Jack was getting the hang of walking on all fours. He tripped up every now and then because he was still thinking about where to put his feet, but, on the whole, was doing pretty good for never having been a dog before.

He was so excited to see Ennis that he hadn't realized he had broken out of the brush right next to his trailer. He looked around but didn't see Ennis. He knew he was there because he could smell him.

He looked up at the trailer.

Is this where he lives? I never realized…never thought…about how he must be living. I'd see him wearing the same clothes each fishing trip but just thought that he was being stingy. I hadn't realized how bad he was really doing.

Damn, I feel like a prick now for showing up in fancy clothes with fancy tents and new pickups. I must have made him feel about two inches tall. I should have thought about what I was doing..

Jack was sitting there in the driveway when Ennis came out the door headed to his truck for something he forgot. Jack was so overwhelmed to see Ennis that he tried to call to him but, of course, only got out barks. He tried to run over to him but wasn't so good at running yet and tripped. He got up, sat for a moment to get his bearings, his tongue hanging out his mouth, tail wagging a mile a minute…clearly, in doggy body language, very happy to see Ennis.

Ennis just looked at him, told him to "get on outta here," got his stuff and went back in the trailer.

Ennis turned once to look at the dog through the screen on his door and was struck by what he saw…the dog's ears had fallen, his tail hung limp, his head was down…and, damn, if it didn't look like that dog was crying, little yelps coming from him. Ennis shook his head. Just a dog. Get a grip. You got business so get on with it.

Jack sat there…and he was crying…not believing that Ennis would shoo him away like that. He had forgotten that just because he knew Ennis, Ennis wouldn't recognize Jack under all the fur. He sat there thinking of his new situation, that he needed to start thinking like a dog. He knew that it was up to him to get Ennis to open up like the voices had said but he hadn't planned on having to do it as a canine.

He continued to think about his predicament, sitting in the same place until dark, then went and slept under the steps to Ennis' trailer.

As Ennis left the trailer the next morning to go to work, he saw the dog was still sitting there. Mumbling under his breath, he put his lunch and jacket in the truck. He looked over at the dog, who just hung his head, pleading with his eyes for Ennis to pay attention to him.

"Can't be taking care of no dog now," he muttered. "Can't even take care of myself." So he stomped his foot and told the dog to "go on, get outta here." The dog put his head down and then lifted it letting out a sad, plaintive howl.

"Go on now. Go find yourself some other body to bother." But Ennis said this with less conviction than the first time. There was something about this dog.

Jack wanted to stay with Ennis but was being pushed away. He howled his anguish but Ennis told him to go again.

Ennis looked at the dog now seeing a medium-sized, solid black, male dog. His tail had long hair feathered off the bottom. His fur was slightly wavy and, for some strange reason, reminded him of Jack's hair. He was standing a little bit away but Ennis could have sworn that he saw blue eyes.

"Can't take care of no dog now, ya here? You go on back to where you came from. I'm sure you got an owner that's missing you. Go on!" Ennis stomped his foot again.

Jack stumbled back, stood up, and with downcast eyes looked at Ennis one more time before he turned away and went into the brush.

Ennis stood frozen. When the dog had looked at him, he coulda sworn he had seen Jack and the way Jack looked at him when he was sad or Ennis had hurt his feelings. It was so clear that it took Ennis a moment to regain his thoughts and turn to get in his truck. He shot one last glance in the direction the dog had taken and shook his head to dispel the image.

Jack had turned and gone out to the field near the house. Despondent, he didn't know what he was going to do. So he just lay down where he was, put his head in his paws, and went to sleep.

He woke later hungry and thirsty after Ennis had come home. He could smell water…there was a small creek nearby. He figured, if he had to, he could find himself a rabbit or something but would rather have a steak cooked medium rare.

He satisfied his thirst but hadn't found a rabbit. He went to sit near, but not too close, to Ennis' trailer. He kept thinking about how Ennis had turned him away. He knew that Ennis couldn't tell it was him, but it still hurt. His longing for Ennis always got stronger the closer he was to him…and this was pretty close. Not being able to be near Ennis was painful and he howled to express this…a sad, mournful sound.

Ennis heard this anguished call but kept telling himself there was nothing he could do. But deep down inside he knew that he wasn't as sincere as he wanted to be.

Jack had decided during the night that he wasn't going to take any of this personally anymore. His mission was to get Ennis to say "I love you" to him and he couldn't do that if he wasn't near him. Besides, Jack knew that Ennis was unaware that he had died. He knew he'd need to be there when Ennis found out. Jack felt great pressure on his little dog shoulders but was determined to do what he needed to do.

The next morning when Ennis left the trailer to go to work, Jack was sitting right by the door to Ennis' truck…a happy dog-smile coming to his face when Ennis showed.

Ennis just stood there by the door to his trailer confounded by this dog that wouldn't go away…that he seemed strangely drawn to. I ain't gonna take care of no dog…I just can't. What would I do with one anyway, gone all the time at work. Costs to feed one a these things, too. Ain't really got that kinda money. Does seem to be a friendly dog though. Guess it can't hurt to give him something to eat. Sure nobody's feeding him. Damn, why'd he have to come here.

Ennis walked back inside to get a can of Vienna sausage that he had and walked out, locking his door again. The dog was wagging his tail now.

Ennis walked down the steps and stopped at the bottom. He opened the can of sausage.

"Alright, ya mutt, come on over here. I got something for ya. But don't expect that this is the beginning of some wonderful friendship or something. Don't got no time for a dog right now." All the while Ennis was talking to the dog, he knew that he had already made a commitment and would be calling him his own shortly.

