“A vet Sharpie tattooed Moe long ago. Now I can tell him from the rest of the turtles.”
“How many turtles do you have?” I asked.
“One.”
I picked up Moe to examine him.
On the side of Moe’s shell was a heart and his name in my handwriting.
Archive for the ‘Short Stories’ Category
A Promise Kept
Friday, June 21st, 2013I took her tiny furry head in my hands and put my forehead on hers.
“Honey, I promise to get you to heaven soon,” I said.
Together with her family and the rest of her medical team,
we gave up
(let go),
and I did.
On Becoming a Small Animal Vet, Two Short Stories
Saturday, July 23rd, 20111
I decided to be a small animal veterinarian when I was nine years old because I liked pets.
2
My friend Jerry started his veterinary career as a large animal vet. One spring, he preg checked a herd of his friend’s cattle. Not one of them was pregnant. The next day, his friend killed himself. Jerry has practiced only small animal medicine ever since.
Jacob and the Puppy
Friday, June 24th, 2011A Story from Joy the Puppy’s Younger Days…
Our 10-year-old neighbor Jacob asked me if I knew what our puppy’s breed was yet.
“No,” I said.
“You need to go to the vet and get one of those blood tests so you can find out,” he said. (I was impressed he knew about the Wisdom Panel.)
“I am the vet, Jacob!” I said. (He gave me a look like I should know what she is then.)
“We took Raven to the vet for that blood test.”
I asked, “What did you find out?”
“We found out that she doesn’t have fleas. And that she needed a couple of shots.”
“I bet your puppy is a Black Lab and a black Terrier mixed together.”
I said, “I don’t need a fancy blood test Jacob! I have you!”
“Ha!” he said.
I’ll bet he’s right…
Joy, A True (Short) Story
Saturday, February 26th, 2011I reached into my nightstand drawer for a pen and accidently jingled the tags on Ebony’s collar. Joy the Puppy came running into the room full-speed, wagging her tail. She stopped and looked up at me. I did not know how to explain to her what had just happened.
Staying: Another True (Short) Story
Saturday, February 19th, 2011Once, when we were going through a rough patch, I realized that if I walked out, I would be taking the very real risk of no longer living with Max the Cat and Ebony Dog. I sat back down. We talked. Things (eventually) got better.
The Farmer, A True (Short) Story
Saturday, January 29th, 2011He craddled the kitten, in no hurry to move on to Other Important Matters. Every time I pass that farm, my eyes are drawn to the corner where the two sides of the fence parallel the two sides of the barn, but I have not seen either of them again.