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And the fox? Ya see? The fox, he, ... he, .... he just left one day. And I didn't see 'im -- --. I mean it was like, you know, it seemed to me weeks and weeks! An'nen a coupl'a months. I didn't see 'im inna woods, nor in town, nor nuffin'. And that kinda rowed me off, I mean -- Well, yeah, ... I won't lie to you, it hurt. It hurt right bad. You know I felt sorry for the little bloke, but he seemed good for handl'in himself okay. I mean other than getting' beaten up an' robbed, once. But you know, we all ... we all get into a fight now and again. I knew it warrn't no fight he was up'ta, but you know there warrn't nothing to do, so I didn't do nothin'. Oh he was handsome he was, an I missed th' company, I did. I thought about that, I actually thought about that ... quite a bit. Really.

He was really somethin'.

And I kept picturin' him, you know, with his green vest and wearin' a khaki slacks and all-- and a beautiful white shirt, and most -- I missed talking to 'im, you know? There's less than half the number of dishes fer washin'... An' not like I was in love wif him, cause I wasn't! I was just liking having someone t'a house, and not alone ta' meself. See?

I lost some weight.

And I watched some movies.

I got into a fight down at the bar; one of the guys said that I was a bit like a "Arrogant Petty Tyrant." And, you know, when you're feelin' rough and lost and alone and all, that's not the kinda thin' you wanna hear. So I decked him. He went for the feint. *BAM!!!* Left cross across the kisser. I mean I clocked his muzzle good. And he didn't get up. He didn't even wake up for a while, they told me. *laughs*

And I bellowed, and stomped, and snorted and I paid my bill and I stomped out. I shoulda made him pay my bill. Cause I cut up me hoof. Me left hoof was pretty cut up after that. I didn't need no stitches or nothin'. I had to go to the doctor and get some injections and stuff, let the pus out. And I got a bit of a'talkin' to from the straw boss. He weren't really happy with me, he weren't. But I didn't knock any teeth out. That was good. Not like it was planned or nuffin' but it was good. -- It was good! You know, I clocked him in the jaw and didn't break nothin'. I was glad for that. But he cut me a wide berth after that.

And after a couple a weeks alone -- I didn't feel to hang out down at the bar of an evenin' a'more. And stayin' home at least I stopped losin' weight. And 'nen on I just kept to meself. You know, everyone once in a while kind 'a walk in from the parkin lot, walk out from the parkin lot I'd see a buck or some does, or some one like that squatin' out in the woods. You know livin' the free life, of a feral. They didn't come near me or nothin'. I guess I'm too big or somthin'. But to see them, it put me in mind of him, and how much I missed him....

And one day I had me a shock!

I was sittin' in the kitchen. I was sittin' at ma' breakfast and I heard this tappin' --at the back door. And I'm thinkin', "Oh my god, what's goin on, now"!? Everybody comes to the front door. You know you don't get anybody comin' ta' the backdoor-- you know-- unless they're neighbors. And they all know I keep the long hours because of the evening shift, you know, they don't know when I'm sleepin'. Whether it's before work -or after work --or what. And I figure, oh it's someone new in the neighborhood what wants ta' borrow a cup o' sugar.

And I open the door and there he was!

Oh, gor' an' he was so handsome. *groans* *sniffs -- blows nose* And I'm thinkin' to myself, "Oh what'd you come back here for, you dirty bugger!?"

And he stepped in and gave me a short bow -- like I were some kind'a gentlefurr, and when offered, he sat down in'na chair, and he said, "Can I stay here please, please, Sir?"

He didn't even use my name. *sniffs -- blows nose*

And I picked him up and I hugged him. I bundled 'im up in my arms and I hugged 'im. And I would think me remiss if I did not say that I don't think he liked that too good, cause he kicked and wiggled a bit.

But I didn't put him into a bear hug or nothin'. I was nice enough for that.

And I put him down. And I guessed I musta smiled at 'im -- because he smiled up at me. He said to me, he says, "Could I spend the night?" And I say, "Oh, Tim, oh, Yeah. Yeah, that you can." I had t' ask 'im, "You had something t' eat? You want something t' eat??" And he just looked at me like he could cry! And he didn't, but 'e didn't look top fit. And see -- he was all skin --and bones -- he'd lost some weight too, he had. And he said, "Yeah, I could use something t' eat." So I started to cook him up somthin'. I went over by the cooker and fridge, an' I got out some bacon and some prattie's. I got out some green beans, some nice fresh green beans, well they were froze, but I mean they were all thawed and everything. They weren't fresh - fresh -- Not fresh off the bush or nothin'. And I got a can of corn down. I still didn't know if he's allergic to it so I didn't open the corn. But I made that all up and I got out some peanut butter because I know he loves peanut butter. I thinned it down some and I made a sauce. Me sister used to call it a Sattay. When I started making this Sattay he started getting all twitchy like, he started looking and sniffin' the air.

And you know? I was doin' me very best. I was doin me very, very best.

