DOGSITTING NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET

by Charlotte (Cherry) Langlois

This is one of my fictional stories from my early work.  I wrote this long before I ever met Brian and before I "officially" became a dogowner myself.  We now have a wonderful family pet named, Teddi and I now realize the love you can have for pet.  I wrote this story January 22, 1997.

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Warning: If ever asked to watch  someones dog, please think twice lest you experience the nightmare I did one summer.  This type of favor can also severe  close relationships almost as catastrophic as lending money to friends or family members.

Tom and Allison Jeffreys were about to take off for the weekend and asked me to sit with their dog, Maggie. I thought it would be a kind and loving jester of our friendship. It could not possibly be as difficult as baby-sitting for my three rambunctious nephews. I was totally unaware that I was about to be proven wrong.

I arrived as planned on Friday evening at 5:30 greeted by a very friendly and beautiful Irish Setter. We were old acquaintances even though I had never dog-sat for my friends before. Tom and Allison were childless by choice but they made up for it by spoiling their four-footed baby to the max. This is how I came to care for Maggie at "her" house where she would be most comfortable and familiar. It was an extremely beautiful home with two fireplaces; family room; den; sauna and spa; a kitchen with all the latest gadgets and appliances; a huge spacious living room and several bedrooms that would make the hotel Hilton look shabby. I thought that spending the weekend at the Jeffreys "resort", would be like taking a mini-vacation and a pleasant change from my small, two-bedroom apartment.

Allison handed me a two-paged list of special instructions for the care and management of their precious canine. They hugged and kissed their "baby" good-bye They were nearly in tears until I reassured them that Maggie and I both would be fine, although I do not think concern for my fears had anything to do with it. I began to have my doubts as to whether this was a good idea when I looked at the overwhelming and endless list in front of me. I watched my friends enormous display of affection for their dog and my thoughts began to run wild, "Nothing better happen to this mutt or my friends could afford to hire a hit person to bump me offand they would probably do it too."

I was finally able to calm Maggie down following fifteen minutes of sniffing, barking and whining, after we had a little chat about who was actually in control. The Irish Setter raced me into the kitchen where I began to prepare the gourmet dinner as instructed. As her "royal highness" sat patiently waiting for her special protein enriched formula, that looked a lot to me like "stew in a can," I resisted the urge to perform a taste test.

After dinner and a forty-five minute walk to the park, it was bath time. The idea of baby-sitting my nephews was starting to be a welcome replacement for this formidable task. Tom and Allison would be in debt to me for a long time for this favor.

Maggie followed me "eagerly" into the bathroom as I pulled insistently on her leash struggling to dominate the situation. I should have known that bath time with a dog would be as challenging as wrestling three small children into doing the same thing. I would gladly trade experiences at that moment. If I had known what was about to transpire, I am sure I would have been as unwilling as Maggie to enter into this room. The events about to unfold would be worse than a comedy of errors. As it turns out I did not correctly read the list of bath time instructions and used the wrong doggy shampoo causing Maggie to have an allergic reaction of sneezing and scratching. Suddenly, the doorbell rang and I remembered the pizza I had ordered thirty minutes before.

I looked at Maggie, wet and extremely disgusted with me, then I looked back at the door, then again at Maggie. I tried to think of a solution to my predicament but the seconds were flying by and I needed a quick decision how to handle this situation? I had to act now! I spoke reassuringly to the soaking and shivering pooch promising to return quickly. As I hurried out of the bathroom, the solid, oak door swung shut behind me and silently locked. As the doorbell continued to sound, I quickly made a grab for my purse balancing on the edge of the chiffonier which fell onto the living room floor, spilling all of the contents and scattering them everywhere. I stumbled over the mess and hurriedly opened the door only to see the delivery truck pulling away. Slumping in disappointment, I ran back inside to finish the wet job waiting for me to continue, only to find the door locked. Now what else could possibly go wrong tonight? The dog began whining and barking from the other side of the door. I realized I would not be able to get "Lassie" to open the door for me so I attempted to calm her down by speaking in a comforting tone through the door. Then I quickly ran outside and around the house in an attempt to open the bathroom window.

Suddenly, the security alarm went off and the entire neighborhood was alert to the "dog-burglar" next door to them. I ran back inside as the neighborhood now had additional sounds of police sirens coming to arrest the attempted felon. 

I ran out to meet them and explained my unusual predicament. The officers were more than willing to help set Maggie free of her porcelain prison, however, I was afraid of the mess we would find after leaving an allergic and frightened, wet dog on her own.

After several attempts, the officers were finally able to unlock the bathroom door. What happened next was almost a blur it happened so fast. As the door released the imprisoned Maggie, she suddenly bounded through the opened doorway and escaped just as Tom and Allison returned home. Apparently they had forgotten something or perhaps they sensed their "child" was in danger. The scene must have been quite a sight to behold. The police car lights were flashing in front of their house and on-looking neighbors were standing near-by. The front door was wide open for all to view the commotion inside. My purse lay on the living room floor with its contents spilled everywhere. Two, amazed, officers in blue stood eagerly awaiting to wrap this call up and get back to their paperwork. And soaking wet dog came running out at full speed to greet his wonderful saviors with slobbery kisses.

I shoved the scattered contents into my purse and walked to the front door. Turning back toward my "friends", I raised one hand as if to stop them from speaking, I said, "Its okay, no need to thank me." Turning again, I walked out the front door and leisurely down the street as if I had just been relieved of my duties from the the worst job in the world. As I went, I promised myself to never sit for anyone again unless it is with a pet rock!

The End.