"Boy! Uh...come out dog!"
He flailed his arms in the air, out of frustration. He'd tried everything that he could think of that morning, but the dog was nowhere to be found. Usually he would always see him in the morning, whenever he woke up and filled the makeshift food bowl up. Then, as he performed his duties on the farm, the two of them would see each other multiple times throughout the day. Strangely, this day seemed like it was going to be different. He'd searched most of the entire farm, including the spot he knew that him and his presumed girlfriend liked to sleep in, near an old, overturned wagon. "Then again..." He muttered to himself. "Miss Parker did say she thought the girl was pregnant. Maybe they hid themselves away..."
Him and the dog were never particularly close. So much so that he'd never even bothered giving the collie a name. He still liked to think that he took good care of the dog, always making sure there was food and water present, leaving old rags around the wagon for warmth. He even took him to the vet on occasion, despite it costing a pretty penny for even one appointment.
Even for him there was no denying that the dog had always been useful, both in terms of keeping the farm safe and killing disease-spreading rats. The final straw with the rats had come after he had to put down several different cows, to prevent further spread of whatever they had been infected by. He tried all manner of things, from traps, to leaving poison pellets laying around, yet they seemed not able to stop coming. At one point, he tried hunting them down himself, but after realizing how time consuming such a job was, he chose to simply find something else to do it for him.
"Have you found him yet, honey?"
"No. I've checked the entire farm, the barnyard, the place he usually sleeps, nothing at all."
"Oh dear." The woman put a hand over her mouth. "You don't think that something bad happened to the poor thing, do you?"
He waved his hands dismissively at his wife's concern. "I highly doubt it. His girlfriend is missing too, I wouldn't be too surprised if that had something to do with his sudden disappearance."
"Whatever will you do about the sheep then? You can't train a dog to better round up the sheep, when there is no dog around to train."
"I'm aware of that." He sighed. "Maybe I could get another dog."
"You say that, as if the other one isn't ever coming back."
"No, no. He'll be back eventually and I'll train him just as well, but it's not like having another dog is gonna' make much of a difference."
"I hope you're right."
"Can I help you sir?"
"Not much of a people person." He muttered quickly under his breath, at the lack of a greeting. "Of course. I was just looking to take one of those dogs back there home with me."
Instantly the man's demeanor seemed to spring to life. "Oh!" He gasped in surprise. Clearing his throat, he quickly asked. "Really? Y-you're not here just to dump off waste food? O-or to just tell me about some stray causing you and your property trouble? You really want to adopt a dog?" There was something besides surprise and excitement in his eyes and voice. They carried with them a sense of hope as well.
"Well...yes. Is that so hard to believe?"
The man appeared flustered for a second. "Uhm...my apologies sir. Just come this way please."
He was led through a locked door. Immediately at the sudden commotion, several dogs jumped up from the cages they sat in and barked at the two of them, as they walked down the long passage, covered by cages on both sides.
The excitement in the man had yet to die down, he spoke feverishly as they walked. "Now I should mention that uh...most of these aren't purebred, I hope that won't be a problem now." He let out a nervous laugh.
He shrugged. "Doesn't matter to me."
"Great!" The man exclaimed. "Great...anyhow let's get started right over..." His finger wavered for a while. "...here." The cage he pointed at contained a few smaller sized dogs. "See any you like?"
"I'm actually looking for something a little bigger, something for security."
"Alright most of the bigger dogs are kept back here." He again led him, this time further down the passage. "If you look at this cage, you'll see what I believe is a mix of both a Boston terrier and possibly a mutt? Actually it could be a mixed bulldog, but...ach! Never mind, it doesn't really matter, now over here, you'll see a bit of an English Setter, now I could be wrong, but I see a lot of Cocker Spaniel in that one. And of course right there, the face of the entire pound, this Borzoi. Old guy has been here as long as I can remember, some around here say he'll never get adopted. Moving on, over here is a Pointer dog, I should warn you, once these things get a hold of a scent, they'll do everything possible to make you go in that direction. Speaking of scents, right over here is a Bloodhound, every hunter I know has one of these things, really useful, they are. And what about these guys over here! I hear they come straight out of Ireland. Now practically I'm not too sure how much use you'll get out of him, most people tell me these dogs chase fashion, rather than, you know, anything else...have I ever mentioned that I wish I could go to Ireland? Not that I'd fit in, or anything, but the chance to visit a place that I've only seen in drawing just sounds so...unique. I wonder if it's really like what the pictures make it seem like, all green and filled with little people with orange beards, who hide their pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. Ha! Imagine that, all I'd have to do is follow the rainbow and then I'd be a rich man. I've always wondered what someone like me would do if they became rich overnight. Personally I think I'd be pretty wise with my money. Maybe buy a few houses, a couple horses, a car? Nah. I've never really liked cars, too loud and leaves behind the smell of gas, also they just sound absolutely horrible to maintain. I wouldn't know what to do if I just broke down in the middle of nowhere, then again with all my money-"
"Ahem." He cut the man off, patience wearing thin.
"Right, right, the uhm dogs." The man's head sank and he walked further down the passage. "Gets really lonely here."
"These two together?" He pointed at the pair of dogs which had caught his attention.
"Yes, actually." The man cleared his throat, before explaining. "We accidentally locked the two of them up together. Normally the males are kept separate from the females. Once we realized our mistake, she was already pregnant, so we just keep 'em together for the heck of it."
"Terriers?"
"Some strange mix. Airedale, I think is what they're called."
"I'll take 'em both."
"Wait. Really? You're not here for just one, but two?"
"Yes...I suppose I am."
"Well then." A satisfied sigh passed through the man. "Let me just get a few things ready and you'll be able to take them home with you."
"Sounds good." He paused, thinking of something else to say. "You seem rather passionate about your job."
"Oh no, that would be the dogcatcher himself, guys obsessed with his job. I'm just glad to see when these poor things get a new home...so. What are you gonna' name them."
He looked at them both. "Larry and Barbara."
"Any reason why?"
"Those are special names, believe me."
