The dog wasn’t mine. That’s what I should’ve said when she asked, but for some reason I found myself saying, “Yes.”
“Good,” she said, handing me the Yorkie’s dark purple leash.
The dog jumped on my leg. Its nails scratched my jeans and I reached down and picked it up. “Where have you been? I’ve been looking all over for you,” I said in a sing-song voice.
She smiled, her straight white teeth peeking out from between her full pink lips. She was an exquisite looking woman with large brown eyes and a cute little nose. Her face was looked like it had been put together by the world’s greatest sculptor. “He’s a cutie.” She reached over and patted the dog on the head.
The dog panted and wriggled in my arms. I held on to him tightly. “Thanks.”
“What’s his name?” she asked.
I said the first name that popped into my head. “George.”
She laughed. “That’s a funny name for a dog.”
“I guess it is.” I do have a conscience and it was screaming at me during this entire conversation. “Stop lying. This will never work. It’s not your dog,” it was saying, but I ignored it. “I named him after my uncle.” That was the only honest thing I’d said so far.
“I named him after my uncle.” That was the only honest thing I’d said so far.
“Aww. That’s sweet,” she said.
Just when I thought I was getting somewhere a woman with a gray ponytail in a powder pink running suit came over. “Scotty!” she called.
The dog started to whine and happily wag his tail.
“Thanks so much for finding my Scotty,” the woman in the running suit said. She held out her hands and took the dog from me. He promptly started covering her face in doggy kisses.
My heart sank into my stomach. I looked over to see the woman walking away. Even though she wasn’t facing me I could sense the disgust in her moments.
“You’re such a lifesaver,” the woman in the running suit said. “I nearly had a heart attack. I can’t thank you enough.” She trotted off, leaving me standing alone.
The next day I bought a Yorkie. I named him George. That didn’t make my uncle very happy, but it improved my love life.