MY TAKE; doses of Wild YAM : Menolyrical; Final Friday Fiction

From Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy

8 – excuse me

12 – wait a bit

16 – favour

A LITTLE SPECIAL

Beri couldn’t resist. “Excuse me!”, she called out to the passing dog walker. “Hello, please wait a bit.”

The lady was clearly hesitant, but her dog was not. Sheba wanted to go over and talk to the strangely dressed old lady on the bench. Sheba tugged in that direction and the lady decided to follow but at full leash length. The bench lady was dressed like Judy Garland in the Wizard of Oz. Either she was an escaped lunatic or a random film extra.

“Hello, my name is Beri, what is yours?” The bench lady was clearly addressing Sheba. After a few seconds, she reached out and grabbed the collar, checking the name badge.

“Ah, Sheba! So very pleased to meet you. Have you seen my Toto? I seem to have lost him.”

Sheba’s lady was now lost. Did she buy into this conversation, or just pull Sheba along? She decided to play for now. “I’m afraid we have not. You may cuddle Sheba for a little while if you wish, just as a favour for now.”

Beri didn’t need asking twice. Her arms flew around Sheba’s neck and bless that dog, she soaked up the loving. There was clearly something a little special about Beri. Pulling out her mobile phone, the lady called the local police line. “Yes, I am in Ederson park and a lady called Beri is here looking for her dog, Toto…” She got no further. The officer on the other end interrupted with, “Oh dear, she’s wandering again. Please, would you mind sitting with her? We’ll be there in a few minutes."

Which was accurate. Three minutes precisely. Two officers in pared-down uniform. Beri’s face lit up. “Hello Tom, hello Mike!”

“Hello Beri. Ready to come home now?”

The lady and Sheba watched as Beri happily skipped (impressive for a woman her age) between the two young officers, back to wherever she came from. The lady might almost have imagined the path to have turned a shade of yellow…

(337 words)