The Shortest Way Home

When my aunt’s children were small, she decided to get them a puppy. Her neighbour’s dachshund had given birth to a litter of puppies a few weeks earlier and so she arranged to buy one of the puppies once they had been weaned.

The day came to bring home the little puppy and the children were thrilled; they named him Shorty and immediately welcomed him, preparing his food – which he did not eat – and a comfortable bed in a basket.

The next day the children gave him some milk before bidding him goodbye and heading off for school. When they returned, they were alarmed to discover that Shorty was missing. They searched all over the house but he was nowhere to be found.

A few hours later, the neighbour who sold them the puppy came over carrying Shorty, apologising. He explained that the mother dog had sneaked into my aunt’s house and carried the puppy back to her home.

For a number of days my aunt and her neighbour tried in vain to keep the puppy in his new home but each day the mother dog would come and fetch him back.

Finally, my aunt’s neighbour gave up and offered her a refund.