This little lap dog is a major part of our family
It’s been so wet at my house all winter that a friend of mine let me park my living quarter horse trailer at his house.
I usually park it in my back yard, but this winter it got so wet the trailer sunk. I had a hard time pulling it out and I was afraid I’d tear it up if I tried to back it into its spot at my house.
I have an old Freightliner I pull the big living quarters trailer with. Our little lap dog, Molly, likes to go in the Freightliner. She’s been to Nebraska to the Pitzer Ranch Sale and all over Texas to my roping events. She’s quite the little travel companion.
So anyway, I went out to start the Freightliner and let it warm up. I messed around outside for maybe 20 minutes while it got up to operating temperature. When I walked over to get in it, Molly was jumping up and down wanting to go. So, I let her get in and go with me.
I drove straight down to my friend Buddy Kelly’s house. My trailer was parked in back and it took me a few tries of backing under it to get it hooked up.
Once I plugged in the lights and walked all the way around, checking that the tires weren’t flat and all the doors were closed, I climbed up in the cab and took off. I was watching for traffic as I pulled out onto the highway.
I drove straight home and, when I pulled into my driveway, I noticed I needed to move some vehicles so I could maneuver the trailer into its spot.
My wife happened to be outside as I did this. It was at that moment I realized I hadn’t seen Molly on the way home.
I jumped out and asked my wife if she seen her jump out of the semi while I was moving trucks around. She said an emphatic, “No!,” and “Why was she with you in the first place?”
Then I could see the wheels turning in my wife’s head. “YOU LOST HER?!?!” she screamed at me. I gulped in silence. I ignored her questions and proceeded to park the big trailer.
As soon as it was tucked away, I hopped into my pickup and headed back to Buddy’s house.
My wife was at his roping arena when I got there, which wasn’t where the trailer was parked. I avoided her and went to where the trailer was at.
“Moooooollleeee!
Mooooollllleeee!
Come here!” I yelled. Crickets, no Molly. I noticed some kids playing at the house next door, so I sent my wife there. She gave me the evil eye as she drove by. There was pure unadulterated murder in her eyes.
I’ve joked about her shooting green eye daggers at me before, but this wasn’t green eye daggers. This was green nuclear weapon eye bombs. I could feel those from about 100 yards away.
I texted my wife and said that I was going to look for her in the semi, maybe she got hung up under the back seat.
Truthfully, I was trying to get away from my wife. I didn’t want to be there if Molly was dead on the highway. I looked in the ditches as I pulled out of Buddy’s driveway. No Molly there either, thankfully.
I made it home in record time and scoured under the semi seats and even in the center console. No Molly.
I was wondering if I should pack a bag and move in with mom for a few days. I was scared to death I’d lost the “third” child at our house.
Just as I was climbing down from the semi and about to go pack my bag, Buddy called and said his hired hand found Molly.
I called my wife, who was still down there looking for her. She said when she pulled in, Molly was almost hyperventilating with excitement. She said Molly thought we’d abandoned her.
Whew! Tragedy avoided!
I get to sleep in my own bed again!
That evening, I made sure and put my dirty dishes up and didn’t do anything to rile my wife the rest of the evening.
My wife and Molly sat in the recliner together watching TV. I felt lucky to be allowed to be in the house.
Sometimes, it’s best just to keep quiet around here and let things cool down. I’ve gotten wiser in my old age.