ArcaMax

I slipped into their house quietly through the garage and sneaked up the back steps.

I knew they’d be in the family room watching an old movie. That’s what they often did in the afternoons — and, sure enough, that is what they were doing.

In I walked, a soft cuddly puppy in my arms — and the room lit up like a Christmas tree.

The joy was immediate and, just like that, my mom and dad were transformed from their late 80s into giddy, 10-year-old children.

I set Thurber on my father’s lap and the puppy was in his glory, his tail wagging wildly. Dogs always loved my father and sensed instantly, and correctly, that he was the alpha male in the room.

The two played and cuddled a good long while as Thurber climbed all over my dad and found an especially comfortable spot between him and the arm of his recliner.

I brought Thurber over to my mom and she too was thrust into instant joy and affection. We never think of our parents as being children, but with a puppy in her arms my mother became a happy little girl.

It was as if her father, who died when she was only 19, was watching over her again — providing her with the warmth and security he did so well in her childhood.

After a time, my mother set Thurber on the floor, where I lay enticing him to play with me.

I laughed aloud as he jumped on me and showered me with his affection, but it was more than just puppy affection that brought me so much joy.

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Copyright 2022 Tom Purcell, All Rights Reserved. Credit: Cagle.com