The
Trifecta challenge this week is to use the third definition of "Ample:"
"
3:
buxom, portly "
Normally I try to make the challenge word a more important part of the piece than it is below, but I had something else in mind this week. Thanks for reading.
In 2006, the man moved to live a new life with his
Muse. The house and the new life came
with some accoutrements: two cats, one lithe and lean, constantly prowling; one
of more ample girth, gentle and soft as a rabbit; and a big, slobbering, male German-Sheppard
mutt named after a female character in an Ann Rice novel.
The man had never thought he would have a dog, because he
was allergic; but this one came with the new life, so he decided to make the
best of it. The dog had a funny smell, licked
the man’s feet when he sat in the living room, and was deathly afraid of
thunder and fireworks.
The man got used to taking the dog for walks in the
neighborhood, and the dog got very excited when he knew it was time to go out,
and whenever the man came home. The man
grumbled a bit when they first lost the “battle for the bed,” and the dog decided
he would sleep with them every night, but he grew to enjoy the bulk and warmth
he brought. The daily Claritin and
frequent hand-washing to ward off allergic reactions began to seem a small
price to pay.
Six years on, the dog and the man were older, and both began
to show it. Their hair began to grey, and
aches and pains became common. The dog
began to have trouble getting around.
Vet visits and medication started to be de rigueur. There were some
scares, but the dog kept on walking and greeting and eating, so the man hoped
he would hang on.
Last night, the dog lay down in the living room, and couldn’t
get up. The man and his Muse eschewed the
bed the three of them had shared, and slept on couches and chairs. This morning, the man carried the dog into the
vet’s office, and they said goodbye.
The dog’s name was Rowan; he was a good dog, and
he was loved.