Foxy Foxy

It was quickly turning dark, and after a brief sprint to get away from territorial dogs, she paused to stop at a bright corner to catch her breath. Panting heavily, drool dripping from her agape mouth, she looked around---seemingly trying to make a decision. Should she go forward, away from the mad and terrifying dogs? Or should she turn right, where delicious aroma of food is wafting from every direction. Her empty belly made the decision for her.

It was at this point where it can be said that she made her first right decision after her monumentally stupid one of running away from home. For a short walk from this corner lives a family who lets animals run (and ruin) their lives. TheHusband, who is already weary of walking, or rather being dragged, by a stocky Labrador and her son, a Labrador-mongrel mix of unknown paternity, is naturally not keen on taking on another animal. But he loves his wife dearly, and she exploits this love when it come to bringing home yet again another animal to the brood, and their one and only daughter seemingly having inherited her mother's madness for critters, huge and tiny alike.

And so the bushy-tailed canine walked until she saw a parked car, and she decided to rest for a bit. Which, in retrospect, is another right decision. For the guy who owns the car gave her food, despite the protestations of his exhausted wife. Quite ravenous, it was almost as if she inhaled the food offered to her. Fed and satiated, and exhausted from all the walking and running, she fell asleep almost immediately.

It was a very long and deep sleep, with dreams of food and chasing and terrorizing kittens as well as nightmares of dogs chasing her in turn and cars honking at her to get off the road. She was awakened by a shrill whistle. It was the morning already, and the sun was shining bright. She bolted up and saw this woman with a Labrador, calling her, smiling, and beckoning her. Glad to be in the presence of humans again, she walked towards her, and the Labrador walking with her seems to be overjoyed when she approached. "Who  are you?," the woman cooed. Looking at her bushy tail, the woman said, "Well, you look like a fox...I'll call you Foxy." The fair-furred dog with a huge bushy tail seems to like the name, or perhaps the idea of being named, being someone's dog again, even vaguely, and wagged eagerly. The Labrador wagged his tail as well, excited at having a playmate. 

And that was how Foxy came into their lives and their hearts.