“Let’s cross that bridge when we come to it. There will be a way.”
“Oh blimey. You’re aggravating me first thing in the morning. Please give it a rest,” barked Ed, still caught in the atmosphere of a dream. The dog remained silent, trying to be as endearing and cute as possible, staring at Abella with his head on one side and his panting mouth slightly open.
“Can you believe it I even had a dream that I was the fucking dog? Is he taking me over or what? It was the most realistic dream I have ever had. I was really a dog but I could speak and act like a human. How strange.”
“It’s a sign, Ed. It means we must keep the dog. Please, please, Ed,” pleaded Abella.
“Oh for Chrissake, if it keeps you quiet, we’ll keep the dog. Does that make you happy?”
With this, Abella jumped out of bed, flinging the dog across upwards and onto Ed’s lap. He barked excitedly as Abella jumped for joy, unable to contain her excitement. She leapt back onto the bed and kissed Ed over and over like an excited child.
“What shall we call him, Ed? What shall we call him?”
“I don’t know, how about Fido?”
“Don’t be silly. That’s a dog’s name. What about Little Ed, Little Ed will be perfect.”
“Okay, Little Ed it is. Anything for some peace. Welcome to the family, Little Ed. I hope you don’t eat too much.”
Ed picked the dog up and handed it to Abella.
“We’ll need to get a basket and some dog stuff I suppose. Let’s have breakfast and go down to the pet store.”
“Okay, baby. Let’s do that, yippee, yippee,” replied Abella, as she plopped Little Ed down on the floor and went off into the bathroom to shower. Knowing that this would be a clear hour of bathroom activity and grooming, Ed turned himself back over, pulling the covers over his shoulders. It was Saturday. Why shouldn’t he have a lie-in? Little Ed jumped up on the bed and took up position outside the covers with his head resting on Ed’s legs.
He knew he only had a couple of days of consciousness before he’d dissolve into the animal but was happy to let that happen. He was where he wanted to be and one way or another, big Ed had been saved and was back with his wife, ready for his dreams, happiness and success. Little Ed meanwhile had learnt so much about life, history and people in his time as a Transient. He’d come to a much deeper understanding of existence and what it could mean without ambition, possessions and greed. He’d heard stories of survival in the most extreme of circumstances, battling with compassion and understanding against the tyranny of bigotry, fascism and persecution. He’d also learnt the value of what he had right there in his own life in the present, right here and now, there and then. That place of security and familiarity was where he decided to settle. The grass was not always greener.