(Another summer evening.  Man came home and opened his front door).

Man:  Hello, Richie!  I’m home!  …Goodness!  What is this?

His Dog:  Welcome back, Master.

M:  Richie, What is this?

HD:  A welcome mat.

M:  Whaaat?

HD:  A paw-made mat to welcome you, Master.  Your return was a little later than I had expected, therefore, I decided to spend my time weaving a special mat for you.

M:  Weaving…??

HD:  Paw-weaving, to be precise.  Do you like my craftsdogship?

M:  These are… just my old socks and worn towels…the things I chucked into the bin the other day!!

HD:  I have recycled them, Master.  Everyone is encouraged to recycle things these days, you know.  You may be a cyclist, yes, you are, but I am a recyclist.  Because I cannot ride a bike–well, not yet.

M:  Richie…!!

Well…, that is a lovely thought.  Very thoughtful, Richie.  But…

HD:  I am sorry you do not like my pawiwork.

M:  No, no, it is nothing like that.  You are a good dog, Richie.  I appreciate your effort.  But, sorry dear, this does not work.  Please put this back into the bin where you found it.  There is no need to “destroy” them, you know.  We can do it humanely, if you know what I mean….

HD:  Alright, Master.  I will do that.  But I can only do it caninely.

M:   …Of course.  Thank you, Richie.

Now, shall we go for a walk?  To compensate this, perhaps?

HD:  Wow!  Yes, Master.

M:  OK.  Just a moment.  I am going to have a shower.

HD:  Are you going to have a shower?

M:  Yes.

HD:  You are going to have a shower before going for a walk with me?

M:  Well, and change.  These are my work clothes, you know.

HD:  Of course….

(Fifteen minutes later.  The man came out from his bedroom, now dressed casually but rather smartly.)

HD:  You look smart, Master.

M:  Do I?  Thank you, Richie.

HD:  Very smart.  Rather different from your usual walkie style, I must say.

M:  No, no, Richie.  I look exactly the same as usual, I am sure.

HD:  ….

 

(The man and his dog walked to the park.  Once there, the man took his dog straight to the centre of the park where a fountain was.  The dog started playing with the water, then miraculously, Kennet appeared from somewhere, followed by his mistress.  The two dogs joyously played together whilst their owners sat on the bench talking and laughing. )

 

(An evening in late autumn.  The man and his dog were in the living room.)

HD:  Master?

M:  Uh?

HD:  I have not seen Kennet recently.

M:  No.  You haven’t.

HD:  Nor have I seen you having a shower before our walk either.

M:  ….

HD:  What happened, Master, to Kennet and his lovely mistress, may I ask?  Are they not coming to the park anymore?   Or at least at the same time we go there, I wonder?

M:  Well, Richie…, this is a bit difficult to explain, but you remember, I believe, that I came back later than usual on several occasions, on which you resisted, successfully, the temptation to recycle anything from the bin…?

HD:  I remember I have been a good dog!

M:  Yes, you have.  Well…, in short, I went out with the lady, Kennet’s mistress, that is, for several times.  And…, this may not be easy for you to understand, Richie, but Amelia, that is the name of Kennet’s mistress, she and I have decided not to see each other again.  We were very fond of each other, you know, but we realised that what we wanted in life were rather different, and it would be better we went separate ways.

HD:  Different routes when walking dogs.

M:  Ha, ha, no, …well, yes, and doing other things, too.  You know, Richie, she is a lovely lady and there must be a more suitable man than I for her.  Well, this is the human world, Richie.

HD:  I am sorry, Master.  You look sad.

M:  No, no, I am OK, Richie.  I am sorry you will not play with Kennet any more.  You were good pals….

HD:  That is alright, Master.  That is the canine world.  We do not choose our lives but our masters or mistresses do.

Perhaps next time, a lovely lady will come to you along with a similarly lovely four-legged girl on leash!  I look forward to that.  That is much fairer, I am sure, from my point of view.

M:  Ha, ha, ha, Richie!  That is good!

HD:  A duck with a leek.

M:  What?

HD:  They call it “A duck comes carrying a leek” in Japan, Master.  My Akita friend told me when we were together at the shelter.  The meaning is, I think, “two good things come together for your convenience”.  They cook duck with leek in Japan, which, he said, was delicious.

M:  Oh, do they?  You never cease to amaze me with your extensive knowledge, Richie.

HD:  I have learnt a lot at the shelter, Master.  There were a lot of us living together and some were from very different culture.  It was an interesting place, actually.

M:  It seems so.  Anyway, I am impressed, Richie.

HD:  Thank you, Master.  Let us hope that two lovely ladies, a human and a canine, appear before us before long!  I must tell you, Master, everyone who loves dogs is nice person.  We know that.

M:  Well, yes, perhaps that is right.

By the way, Richie, in your shelter days, was there anyone, any “four-legged lady” whom you admired, I wonder?  Or…with whom you…uh, forged a special relationship?

HD:  Some things are better left untold, Master, if you allow me to say so.  I can only say that everyone, both human and canine, has a second chance.  Just like, uh… recycling.