When you have an opportunity to do somethin' over and you're thinking to youself, "Oh I would have done it this way, -- or, "Oh! I would have done it that way?" Well over the intervenin' months I had a chance to think about it, you see? I'm not stupid! And I was thinkin' about it in me head. About what would I have done different. And I was a little grumpy with him for not sayin goodbye or nothin', not tellin' me nothin'! And I cooked it all up. The whole time I'm thinkin' about what I could have done different. Rememberin' all me bullet points and stuff in me head. And I'm rememberin' all this stuff I shoulda' done. I put it down on a plate and I slid it down in front of 'im. I just stood there and he just tucked in right away, you know? No pausin' for Grace or thanks ta' The Green Man, nor nothin' like that, he tucked right in. I gotta tell ya, I almost had some me'self. It smelled that good, it did! I mean it was really, really good. It was, you know, as good from the restaurants.

And I stood there with me hoofs on me hips and I just looked at him. And when he was about halfway through, you know, he was chewin' the food careful like, but he wasn't chewin' it up as thorough as he might if he was in a whatcha' might call a 'congenial' atmosphere that we was putting on here.

I just stood there by the table and about halfway through he looks up at me and his eyes got round and he was lookin' at me face and I'm lookin' at him. And he puts the fork down and he pulls his head back and he folds and tucks his ears down and I'm thinkin', 'Well I won that round.' But I wasn't lettin' him off real-easy like. I said, "You walked out. You didn't tell me goodbye. Nothin'. Not thanks. Just a packet of money." And he hangs his head for a moment. He's hanging his head and he's lookin at the table and he sees the envelope. All stuffed wit' th' bills and just like he left it and just where he left it. Now you know, I didn't need the money. Okay? I didn't want to touch it. It was like it was bad, you know? I didn't want to touch it because I missed him so bad, you know ... I kept hopin' he was comin' back for it. But he didn't. *sniffs*

Anyway, there it is and he sees the envelope and his eyes are all big and round and he knows it, he can tell, you know? I'm just standin' there. I'm not smiling or nothin'. Just standin' there with me hoofs on me hips. And it was bein' right rough on him. But, you know, he had to know. That's not the how to treat, you know, you don't throw your friends, and you don't do that to your roommates and folks with what has got meanin' for ya'. I didn't know how much meanin' I had for him but damnit he had enough meanin' for me, for two. You know what I'm sayin'? He hurt me right bad, he did. And it might have been nowt but salt, but he was gonna get both barrels leveled at him.

And I let fly -- both barrels, pulled the triggers and, -- BAM!!!! BAM!!!!

*folds paw as if holding a shotgun*

And that was what there was, and I said, "I did me best by you." And he nodded. "And you left without a word. Without a goodbye. Without nothin' except your money." And he really hung his head. I mean it -- He tucked his head back to his shoulders before it just dropped down. His jaw just dropped to his chest. OOowww, He knew he'd stepped in it good.

"I didn't spend any of your money. You hear? I didn't want it. I didn't want it. I didn't want your money. What did I ever ask from you? Except that -- that you, ... you stay here -- with me?"

I kinda broke down a bit, there, you know? Not bad enough I could not talk, ...but I had to wipe me eyes. Cause I said, "I gave you an home. And I bought you clothes. And I bought you food. And you paid me back money from hawkin' your asshole?"

And he nodded but he didn't look up. He had the decency not to do that. So I gave it to him right there. I laid it very, very carefully out on the table just like it was a precious newspaper clippin' or somethin'. And I said, "You spendin' the night here tonight or you plannin' on makin' it a home?"

And then he shocked the shit outta me. He looked up to me, and his whole muzzle -- was just wet with tears. I hadn't seen anything like it. I mean he wasn't shakin' or nothin'. He was just leakin' water out of his eyes. And it matted, you know, matted up his whole muzzle down to 'is nose. And of course when he looked up I could see the big wet spot on his shirt and then he started talkin' in a hurry, he did. He lowered his eyes a bit, he did. He lowered his eyes onna table and he said, "I'd like to say I haven't done right by you. You were good to me and honest and caring and you took care of me when I was a mess. And I left all sudden-like and I'm sorry for that. And if it's alright I'd like to ask for the room back and I'll stay." And I interrupted him. I cut him right off. And I said, "For the night?" And he shook his head, 'No.' I was all amazed. I wasn't aghast but I was amazed. I was stunned.

I just looked at him. And he said, 'I'd like to live here; if that's okay with you?" And I looked at him and I asked him, "Okay, what are the rules?" And he looked at me and he said, "No one comes in your house but me. No guests. And I do my share of the work." I said, "That wasn't it! That wasn't my conditions." He says, "Well, it is the conditions, now!"

And then it was my turn to rock back. And I rocked back on me boots and I unfolded me hoofs from across me chest and I stuffed them in me pants pocket. I was that brought up short. So I took at step back. I nodded and said, "Ok." He says, "I got a job." And I says, "Okay." He says, "I've got a job and I'll do the dishes and put 'em away. And do all of the laundry. Fold'em up for you. Put 'em up outside of your door or put them up on your bed or wherever you want. I'll do your shoppin' if you want?" And I just looked at 'im. You know I had no idea where this was goin'. I had so many things I wanted to say to 'im. And then I was all gob stopped. And you know stuff like that happens sometimes you have a plan and you have your little speech all thought out in your 'ead. And then the teacher doesn't call on you? Instead, the principal walks in and says somethin' to you about your Sister, and all your plans go out the window, you know? You know what I'm sayin' there?

So I was just, you know, noddin' there. And that was it. An' 'e stayed, he did. Every morn, breakfast wif me, and lunch, often supper of a week's end evening. And that's how it was, from then on...