Ernie's Journey

Ernie’s Journey

  By And Palladino

  Copyright 2013 And Palladino

  This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously.

  Ernie should have been perfectly happy with his suburban life, but found it a little unfulfilling as of late. He wanted to get out more and see the big world around him. Having grown tired of the limited sights he typically saw in his usual day, his mind would wonder what else the outside had to offer. He had never gotten and could not easily get that chance, for Ernie was but a dog.

  He was a miniature dachshund with dark brown fur and light brown eyes. His belly sagged a bit but he was still very agile.

  One afternoon he had taken a long nap. When he woke up and peered around the house, he saw that a window next to the armchair was left open. Ernie finally had his opportunity. Without a second’s hesitation, he got up and trotted over to the chair. He jumped up to the seat and, not seeing what was ahead, leaped out the window.

  Fortunately his fall was cushioned by a shrub. Feeling a little pained, he freed himself from the plant and shook it off. He looked out at the street to the house facing him, then at his right he saw a row of more houses that went on further than he could see. This got him very excited, but then he heard something from the other direction.

  “Hey you,” said a voice.

  To his left Ernie saw a tall heavyset man. This man, an older middle aged fellow with short cropped hair, was wearing a navy blue jumpsuit. In his hand he had a rope fastened more like a noose than a lasso.

  “I can’t let you run loose. There are so many terrible things that happen. It’s much too dangerous for a little doggie like you to be out here.”

  As the man was winding up his rope, presumably to throw, Ernie instantly dashed off at his right. He ran along the sidewalk as fast as he possibly could. The traffic on the streets of this neighborhood was virtually nonexistent. He crossed the first intersection, but turned right at the next. Then he made a left at the following turn and a right after that. When he looked behind him, the dogcatcher didn’t seem to be in sight.

  He stopped at a bench on the sidewalk where a young couple was kissing. Though they would otherwise be focused on each other, the tiny bark he let out got the girl’s attention.

  “Aw what a cute little puppy!” she exclaimed, bending over at him. “Let’s get you up here.”

  She picked him up and sat him between her and the boy, who was none too pleased to have been interrupted.

  “Who’s he?” he asked with a slight huff.

  “Let’s see.” She slid around the collar to her so she could read the name. “Ernie. That’s a nice name for you, little guy.” Moving him to her lap, she began to stroke and pet him.

  “Hey be careful,” the boy interjected.

  “What?”

  “It could have rabies or something.”

  “He does not have rabies.”

  “Just watch, it’s gonna bite you.”

  “He will not. He’s a little nice guy.”

  Throughout all this Ernie kept himself still. He didn’t return any of the affection the girl was showing him. Normally it was typical of him to warm up to humans other than his owner family; whenever there were guests in the house, he would excitedly run up to greet them. But the encounter with the dogcatcher had spooked him.

  The boy stood up. “Leave him. Come on, let’s go.”

  “What is your problem?”

  “My problem? My problem is that you’re treating that mutt better than me!”

  “I am not! Lighten up, he’s just a little lost puppy.”

  “See, there you go again!”

  “Stop being such a jerk!”

  “Oh I’m the jerk, huh?”

  “Yeah, you are!”

  He raised his hand slightly.

  “Oh, so you’re gonna hit me?” the girl shouted. “Right in front of Ernie here.”

  “Is that what you think I’m being a jerk about, this dog?”

  “Other stuff too, like when my brother wants to hang out.”

  “Well he should be with his own friends!”

  “He’s in a wheelchair for crying out loud! It’s not easy for him!”

  “That’s no excuse for-“

  “How dare you! What a horrible thing to say! You’re the most-”

  It wasn’t long before they were yelling over each other. The words so jumbled together for Ernie that he couldn’t decipher even one. Suddenly on the ground he saw a giant shadow cast over the three of them. He looked up and saw the dogcatcher staring straight at him.

  “Do you want to go back now?” he asked with a solemn tone.

  Ernie jumped off the bench and began running. The boy and girl were too busy arguing loudly to notice that he had left them, nor did they seem to acknowledge the presence of the dogcatcher. He continued down the street and turned at the first right, and after that at the third left. He followed this street down until he could see something.

  In the distance he saw a crowd and decided that he might be able to lose the dogcatcher there. Getting closer, he saw that this crowd was comprised of boys in junior high school and that they were on a parking lot of that school. He was able to make his way to the front as the boys were transfixed on the event before them: a fight.

  To Ernie it had seemed that the battle was yet to start. A small boy and a tall boy were circling each other, the small one acting much more defensively.

  "You don't really want to do this, do you?" asked the small boy, although not quite pleadingly. Even Ernie knew that he was trying to act brave in front of his peers.

  "Shut up," his opponent responded, taking steps forward until they stood inches from each other.

  The small boy put his arms up in a blocking fashion, but the tall boy just pushed them out of the way and punched him in the gut. His hands moving to where he had been hit, the small boy was left open for attack. The tall boy seized the opportunity and slugged him in the face, nearly knocking him down.

  "Ohhhh," collectively remarked the crowd.

  When the small boy regained his stance, the tall boy grabbed him and bashed him over his knee. This time the small boy fell down. The tall boy stood over him ready to strike again.

  “You gonna stay down?” he asked.

  The small boy nodded his head.

  “Alright then.” He relaxed into a non-combative position. “That was a smart move you just-“

  All of a sudden the small boy kicked up from the ground and hit him right in the groin. He stumbled backwards and winced in pain.

  The crowd was enthralled by this reversal. “Yeah!” they cheered while clapping. “Get him back! Get him back!”

  The small boy stood back up. He walked forward to his foe and delivered an uppercut followed quickly with an elbow jab to the chest. As the tall boy stumbled backward, his legs were swept and he plummeted to the ground.

  Not waiting for him to get back up, the small boy knelt down on him, pinning his arms to the gravel. He then proceeded to punch him in the face, alternating fists.

  The spectators would have expected him to stop after six repetitions or so, but he didn’t. The roar of the crowd died down with each passing blow. The tall boy’s face was bruised and battered, and the small boy kept on beating it. Ernie looked at his expression; what had been a look of fear just moments ago was now replaced with rage.

  As the assault prolonged, Ernie could sense someone trying to get through the crowd to the front. He could tell from the rustling made, which made him uncomfortable. His discomfort level jumped when he looked up and saw that this person was standing right next to h
im: it was the dogcatcher.

  Ernie was off running again. It frustrated him how the dogcatcher was able find him in a place in which he thought he was more hidden. He circled around the crowd and headed in a different direction than the one from which he came. Along this path were numerous shrubs, which he travelled through and hoped would provide him with cover.

  Eventually he stopped at a strip mall. He checked to see if the dogcatcher was around, but he didn't appear to be.

  The only store that had its door open was a convenience store. He first looked in the window; he saw only one customer who was towards the back of the store, adjusting some item of his clothing. Over behind the counter was the clerk, whose slumped posture showed his boredom. It seemed to be a safe enough place to duck into.

  He trotted through the doorway. The clerk spotted him right off, and was about to say something until the customer rushed up to him.

  "Give it here!" he shouted, now wearing a ski mask and brandishing a gun. "Now!"

  The clerk raised up his hands in instant alarm, but from there froze stiff. "O-k-k," he managed to stammer out.

  "Let's go!"

  Slowly the clerk began to lower his