CHAPTER TWELVE
(chapter title – Goodbye Love & What You Own)
"It's true you sold your owners sold your toy guitar
And bought you a toy car?" Chica barked to Fender, walking up to him. Fender sat down to scratch a flea.
"It's true – they're leaving now for Santa Fe
It's true you're with this stupid dog?" Fender growled as Benny trotted over. Pookie, Honeybear, Zeus and PC weren't far behind.
"You said you'd never bark at him again." Benny growled to Chica.
"Not now." Chica whined.
"Who said that you have any bark in
Who she barks things to at all." Honeybear growled to Benny.
"Who barked that you should stick your nose in other dog's-" Pookie growled to Honeybear.
"Who barked I was barking to you?" Honeybear snarled.
"We used to have this fight each night. She'd never admit I existed!" Pookie growled to the others just as Chica walked up to Fender and got in his face.
"Calm down!" Zeus barked at his friends.
"He was the same way
He was always 'run away, hit the road,
Don't commit' you're full of shit!" Chica snarled, showing her teeth to Fender.
"Everyone please!" Zeus whined, almost pleading.
"Chica!" Benny growled to Chica. She ignored him.
"She's in denial!" Pookie growled to Honeybear.
"He's in denial!" Chica growled to Fender.
"You dogs!" Zeus barked, but not loudly enough for his friends to hear him.
"Didn't give an inch,
But I gave a mile!" Pookie howled.
"Come on!" Zeus whined pleadingly.
"I gave a mile!" Chica whined to Fender.
"Gave a mile to who?" Fender growled.
"Come on dogs, chill!" Zeus and Benny barked to the others.
"I'd be happy to die for a taste of what Angel had
Some dog to live for, unafraid to bark I love you!" Chica and Pookie howled to the others.
"Oh, your barks are nice Chica
But love's not a three-way street
You'll never share real love until you love yourself
I should know!" Fender growled at Chica.
"You all barked you'd be cool today
So please for my sake
I can't believe she's gone
I can't believe you're going
I can't believe this family must die
Angel helped us to believe in love
I can't believe you disagree." PC growled to the others. None of them had heard him come up to them.
"I can't believe this is goodbye." Everyone howled.
That night, Fender and the family that adopted him moved to Santa Fe. He didn't even get a chance to say goodbye to his friends, especially PC, Zeus and Chica.
"Don't breathe too deep
Don't think all day
Dive into play
Don't go the other way
That drip of hurt
That pint of shame
Goes away
Just play the game
You're living in America
At the end of the millennium
You're living in America
Leave your conscience at the tone
And when you're living in America
At the end of the millennium
You're what you own." Zeus howled.
"I see Chica everywhere!" Fender howled from Santa Fe where his adopted family lived.
"Angel's bark is in my ear." Zeus barked.
"Just don't let go." Fender barked.
"Or you may drown
You're living in America
At the end of the millennium
You're living in America
Where it's like the Twilight Zone
And when you're living in America
At the end of the millennium
You're what you own
So I own not a notion
I escape and ape content
I don't own emotion – I rent!" Zeus and Fender howled. Fender jumped in a truck bed that was heading for New York, making sure to stay low so that no one would see him.
"What was it about that night?" Zeus barked questionally.
"What was it about that night?" Fender howled quietly.
"Connection – in an isolating age." They barked in unison.
"For once the shadows gave way to light." Zeus barked, looking out the dirty window, staring into space.
"For once the shadows gave way to light." Zeus echoed, hopping out of the truck as it parked a mile from the abandoned building.
"For once I didn't disengage." The two of them barked together. Fender broke into a lope as he headed for the building.
"Angel – I hear you." Zeus barked, wagging his tail, as if Angel was standing there before him.
"Chica I see you – I see it
I hear it – I hear it
One song – glory
Chica
Your eyes…" Fender barked, overpowering Zeus.
"Dying in America
At the end of the millennium
We're dying in America
To come into our own
And when you're dying in America
At the end of the millennium
You're not alone
I'm not alone
I'm not alone!" Fender and Zeus barked. The two of them rested their heads on one another's shoulders – kind of like a human hug, and stayed there for a while, not wanting to let the other one go.