Jack walked over, wanting the food real bad because he was so hungry, but sat right next to Ennis. Ennis just looked at him, "Well, go on. You got some food now." Jack took another moment then, before Ennis could move, licked him up one side of his face. Ennis wasn't happy about that but it was as close to a kiss as Jack could get.

The dog did have blue eyes after all. Ennis thought that pretty strange and didn't think that he had ever seen a dog with blue eyes. Every time he looked this dog in the eye, he could swear he was looking at Jack. And he was talkative, just like Jack. He made more sounds than any dog he'd ever met. It was too uncanny for Ennis to try to figure out, so he just accepted it.

He ended up calling him Rodeo, for all his similarities to the real Jack. He didn't think Jack would mind the use of his nickname.

At first Ennis just fed him and kept him outside. He didn't pay much attention to him, thinking that he wasn't going to get too close. But Rodeo's winning ways soon turned Ennis around.

Rodeo always waited in the driveway for Ennis when he drove home. He was always near Ennis but never in the way. He knew when Ennis was in a bad mood and depending on that mood either stayed away or quietly walked over to sit with him, head on his lap.

Ennis decided that he'd let Rodeo in at night, given that he would always sit outside by the door when it was time to go to sleep. At first Ennis only let him sleep on the floor but one night Ennis woke up to a familiar presence in the bed. Not being fully awake, he rolled over to call for Jack…but it was Rodeo who was sleeping there, snug against Ennis' back. Ennis snapped awake. He had been sure it was Jack. After that, Rodeo was allowed to sleep in the bed.

Ennis had tried to deny his feelings for Rodeo but after awhile relented. He had grown fond of this crazy dog…and he was crazy. After Ennis would come home, he'd grab a beer and come out and sit on his steps. Rodeo had convinced Ennis that fetching a stick was an important daily exercise for the both of them. He'd run up to Ennis with some stick in his mouth he had found waiting for Ennis to take it. If Ennis didn't take it, Rodeo would drop it at his feet and sit patiently. If he still didn't take it, Rodeo'd start talking to Ennis, like he was chewing him out for not playing this really important game. When Ennis finally gave in to Rodeo's demands, he'd mumble and shuffle around like it was some great chore. But deep inside he was coming to truly enjoy his newfound friend and the stick-throwing times they had.

It occurred to Ennis one day that he had been laughing a lot lately. He had taken to cleaning up his place, making repairs he had been putting off, and would find himself humming on occasion. He had bought a couple of new shirts and a new leather collar for Rodeo with a tag that said,

Rodeo

Property of

Ennis Del Mar

When Ennis put the collar on Rodeo, he noticed that the dog actually looked proud and would hold his head higher when they walked together. Ennis thought that this was one strange dog.

He often thought how much Jack would like Rodeo. They seemed cut from the same cloth. He could see them both playing tag, running and chasing like a couple of kids, falling down, wrestling. That was a thought that brought a smile to Ennis' lips.

Ennis thought a lot about Jack but now the pain and longing was tempered by Rodeo's presence. It was easier to carry his loneliness with a new friend around.

Rodeo had been around about three months now. It was mid-July. He and Ennis were inseparable. If you saw Ennis, you saw Rodeo. And Rodeo never left his side. If Ennis stopped, Rodeo sat. If Ennis walked, Rodeo was right there. If Ennis went to the diner, Rodeo sat underneath the table.

Everyone remarked on his dog, how well-behaved he was, what a handsome dog he was, how intelligent he was, "like some kinda genius dog." Ennis would never talk about Rodeo, just thank people for their compliments, but he was feeling no small amount of pride.

The first time Rodeo met Alma and the girls was a memory that Ennis kept for a long while. He had gone to pick up the girls. When he got out to go to the front door, Rodeo, of course, was with him. After he knocked, Junior answered the door with Jenny not far behind. They both hugged their daddy and then, seeing Rodeo, started making a fuss about him. Rodeo responded with doggy kisses and hugs. This was all fine until Alma came to the door.

Rodeo looked up when Ennis said her name. When she leaned to pet Rodeo, he turned around, walked down the steps, looked both ways before crossing the street and hopped into the back of the truck where he disappeared. Alma's jaw dropped, so did Ennis'. Rodeo had never done this with anyone.

Alma turned to Ennis, scowled, said she expected the girls to be back on time and spun around, slamming the door. Ennis nearly laughed out loud right there, but kept it in check because of the girls. They ran to get in the truck. Ennis walked around to the bed of the truck, gently grabbed Rodeo by the scruff and said, with laughter in his voice, "You shouldn'ta done that, ya know." Rodeo just smiled real big.

Ennis had been working some extra hours and Jack was feeling left out. One day when Ennis managed to get home a little earlier and was sitting on his steps with a beer, Jack decided he needed his belly rubbed.

He calmly walked over to Ennis, stood a moment looking him in the eye, and then rolled over on his back right at Ennis' feet. Ennis just looked at him, a little smile at the corners of his lips. He looked away in the distance like he didn't see Rodeo there. Jack wormed his way over so he was laying on Ennis' boots. Still no reaction from Ennis.

Ennis stepped over him and started walking to his truck. Jack sprung up and went to lie on his back in front of Ennis stopping him in the middle of the driveway…tongue hanging out of his mouth, mischievous look in his eyes.

As Ennis stepped over him again, he glanced slyly out of the corner of his eye to see what Rodeo would do now.

Jack didn't disappoint. Ennis suddenly found a dog wedged between his legs, tripping him up and sending him to the ground. As soon as Ennis rolled over, choice words on his lips, Jack laid himself belly up on Ennis preventing him from standing. Jack felt that Ennis had no choice now but to rub his belly.

Ennis did relent calling Rodeo all kinds of name, yet smiling the whole time he did it. Jack got his belly rub and Ennis got to play.