Chapter 3: Good and Bad
The other canines began to quietly howl in understanding after Ralph had finished his sad rant, causing him to lay his head on his above average paws. He oddly felt a little bit better after expressing his feelings; just talking to others who just might understand how he felt certainly was a weight off his chest.
After a few more howls and head nods, Clyde then broke up the applause of the other dogs in order to regain a calm, dignified order- and to sincerely console the sadden bull mastiff.
"Ralph, as fellow bad dogs, we've all felt what you're feeling," the little Boston terrier reasoned and reassured the large dog. "And we've comes to terms with it."
At the terrier's greatly surprising words, Ralph's eyebrows shot up. He raised his head up as well, looking at the group's leader right in the eye.
These dogs get it? he pondered- feeling his hope ignite a little again. They really understand how I feel?
"Really?" the mastiff verbally asked, slyly looking around at the fellow dogs around him- finding that they were all nodding in agreement as well.
"Listen, Ralph. I completely relate to you," an accented voice called out, causing every dog's head turned to look at the source of the voice. They found the heavy-russian accented voice belong to no one else than Zangief the Siberian Husky, laying down near where Ralph was. "Once, to protect family, I crushed man's arm like sparrow's egg between my jaws."
The grey-and-white pooch paused to harshly growl- demonstrating his deep aggressiveness as the the others jumped a little in place.
"After that, I thought: Why do you have to be so bad, Zangief?" the mutt continued, his voice thoughtful and soft. "Why can't you be more like good dog?"
His furry eyebrows arched even higher, Ralph was surprised at the fellow mutt's shocking and relatable feelings. He'd known Zangief for years- but he'd never known that the husky felt so similar to him.
The mastiff found himself sitting back up and nodding in agreement as he waited, nearly begging for the husky to continue in his account.
"Then," Zangief murmured as he narrowed his haunting blue eyes, "I have moment of clarity. Zangief is good dog, who crushed man's arm like sparrow's egg between jaws. And I say 'Zangief, you are bad dog, but that is does not mean you are... bad dog?'"
At his wise piphany, the dogs around the small room began to howl in agreement- except a certain bull mastiff, who just sat looking completely perplexed and slack-jawed.
What is the name of Spot does that even mean?
"Ooookay..." Ralph finally murmured, looking blankly at the fellow dog with his ears flat up against his head in confusion. "Yeah, dude- you, uh...you completely lost me there-"
"ZOMBIE speak!" The balding boxer barked out suddenly, causing Ralph to jump in his place beside him. "Zangief saying labels not make you happy," the near-death dog tried to explain to Ralph. "Good, bad, URGH! You must love you!"
When the mangy dog leaned over to passionately laid his head against Ralph's huge shoulder, the mastiff cringed and tried to quickly and inconspicuously scoot away.
"Um...sure," the mastiff forced himself to halfheartedly respond, wincing a little when Zombie's tongue began to hang out of the side of his mouth and his eyes went rolling into the back of his head. "Whatever you say, Zombie..."
"Listen, Ralph," Clyde quickly intruded as he walked up to the obviously uncomfortable mastiff. "We've been asking you to Bad-Anon for years now...And tonight, you finally show up. Why is that?"
Avoiding looking Clyde in the eye, Ralph ignored his present fear of getting mange (or something far worse) from Zombie and shifted uncomfortably again. He sat up a little straighter, finally eyeing the group's leader.
"I dunno," Ralph answered after a moment, shrugging casually to shake off the uneasiness growing inside him. "I just felt like coming tonight, I guess. It was really Felix' idea, honestly. He really encouraged me to attend this meeting tonight for whatever reason..."
The mastiff found himself purposely trailing off- before he allowed another big reason for his presence to slip out.
"Annnd I suppose that it has something to do with the fact that, uh...well, today's the 5 year anniversary of the opening of Mr.Litwak's One-Stop Pet Shop."
The dogs around him voiced hushed expressions of applause, all smiling in kudos of the achievement the town's little pet shop had.
"Ah, Happy Anniversary, Ralph," a small chihuahua sitting nearby kindly commented in a proper voice- stereotypically shaking on tiny legs in his auburn coat.
"Thanks, Satan," Ralph said in reply to the small pup, a small smile present...yet still weak nonetheless as he turned back to the rest of the group. "But, here's the thing, guys..."
Wearily eyeing the rest of the group before him, the mastiff paused to gulp heartily. He wasn't sure how the others would respond to what he was about to say- but he knew he had to say it nonetheless.
Finally sucking in a deep breath, Ralph then forced himself to blurt out the true reason behind his attendance tonight at their meeting.
"I...I don't wanna be a 'bad dog' anymore."
