True Love Stories

I pressed my foot firmly on the gas pedal, wondering how much over the speed limit it woud be safe to travel.  After months of looking for a fulltime position, I'd finally gotten an interview.  The job wasn't what i wanted, but as a new college graduate  I couldn’t afford to be choosy. Perspiration dotted my forehead with only 15 minutes until the interview and 20 minutes of drive time.  I said a quick prayer before glancing down to turn up the air conditioner when I looked up again I saw him a medium size brown dog that scampered into the road and sit right in front of my car I slammed on the brakes the seatbelt squeezed into my stomach in the momentum through before but then my car screeched to a stop just in time the dog darted back to the side of the road his fur looks matted and dirty or broken chain dragged along behind it I run away.  I thought and lifted my foot from the break to let the car coast the dog continue to walk near the side of the road and his head down sniffing at every step I saw it and stared my car to the shoulder someone in the red car honked and went by apparently it is much of a hurry as I was but no matter how much I wanted to keep going I couldn’t bring myself to ignore the dog.  His chain could get caught in bushes or he might make another dash into the road if I didn’t help him.  Who else would.  I open the car door and stepped out on rocks and scratched my new shoes, here boy come here I called out as  sweetly as I could head cock to one side I held up my hand wishing for attempting to treat offer him as I enter closer he stood still until I reached out to grab him then he cut away from me. Pass a small scratch scraggly bush towards an expansive acre of open field  scampering in circles is so  to encourag me to come after him.   Great dog seem to think my presence meant it was time to for a game of chase.  I gritted  my teeth and try to keep an eye on him while picking my way over  stones  scattered on the ground.  The afternoon sun burned my face and sweat trickle down my back the dogs didn’t seem to mind the heat and continued what he was that was a game always staying about 10 feet away from me his tail switched and I could see the sparkly in his eyes I clenched my jaw and kept moving forward until saw something caught my leg I thorny bush and snagged my fabric of my pants and I held it tight.   I bent down carefully pulled the cloth away from the thorns.   It left a small gaping hole muttering at my luck I clenched my teeth and stood frowned and scan the field the dog disappeared,  I called and whistled nothing.  the entire area was flat with no trees or large bushes or to hide behind I could see for what seems like miles.  Somehow chain and all the dog is vanished  like a desert Mirage. Finally I shook my head and trudged  back to the car.   If i couldn’t help a dog at least I could try to salvage my potential job.   I moved the car back into the road and tried to convince myself that the interviewer would understand  what happened.  Thoughts of a stray dog shamed me into slowing down as I headed towards the hairpin turn not far from where my improbable pursued had begun.  As soon as my car turned  the curve I saw brake lights in a lot of cars I hit the brakes and screeched to a stop.   There'd been an accident a car was wedged under the side of a dump truck it appeared the truck had stopped in the road to empty a load of gravel the cars hood look like crush aluminum can my eyes widened when I recognize it as the same red car that roared passed me only a short while earlier.   I white knuckle grip on the steering well relaxed I looked around still have expecting to see a dog dragging a broken chain no sign of them it was as though he never existed I looked back at the accident scene and thought struck me were it not the  brown dog and the grace of God........ Suddenly my spine stiffened  and goosebumps on my arm.   Had I stopped to save at stray dog or had a stray dog stop to save me.   My  heart pounded.  I recalled how fast I’ve been racing down the road distracted by dozens of thoughts if I hadn’t stopped or it would probably have been my car that ran to the blind turn and hit the truck.  I close my eyes and breathe the prayer of thanks.   Missing the interview melted away all that remains in my heart was an overwhelming sense of gratitude and peace it’s funny how even the most trivial events proved I have a purpose beyond human understanding that I didn’t get the job I hope for that day so much better opportunity came along later one that changed my career path forever I know it was it wasn’t only coincidence I brought a stray dog briefly into my life one Sunday afternoon he’s been sent to protect and guide me a special for like an answer to a hastily offered prayer and for that I always am grateful 

Karen  Waller