John and Sara, Part 3

Tommy and Caitlin had long ago given up their attempts to “share” Flu as a family pet. Caitlin, the designated afternoon dog walker, found herself unable to coax the little mutt to use his legs. While Walnut, their German shepherd, would happily prance ahead of her, Flu would sit firmly on his haunches and allow himself to be dragged. As small as he was, this was not a difficult task, but the opposing directions of the leashes hurt Caitlin’s shoulders, and after two sessions she started leaving Flu at home. Though brief as Caitlin’s companionship with the miniature pet was, Tommy’s was shorter. Used to feeding Walnut from the dinner table, he was surprised by Flu’s ingratitude, and had to wear a band-aid on his fingers for three days. Tommy and Caitlin decided to leave Flu in Char’s care, and only acknowledged the dog as far as polite tolerance required.


Char, his parents noted, enjoyed having the dog all to himself. They spent their afternoons together in Char’s room or the backyard playhouse. Before school, Sara would check Char’s backpack to ensure he did not try to bring Flu to class again. Whenever Char sat--at meals, while watching television, reading in the living room--Flu was in his lap. John had noticed, as he tucked Char in one night, that Flu had taken to nestling himself inside the hollow of the boy’s detached leg prosthesis. It was turning into an unhealthy relationship, he and Sara agreed as they folded sheets. But the boy needed a friend, didn’t he?