Oh Henry! part 3

For a couple of days Henry would slip in and out of the neighborhood to visit the boys. Sometimes the boys would have to hunt for him to see if he was still around and okay. The boys hated it, but they also had to lie several times to avoid others knowing that they had been around Henry. Henry had a slight limp, but he wouldn't let the boys investigate it enough to see what was wrong. They still didn't know if Henry attacked Stephen, but they loved him too much to care. This was their pal, their comrade, their sergeant at arms. Defender of best friends from the other dogs, as well as an avid squirrel, chipmunk, cat, and girl chaser. That was the best part too. Upon command, after much training and practice, Henry would chase "The BOB" away from the club house or the lake. "The BOB" girls would call Henry "That Stupid Dog" and "The Beast of boys". Henry got a few eggs tossed at him now and then. However, most of them missed cause...well because the girls just threw like girls. But Henry didn't care. He didn't take it too personally. The girls talked about selling him or running him off, but secretly they would give him treats when no one was looking. Brush his hair, rub his belly, and once even put clear nail polish on one of his claws. They wondered if the boys would ever notice. They did not. He chased the girls, the girls fought back. And Henry wouldn't have had any respect for them if they didn't fight back sometimes. Henry is a smart dog. If only he could speak that crazy way humans talked. Then he could say what was on his mind. Like 'Instead of me chasing the girls, shouldn't it be you boys' chasing them? Anyway, let’s move on with the story at hand.

Stephen went back to the hospital to get his stitches checked, replaced, and/or removed. He had not been careful as instructed. So there was some further damage showing by way of a slight swelling and evidence of infection. And due to his lack of discipline the Doctor instructed the nurse to put a cast on his arm. This would prevent too much movement of his arm muscles, and allow for a better healing all around. With the cast he had a sling, and the sling would be strapped around his waist to keep him from moving it around. The Doc and Mrs. Meyers made some small talk about the rain that was headed Gruberville’s way, and news of the up and coming local elections. Doc Woc asked Mrs. Meyers if the Dog had all of it's shots. "Well, I think so." She replied. "Why ya askin' Doc?" Stephen inquired. "Because young man, If he didn't have all his shots you might need to get about 21 for yourself? Although that has changed over the years. I’ll have to check the actual count." Doc answered. Stephen's eyes popped open wide. Not liking that prospect very much, he answered quickly. "Henry got all his shots, we have the papers from the vet at the house. Re, remember Mom? You put them in the cookie jar with his license and AKC certificate. Remember? Mom?" He definitely didn't want any shots. Mrs. Meyers remembered, but added. "Honey, we’re still not sure that it was Henry that bit you! We will need to find out soon or the shots will have to happen just in case." Stephen's head and shoulders...well his whole body for that matter, just slumped down in a ‘Aw man this really sucks’ kind of way.

Well...Stephen didn't get the shots. And you could have figured that out later but I wanted to give you a bit of good news in the middle of all this negative uncertainty.

At the same time that Stephen was at the hospital getting his cast put on, Jarred was up in the club house making things a little easier for his one armed pal to reach and get around with. It wasn’t much, but it was something to do. Then just as he was scooting some wooden crates across the floor he heard a few barks come from the bushes. He knew that bark. It was no different than a child calling out to Mom, among 10 other mothers and the correct one replying back. This was Henry...the boys knew his voice. "Henry!?" he said looking out of the south club house window. Some more barking and some growling came out of the bushes. Not seeming to remember what happened last time or just maybe having a major brain malfunction, Jarred slid down the rope to investigate. He approached the bushes slowly though, so maybe he did remember a little. But, he just had to see what Henry was barking and growling about.

