The Loyal Shepherd Dog

Sugar sat quietly looking through the glass on the lower part of the door. She was a small dog and when sitting, looked through the lowest square panes on the french style doors. Her brown coat was rimmed by a white scarf of hair- thick and dense. She looked like a miniature Lassie but when she spoke, her decidedly Scottish accent and diminutive size revealed her to be a Shetland Sheepdog. Her eyes had been a deep rich brown in her younger days but now were lightening with age and looked more like weak coffee with a hint of creamer.

Although her eyes were aging, her senses were keen as ever and she scanned the doorway for the object of her regard. Brittney had walked outside moments before- carrying her green laundry basket laden with clean clothes. Like all small shepherd dogs, Sugar was a creature of habit and she knew this habit well. Brittney carried arms full of belongings to her white Ford Ranger sitting just outside until there were no more bundles. Sugar looked pensively at the Ranger- maybe today she was going for a ride in the truck as well. They loved their car rides together, windows down, singing slightly off key to the blarring radio. They had spent Brittney's high school years taking many such rides but those yearshad  passed and now they were a rarity.

These days Brittney attended college several hours away and her visits home were not frequent. As the girl grew into a woman, the little Shepherd dog grew gray around the corners of her mouth. The dog slept more and played less. On weekends when Brittney came home, she did not leave her side. She followed her about and was rarely farther than arms length from her master.

Brittney kissed her mom and dad, hugged the little dog and packed herself into the truck for her departure back to school. The little dog sat for a long moment watching the tail lights signal reverse as the white truck backed up and then slowly pulled down the driveway. After a while, there was no sight of the truck. Getting up slowly, Sugar walked down the hallway and looked into the open door of each bedroom. Her small toenails clicked on the wooden floors signaling her whereabouts as she conducted a methodical search of the entire house.

Once satisfied that her girl was indeed no longer there, Sugar stepped down the single carpeted stair into the floor of the family room. She hopped onto the leather sofa and curled into a round ball of brown and white fur. Letting out a long sigh, she closed her eyes and began to dream of the days when she played with little girl.