“What are you doing?” the rare Blue German Shepard asked.

“Relaxing.”

“No you aren’t, you’re hiding, I smell your fear, it’s strong. It stinks too”.

Adolfo lunged, snarling and gnashing his yellowing retired incisors. But he became wedged even tighter, like a dead child, and gave in. His fear piled tightly on him loosening his bowels and stomach.

Two hours later, after being extricated by Delgado and the redhead, he lay back out on the porch freshly bathed, drying in the sun.

“Are you going to eat that?” she asked nosing toward his dried chicken strip.

“Are you blind, didn’t you see what I did to myself that required a hosing off?”

“Thanks. They call me Adele, my partner is Maria. I’ve heard of you, you’re famous, on billboards and stuff. I watched my rescue partner watch you on a training film, she and I had to copy you and your partners moves. You made it look easy…..come with me to the forest”.

“No, the ague has settled into my hips” Adolfo whined.

“Catshit, Your pups are up there too!”