It was a very cloudy day. Darker than usual for the middle of any day. The forecast called for rain but that hadn't started yet. Just some heavy wind and thunder heard from the south. With no sun there were no shadows and the bushes were making good camouflage. "Henry, you come out of there. Come here boy." Jarred called out to Henry with a stern yet slightly worrisome voice. With the barking that Henry was doing, and the wind blowing against his ears, it was hard for Jarred to hear his Dad opening the back door asking him what he was doing. Henry jumped out of the bushes and barked at Jarred, then jumped back in barking and growling again. Mr. Crow’s veins were just barely holding the blood his heart was now pumping through them. He could feel his adrenaline like a bad drug. He turned, dashed into the house and out of sight for a minute. Jarred heard the side screen door slam from the wind, turned to look, heard a bark, then turned back around. The wind seemed to pick up some, blowing louder and louder. Jarred heard his Dad yelling something about 'Pet Town', he turned to listen again wondering ‘if they were all trying to keep Henry away, why his dad would be asking if he wanted to go the big pet store over in Trumbull county’. He heard a scuffle in the bushes turned again and heard some more barking. And more barking, and the wind, Mr. Crow yelling, barking, growling, the wind knocking down the boy’s bikes and the lid to the grill banging up against the house. Jarred was getting dizzy from turning his head back and forth so quickly. Henry jumped out facing Jarred barked at him, turned and barked at Mr. Crow, then turned and jumped back now facing the bushes. He stopped barking all of a sudden...the hair on his back went straight up... he turned and lunged at the boy. "HENRY! NOOOOOOOOooooooooooooo!" Jarred and his Dad screamed in disbelief. Then “POW"......."Yipe".......and another "POW - POW" and a second "Yipe"......rifle shots, and then silence.

To be continued.

Oh Henry! part 2

"Like I said before Dad, I only heard it and then saw a shadow of something and then Stephen came out from behind the bushes all bloody." Jarred explained to his and Stephen's parents, what he knew. Which as it was, wasn't much. "I heard a deep growl and a few barks. Then I heard Stephen say ‘HENRY NO!’, real loud. He kinda screamed it. And by the time I got down out of the club house and over to the bushes, Stephen was on his way out." "You didn't see anything else?" Asked Mr. Meyers. Jarred hesitated... "WELL!?!" Shouted Mrs. Meyers and Mrs. Heart simultaneously (just like the boys do – strange that). The fathers grabbed hold of each of their wives hands to calm them down a bit, and then all four of them said in a much calmer voice. "Well!?!" "Well” Jarred continued. “I thought I saw something, but I was coming down the rope so fast that it burned my hands and I lost sight of it." Mrs. Meyers went into the kitchen to get them all something to drink, and as she walked past her husband she attempted to whisper but said. "Jim ask him what he THOUGHT he saw." They all heard her and instead of looking to Mr. Meyers for his response, the all looked toward Jarred again. Mrs. Crow got up to help with the drinks, when Jarred stuttered out. "It loo-loo looked like a big wolf." The Crows and Meyers were all silent for a few seconds. Then Mr. Crow got up from his chair and said. "I seriously doubt it was a wolf." "And that will be the last of those late night scary movies for you boys too." Mrs. Meyers said, as she and Mama Crow came back to the living room. "It wasn't a nightmare Mrs. Meyers. I wasn't dreaming." Jarred said as seriously as he could while wiping his brow with his t-shirt sleeve. "I only got a glimpse, and that was the first thought that came to mind." He finished. "Well, then. If that was your first thought, what do you think it might have been now." Jarred's eyes started to tear up a bit. His hands were shaking, and he averted his eyes away from the adults. He went from confidence in his first thought to concern over his later second thought. With his lips trembling, he whispered. "I think it was Henry."

There was talk. Real talk. Talk that scared Jarred, and brought tears to the eyes of Momma Meyers, and Mrs. Crow. The Meyers' went home. It was late and everybody but Mrs. Meyers went to bed. She had Mr. Meyers bring up her favorite rocking chair, and spent the night in Stephen's room. He was released from the Hospital, still very woozy from the pain medication they gave him. She dozed off a few times but for the most part she just prayed and tried to give comfort to her son. Twice that night Mrs. Meyers was jerked out of a light sleep by Stephen talking in his. "HEY! What are you doing over there?" He wasn't talking very loud, but Mrs. Meyers was suspicious that he was having a flash back of some sort. "Hey Henry. Come here boy. Come’ere." Mrs. Meyers could see by the light from outside that Stephen's eye brows were up all the way, and he was looking scared. "Henry!" He said with a stern voice. "Come Here boy!" "Who are you barking at, you crazy dog? Come h............. What the heck?" "HENRY!" Stephen shouted. "HENRYYYYYYYYYYYY!" Mrs. Meyers jumped up and sat on the bed next to her son. She lifted him up and held him close. "Shhhhhhhh. It's okay now Stephen. You’re home now." She said in that sweet tender motherly tone. Stephen's breathing jumped so high, and now was slowing again. "Henry! Henry! No Henry! No!" Stephen just repeated that 4 or 5 more times and then drifted back off. Momma Meyers had some awful thoughts about what she was going to do to that dog when they found him. ‘Hurt my baby, when no body's looking! I'll show you a hurtin’!’ she thought to herself. But that thought also disturbed her. ‘That dog is the absolute best. Short of that cat Pickles he chases, there isn't a soul that wouldn’t trust Henry with their life.’ She leaned back on the head board still holding Stephen and dozed off her self.

