Unleashed

Get In Your Crate

David stood on his patio balcony, a cup of coffee in hand, just like he did every morning. His dog, Riley, curled up next to his feet, seeking the comfort of his company in the brisk morning air. As he took another sip of his bitter black coffee, he tilted his neck from side to side.

"I'm getting too old for this," he thought to himself. He held onto his coffee with his right hand and then reached across his body with his left hand, massaging his neck as it rested on the opposing shoulder.

At the age of forty-five, David felt like he'd experienced most of life's milestones. He had graduated college, found a high-paying job soon after, moved to several big cities, and hopped from place to place in search of love, which had been missing from his life until he found Riley.

Although David was attractive, he struggled to maintain a lasting relationship. The reasons behind these failed relationships remained elusive to him. Girl after girl, trip after trip, something didn't add up. Then, on the way back home from the woods one weekend, he spotted her. Riley was wandering along the side of the road. David felt betrayed, hurt deeply after yet another relationship died before he had a chance to introduce her to his family. As he had been crying in the rain, he thought he might be imagining Riley on the roadside, but she was no mirage. He opened his car door and whistled, and she ran into his car, offering her own wet kisses that wiped away his tears. He had finally found love.

"Come on, girl." David turned to go inside. Riley stood up, took the few steps to the sliding glass door, and sat in front of it. David smiled and bent over, offering Riley his cup of coffee. "You're a creature of habit, just like your daddy."

Riley licked the cup only three times before David pulled it away. "Not too much. It's not good for you."

Riley sat back down, expecting more. David turned to a potted plant by the slider and poured the remaining coffee onto the soil. As he opened the slider, Riley rushed inside and pounced on a stuffed duck toy. He smiled at her and watched her chew the toy before locking the slider.

"I gotta go to work, girl." David squatted as Riley raised her head at the word "work." She'd come to associate the word with David leaving the house. When he left, Riley went into her crate. She lowered her head and stared at David as if she were in trouble. David smiled and patted the ground.

"I know. I know. But I'm going early so I can go to the coffee shop before work. I'm going to see that cute barista again. I bet you'd like her."

Riley perked up at the sing-song voice David spoke to her with. She started tapping her feet in excitement, barking and running toward David before jumping on him. She licked his face as he rubbed her ears.

"Okay, girl. Time to go in your crate."

Riley stopped what she was doing and took a step back from David as he headed for the bedroom down the hall. She ran away from him, jumped onto the couch and curled up. Without turning back to her, David snapped his finger and pointed to the bedroom down the hall. Riley didn't fight it further; she jumped off the couch and quickly made her way down the hall. By the time David reached the bedroom, she was already in her crate, waiting for him to latch it closed.

"I love you, Riley. I'll be back home soon."