ASPECTS
MENT OF CONTRIBU ATTEMPTS CONTRIBU TO THE FAIL TO
YOUR TE TO THE TO TE TO THE DEVELOP CONTRIBU
CHARACTE DEVELOP CONTRIBU DEVELOP MENT OF TE TO THE
R(S): MENT OF TE TO THE MENT OF YOUR DEVELOP
YOUR DEVELOP YOUR CHARACTE MENT OF
CHARACTE MENT OF CHARACTE R(S): YOUR
R(S), YOUR R(S): CHARACTE
SOME CHARACTE R(S):
MORE R(S):
THAN
OTHERS:

MOMENT EXPERTLY THE THE THE THE THE

FOR CONTRIBU ASPECT ASPECTS ASPECTS ASPECTS FOLLOWIN
CHANGE? TE TO THE POSITIVEL MAKE STRUGGLE NEGATIVE G
Level 3 DEVELOP Y VALID TO LY IMPACT ASPECTS
MENT OF CONTRIBU ATTEMPTS CONTRIBU TO THE FAIL TO
YOUR TE TO THE TO TE TO THE DEVELOP CONTRIBU
CHARACTE DEVELOP CONTRIBU DEVELOP MENT OF TE TO THE
R(S): MENT OF TE TO THE MENT OF YOUR DEVELOP
YOUR DEVELOP YOUR CHARACTE MENT OF
CHARACTE MENT OF CHARACTE R(S): YOUR
R(S), YOUR R(S): CHARACTE
SOME CHARACTE R(S):
MORE R(S):
THAN
OTHERS:

DIALOGUE EXPERTLY THE THE THE THE THE

Level 3 CONTRIBU ASPECT ASPECTS ASPECTS ASPECTS FOLLOWIN
TE TO THE POSITIVEL MAKE STRUGGLE NEGATIVE G
DEVELOP Y VALID TO LY IMPACT ASPECTS
MENT OF CONTRIBU ATTEMPTS CONTRIBU TO THE FAIL TO
YOUR TE TO THE TO TE TO THE DEVELOP CONTRIBU
CHARACTE DEVELOP CONTRIBU DEVELOP MENT OF TE TO THE
R(S): MENT OF TE TO THE MENT OF YOUR DEVELOP
 YOUR DEVELOP YOUR CHARACTE MENT OF
CHARACTE MENT OF CHARACTE R(S): YOUR
R(S), YOUR R(S): CHARACTE
SOME CHARACTE R(S):
MORE R(S):
THAN
OTHERS:

CONFLICT EXPERTLY THE THE THE THE THE

(BEHAVIOR CONTRIBU ASPECT ASPECTS ASPECTS ASPECTS FOLLOWIN
IN) TE TO THE POSITIVEL MAKE STRUGGLE NEGATIVE G
Level 2 DEVELOP Y VALID TO LY IMPACT ASPECTS
MENT OF CONTRIBU ATTEMPTS CONTRIBU TO THE FAIL TO
YOUR TE TO THE TO TE TO THE DEVELOP CONTRIBU
CHARACTE DEVELOP CONTRIBU DEVELOP MENT OF TE TO THE
R(S): MENT OF TE TO THE MENT OF YOUR DEVELOP
YOUR DEVELOP YOUR CHARACTE MENT OF
CHARACTE MENT OF CHARACTE R(S): YOUR
R(S), YOUR R(S): CHARACTE
SOME CHARACTE R(S):
MORE R(S):
THAN
OTHERS:

Developme The writing The writing The writing The writing The writing The writing
nt of Ideas: demonstrat inconsistentl effectively effectively thoroughly thoroughly
Technique es few y or employs employs and and
Level 2 appropriate ineffectively narrative sophisticate creatively creatively
narrative employs techniques d narrative develops develops
techniques narrative to develop techniques character, character,
and little techniques, character, like conflict, and conflict, and
developmen so conflict, and dialogue, theme with theme with
t of character, theme. pacing, well-chosen well-chosen
character, conflict, and description, , techniques,
conflict, or theme lack and sophisticate like
theme. full reflection to d engaging
developmen develop techniques dialogue,
t. character, like complex
conflict, and dialogue, pacing, vivid
theme. pacing, description,
description, deep
and reflection, or
reflection. multiple
plotlines, all
employed in
 a
sophisticate
d way.

Developme The writing The writing The writing The writing The writing The writing
nt of Ideas: does not inconsistentl effectively purposefully purposefully purposefully
Description substantivel y uses uses uses uses uses vivid,
Level 3 y employ sensory sensory specific creative, unique, and
sensory details and details and sensory specific precise
details and figurative figurative details and sensory sensory
figurative language to language to figurative details and details and
language convey convey a language to figurative figurative
when events, clear picture create language to language to
conveying characters, of events, engaging highlight enhance
experiences and characters, descriptions key key
, characters, settings. and of the moments, moments
events, and settings. events, and create and create
settings. characters, engaging engaging
and descriptions descriptions
settings. of of
characters, characters,
events, and events, and
settings. settings.

Fiction: The writing Characters The writing The writing The writing The writing
Characteriz lacks are employs employs employs employs
ation and character somewhat characteriza effective well-chosen sophisticate
Character developmen developed tion characteriza characteriza d
Developme t. over the techniques tion tion characteriza
nt course of to depict techniques techniques tion
Level 3 the story, realistic to depict to depict techniques
but lack characters complex complex to depict
complexity who and realistic and realistic fascinatingly
or realism. develop characters characters complex
over the who who and realistic
course of develop develop in characters
the story. over the meaningful who
course of ways over develop in
the story. the course surprising
of the story. and
meaningful
ways over
the course
of the story.

Comments:
84