I am only inclined to tell this story, before I can no longer speak, because no one I have been rash enough to tell it to so far believes it. Right now, I’ll restrict myself to what is believable and that is simply that a puppy followed my neighbor pushing his way up the long path through the wild grass and tall red osiers that were not beaten down by my narrow, daily footsteps. He looked like a friendly dog although I cannot remember why I agreed to take him in.
His name was Fred. I let him sleep inside my cabin containing a hand pump for water, kerosene lamps for light and a wood stove on the edge of central Maine’s vast forest lands. On his first day Fred tore open the sealed food bag and stuffed himself with dog food until his stomach bloated. When he saw me refill his bowl he knew this was home. Eventually, Fred would earn the title of “bad dog”. I forgave him. I hope he forgave me. However, that gets into the unbelievable part that I’ve promised myself I must tell, but which I cannot tell, just yet, because I am trying to make it clear how cute he looked walking innocently through that tall grass.
WATER FLOWS DOWNHILL
FILLING STREAMS FROM MAPLE GROVES
AUTUMN LOSES WARMTH
Written for dVerse Haibun Monday. Photo: "Orderly Entanglement" by the author. Hear the author read this haibun on SoundCloud.
A great Haibun and a mystery to boot. I’ll await the ‘unbelievable’
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks. It is an unbelievable true story, at least so I’ve been told, and over time I will fill it out.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Look forward to it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
A very mysterious haibun and lovely haiku – when will you share the rest of the story with us?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you! Yes, I plan to add to this over the weeks ahead.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I look forward to reading it!☺
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hmm.. mysterious
Dog named
Fred..
can’t
say i haven’t
heard oF one
version
of that
recently..
hehe..
but in my case..
it is more like a lamb
in wolves clothing.. strange dog he is2..;)
LikeLiked by 1 person
I called the dog “Fred” because I could only think of “Fido” at the time as a name for the dog and I felt he deserved a better name than that. Thanks!
LikeLiked by 1 person
SMiLes..
Fred is good..:)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ahhhh, but Fido means faithful.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Whoa! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I have a bad feeling about Fred….
LikeLiked by 1 person
Fred and I had one brief period of tension lasting about half an hour, but both of us survived it. But it was those chickens. They started it. What one of them did was so unexpectedly heartbreaking it has haunted me for decades. I don’t even believe it happened and yet I saw the whole thing.
LikeLike
This one left me with goosebumps! Powerfully penned 💝
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you! It is a bit ominous especially since I didn’t say what was unbelievable.
LikeLike
I do hope you’ll share more. I promise to believe.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I will probably through this haibun format. Thanks!
LikeLike
Please, please, please…the rest of the story! I love this dog already.
LikeLiked by 1 person
He was a nice dog. I think I’ll add pieces to it for each of the haibun Mondays, if I can fit them in. Thanks!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I like this, suspenseful, funny, and part of dog story… It doesn’t get much better than this; looking forward to the unbelievable part!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you! It’s a story about a boy and his dog and parts of it are funny.
LikeLike
to be continued… I like that 🙂 I also like the images of the pup following through the narrow path of grasses…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you! The story is too long for two paragraphs.
LikeLike
Wow, a haibun with a cliffhanger, I really like the mystery and the hints in your comment… the haiku is gorgeous
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks! It is a mystery to me as well more so because I know the ending. I’m glad you liked the haiku.
LikeLike
Wow…I love the suspense. Looking forward to more of Fred’s story. You haiku is lovely.
LikeLiked by 1 person
“your”
LikeLike
Thank you! I also have the tendency to skip the final “r” when typing “your”.
LikeLike
It is a kind of satisfaction to be able to do something for Fred!
Hank
LikeLiked by 1 person
I wanted to write this for Fred, and also for one of the chickens I had.
LikeLike
It is all beautifully written and now about the unbelievable…..is it coming soon? Anxious to read it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you! There is much to tell in preparation. I hope to finish the story, off an on, within the next year.
LikeLiked by 1 person