The next morning both the Crows and Meyers house holds were out looking for the alleged attacker. That's right, I said alleged. Ya see, when Stephen woke up he didn't have much more to add to what Jarred had already said. "I was headed up to the club house when I thought I saw Henry in the bushes. I didn't want him to get in trouble for digging back there so I went to get him. When I got back there, I tried to coax him out but he started growling and barking. I couldn’t see anything and then I heard Jarred ask what was going on, and when I turned to look at him something jumped me from behind. I started to get up and saw Henry jumping my way, and I yelled NO HENRY!" Stephen went on. "Henry was acting real strange and angry! Maybe he thought I was an intruder or something! The next thing I know Jarred is taking his shirt off and wrapping it around my arm. Did Henry bite me Dad?" "We’re not sure Stephen." Mr. Meyers said. "But we're going to find out."

The search around the neighborhood went on for hours. You could hear Henry's name being called for several blocks in every direction. Sometime after noon Jarred stopped by Stephen's house to see if he was awake. "Man I thought you were gonna lose your arm." Jarred said. "Jarred, you saw it didn't you. Did Henry attack me?" Stephen’s eyes were pleading for a "NO" answer, but all Jarred could say was ‘I don't know’. Then from down stairs they boys heard some commotion. Jarred walked side by side with his best friend down the stairs, to see everybody outside of the patio doors. "What are you doing out of bed young man?" Momma Meyers asked. "I wanted to see if Henry was back, and if he was alright." Stephen said as he and Jarred stepped out the big sliding glass door way. "HENRY!" the boys chimed together. They stepped closer to a wagging tail and a happy pant, but then noticed the blood on Henry's mouth and nose. "Step back away from him boys." Mrs. Crow said. Mrs. Meyers lead the boys in the house, as their fathers began to talk. "You know we're gonna have to put him down, right?" Mr. Crow said. Then boys darted back toward the door shouting "NOOOOOOOOO! You can't do that. Momma, don’t let them do it." The two Mrs. pulled their boys in for some close hugs, and tried to comfort them. Mr. Meyers had hold of Henry's leash and was about to lead him to the clothes line pull to tie him there when........."HENRY. RUN! RUN BOY." "GO HENRY GIT OUTTA HERE." The boys started shouting. A bit of commotion and Henry made a run for it. He leaped off the patio, fell onto his side, whimpered in pain, and sort of ran away in a fast limp. They boys were in tears. They may have saved is life, but their buddy and pal was now a fugitive.

Everyone went out looking again. Mr. Crow and Mr. Meyers were over heard talking about rabies, testing the brain, and shots. Their wives were heard talking about healing and scars, and blood stains on clothes. Everyone was talking. "But Henry was such a sweet dog." WAS?!? What do they mean was. Don't talk about me in the past tense. How rude. "He loved to play fetch." Yeah that was true. "He did once nip the mailman on the butt." I was playing with him. He knew it was a joke. "Gonna have to put him down." Put me down where? I can lay down. And I can jump down. But what is this put me down?
This was all scary talk, and Henry didn't like it. He heard almost all of it while hiding around every corner. He knew he could go and rest out at the lake for the evening. He would just come home tomorrow and see the boys and..........................

To be continued. Again.

