He was a dark, short, slender fellow, with a swagger to his walk. He'd be on guard duty for over fourteen years on Centre Street in a village that became a city. His personal domain was about an acre and he had done an excellent job.
On the night he arrived Here, he was immediately put on the gate because of the experience that showed up on his resume.
That night he had just one request of the Boss and that was if he could give some sort of signal to the folks back on Centre Street that he had gotten Here safely.
"Okay, you were good at detecting an oncoming electrical storm, weren't you? Why don't we have one in honor of your arrival and you can signal the folks with a few claps of thunder that you got Here!"
So it was that the folks knew he had arrived safely. And every time they heard thunder back on Centre Street, they would be reminded of him.
Today, the little fellow had been summoned that the Boss wanted to speak to him.
"Yes, Sir, You wanted to speak to me? Did you want me up here on this carpet, Sir?"
"Yes, little fellow, you have been causing a bit of a commotion, and I thought we had better talk."
"Umm, uh, was that about the gate, Sir? You know, I love being on the gate. I already saw a few come in that I knew back from Centre Street. Even my boss from back there. And Fanny (The Shih Tzu) , she came up. I was always as nice to her as I could be: she brought a lot of food into that house on Centre, You know. (She'd win it at the practice sanction matches.)
"Well, I understand how much you like being on the gate. But tell Me, did someone tell you that you wouldn't be on the gate any more? Did you hear some rumors? You know, I make all the final decisions here and this is the first I had heard about trouble on the gate. So you might explain to Me?"
"Well, I saw this meeting down on Walton Street and I saw Dr. Sorrell, the Veterinarian who used to be near Yonge and Steeles and I saw him reading and telling the others something about him being on the gate. You see, SHE was there and I try to keep tabs on her. SHE did stick up for me, though . . . ?"
"Oh, I am starting to see it now, little fellow. Well, Dr. Sorrell and was it, Martha that you keep an eye on . . . they like to write stories and do you suppose that Dr. Sorrell might have made up a story to write?"
"I suppose so, Sir."
"And did Martha ever write a story?"
"Oh, yes Sir, especially about me and Taury: she always made up funny stuff about us."
"So, little fellow, do you suppose that Dr. Sorrell made up a story about his being up Here with Us and being in the Inner Circle, or Administration, if you will?"
"Well, maybe, Sir, but he was a Vet and you know you gotta be careful with the Vet and so I just put two and two together and figured that he was getting my job, Sir. I really like my job, Sir, and I would hate to lose it."
Well, little fellow, did you see that Dr. Sorrell is still living on Ward Street in Happy Town, about an hour from where you were posted before?"
"Yes, Sir."
"Well, then, he isn't Up Here with Us, then, is he?"
"No, Sir."
"Okay, then you are worrying for nothing and causing a disruption in our serene surroundings. Do you think you could just see that as Dr. Sorrell's story for people back there and go back to doing your job?"
"Yes Sir."
"I have good reports on how you do your job and you came here well-qualified. You ought not to be so paranoid. We have no time for worrying Up Here. You all did enough of that down there."
"Now, before I let you go, little fellow, is there anything you wanted to tell me, like why you think Dr. Sorrell or anyone else should be doing your job? Is it possible I have missed something?"
"Well, Sir, it's just that I was a Lhasa Apso dog back there and he is a retired Vet and so the Vet was always my senior back there."
"Well, is it BOBO they called you back there . . . ? Things are different here and I don't know that Dr. Sorrell can actually handle the gate as well as you. He hasn't the guarding instinct. He would likely be in Administration. But, he's not even here yet and I didn't even get word that he was expected; so you go back to the gate, BOBO . . . and off the carpet!"
"Thank you, Sir. I like it that You are an Equal Opportunity Employer!"
(Most of my readers are not used to me writing fiction. This was written about 14 years ago and I hope you enjoy it!)
