A Generous Gift

Cap and Ely sat on the back porch of Cap's house. It was a nice Sunday afternoon and a cool front had brought a little rain earlier in the day. The rain was soaking in and a fresh breeze jingled the wind chimes on the back porch. It was a good day.

Into the driveway pulled Glen. He parked his old pickup truck and got his cane out of the space between the toolbox and the cab of the truck. Cooler days like this one, he needed it for his trick knee that sometimes didn't follow the orders his brain gave it. "It's hell gettin' old" he had been heard to say once or twice.

He eased up onto the porch and joined Cap and Ely in their leisure. After he got settled into his chair and the pleasantries were over this conversation took place.

"Glen, whatever happened to that dog I gave you?" asked Cap. "He was out of that good dog of mine and I didn't give many of those puppies away. I sold most of'em and people wanted more when I ran out."

"I been meanin to talk to you about that Cap. I still have that dog alright, but he ain't worth killin'. I think it would be hard to find a sorrier dog alive.....and I mean that."

"What? He was gonna make something for sure. Matter of fact, Ely had him picked out for himself before I gave him to you. I wouldn't let him keep him though because I knew you wanted one. He liked to not got over it niether, as the subject will still touch a nerve with him right now as we speak."

"Are we talking about the same dog?" asked Glen, "The dog I'm talking about is a cur dog with a pretty ring neck and one blue eye. He is a good looking dog and can really bark in the pen. He also sleeps good and eats lots of good dog food. The one thing he ain't good at is hearing....because he's deaf."

Cap bit his tongue to hide a smile. "Why, what do you mean?" he asked.

"I mean you gave me a deaf dog, that's what I mean! You acted like you were doing me a great favor by giving such a generous gift, but in fact you unloaded a dog that don't hear, and I don't mean he is hard of hearing, I mean he is deaf!"

"Ely, lean over and check Glen's temperature because he's surely feverish. Glen, are you insulting me? That dog is just a heavy sleeper. He can hear just fine. You must be whisperin' when you talk or something."

"It's funny you say that, I thought the same thing myself. So I waited til he was sleepin' one day and I walked up to the pen. I wasn't sneakin' neither. I walked right up to that pen and took this cane here in my hand and rapped on the tin roof of the dog pen with it. All the other dogs ran into their barrels except ole Miracle Ear. He laid right there and slept like a baby. Yep, now I know why he barks in the pen constantly....because he cain't hear hisself think, and he sure cain't hear me yellin' at him to stop."

"Well I'll be..." muttered Cap,"I can't believe it. Well I'm sorry about that Glen. That's just bad luck."

"Yep, sure is I guess, but you knew that dog was deaf when you gave'em to me."

"Why do you say that? What do you have to base that on? Are you accusing me of giving you a deaf dog?"

"Yep, I sure am. And I am prepared to return the favor."

"Oh no. I don't want him back. You can't give him back Glen. That would be bad luck. Least that's what I've heard."

"Oh, I'm not giving the dog back. I learned to like him. I got a gift for you though...hope you like it. I'll see you boys later." With that Glen stood up to leave and didn't hesitate as he got back to his truck. He stepped around the back of his truck, dropped the tailgate and opened a small cage releasing at least 10 cats....then drove away.