Oh Henry! part 1

Jarred bumped open the door with his hip as he entered the kitchen shirtless, with Stephens arm draped over his shoulder half walking - half being dragged by Jarred who was now revealing the temporary tattoo of "The Lone Ranger" on his chest. Stephen's Superman tattoo was fast peeling off, but you couldn't see it through his shirt and all the blood. His face was pale, and Stephen looked scared. He had Jarred’s shirt wrapped around his bicep real tight, but the blood just kept on coming. Sandy came around the corner from the living room, reading one of her fashion magazines, not even paying attention she bumped in to Stephen, called him a dweeb, opened the refrigerator door and pulled out the pitcher of lemon-aide, turned back around to get a glass from the shelf, saw the blood, screamed (like a girl), dropped the glass pitcher, screamed again for nearly 20 straight seconds, and finally passed out. By this time Mr. and Mrs. Crow were in the kitchen wondering who was being murdered.

Murdered?!? Well not exactly. But then again... As to what was actually going on didn't come to light for another day. Anyway, what was going on right now was Stephen was bleeding, and as to what had caused it was yet to come. There was more screaming and looking and touching and screaming and fainting and cleaning and... "What hap......." "Who did this to y......." "Were you boys playing with that knife agai........." "Mom, MOM? What happened to Stephen?" Sandy screamed before passing out again. "I don't know San........" "Keep pressure on it, or else it will......." "Watch! Your stepping on gla........" "Stephen, can you hear me?" "Jarred, what hap......" "We were just out back playing when.............." "OUCH" Screamed Stephen. "EVERYBODY JUST SHUT UP!!!" Hollered Mr. Crow with a lions roar. "Stephen, son. Your going to be okay." Mr. Crow went into full Super DAD mode. "Sandy...SANDY, help your mom clean up the lemon-aid and glass!" He roared again. "Jarred, Help Stephen into the car. I'll call the Meyers. That is gonna need some stitches." And then it was Stephen's turn to faint. PLOP. Right down to the floor. I know he hated needles, but it could have been from the blood loss. "Sandy!!! Never mind that. You call the Meyers, and tell them to meet us at the Hospital." He said as he picked Stephen up off the floor, and headed toward the car.

"Is my baby okay?" Asked Mrs. Meyers. Mr. Meyers slightly raised an eyebrow at the Baby comment, but understood. "What did they do this time?!? Get into a losing battle with the Grishums Tractor?" Said Mr. Meyers. "I'm not sure, Jim." Mr. Crow replied. "Bruce?!?" Mrs. Meyers said. "Yeah, Charlotte" "WHERE IS HE?" (Okay, just for you new comers, it's Jim & Charlotte Meyers and Bruce & Sandy Crow. Yeah, that's right Jarred’s sister Sandy is a Jr.. It only seemed silly for a little while since Mr. Crow Always called the Mrs. 'Honey' 'Sweetheart' 'Yes Dear', and so on, instead of using her first name.) "Jim, Charlotte!! Here comes the Doc." All the voices started in on the Doc like those in the kitchen earlier, and the Doctor just took 2 steps back crossed his arms and waited. Now all of these parents had been here plenty of times, so they knew the routine and after a few more what, when, and where’s they all just hushed up. The Doctor wouldn't start talking until everyone else was silent and would then field questions only one at a time. There was nothing worse than trying to answer 72 questions at once to a hysterical crowd. Only took 15 seconds this time for quite. Doc Wocker began to speak. Yep, that's right................ "DOC WOC". Anyway, the Doc started to talk. "He'll probably be in a bit of pain for a few days, his muscles need to rejuvenate." The Doc said. "There was minimal damage and he should have a full recovery, and full use of his arm." "He'll need to come back and get a cast in a few days. We can't put one on now, because we need to make sure there isn't going to be an infection." "So Mrs. Meyers, you'll need to keep the wound clean and change the dressing twice a day. Rub some of this on it with each change, its an antibiotic." He handed her a tube. "You can probably take him home in a few hours. We just want to observe him until he comes to." "If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask." The Doc finished, turned to walk away, and then turned back and said. "Oh, one more thing. Do any of you know who Henry is?" "Stephen called out the name Henry a couple of times while seeming to be fending off someone." "You might want to get a hold of the police on this. I'll leave that up to you. "Henry?!” Mrs. Meyers whispered. “Isn't that the name of the boy's Dog?" Mr. Crow asked. He always just called out ‘Let’s go four legs.’ Or ‘Com’on fur-ball’. And all the parents looked down the hall toward Jarred, who was sitting in the waiting room still shirtless, a bit bloody, and looking scared.

To be continued.....................