第21章他有一个温暖的家Home（2）
Hewaslyinginthreeier。WhenItouchedhim，hedidhoughtheutmyhandsarouaohisfeet。Hestoodunsteadilyinthepuddle，hisheadhuattheendofhisneck。Halfhisbodywascoveredwithmange。Hisfloppyearswerejusthairlesspiecesoffleshdottedwithopensores。
“eon。”Isaid，hopingIwouldocarryhisiedcarcasstoshelter。Histailwaggedondheploddedweaklyafterme。Iledhimtoaothebar，wherehelayontheentandclosedhiseyes。
AblockawayIcouldseethelightsofalatenightcestore。Itwasstillopen。IboughtthreesofAlpoahemihercoat。IwaswetanduglyandtheclerklookedrelievedasIleft。Therace-typeexhaustsonmyoldHarleyDavidsohewindowsinthebarasIrodebacktothebar。
Thebarmaidopeheeandsaidthedog’sname。ShetoldmehewasaboutayearoldandthathisooGermahimoeallthreesofdogfoodiringsinglenessofpurpose。Iethim，buthesmelledlikedeathandlookedevenwoodluck。”Isaid。Thengotonmybikeandrodea>
&dayIgotajadumptruallpavingpany。AsIhauledaloadofgravelthroughtheteroftostandingonthesidewalkhebar。IyelledtohimandthoughtIsawhistailwag。Hisreaefeelgood。
AfterwhtthreemoresofAlpoandacheeseburger。Mynewfriendaogetheronthesidewalk。Hefinishedhisfirst。
&night，whenIbroughthisfood，hewelewithwildenthusiasm。Nowandthen，hismalnsbudhefelltothepavement。Otherhumaedhimaedhim，butnowhehadafriendandhisappreorethanobvious。
IdidhedayasIhauledloadafterloadupthemaihebar。Iwonderedifsomeoakenhimhome。
AfterworkIparkedmyblackHarleyoahesidewalklookingforhim。IwasafraidofwhatIwouldfind。Hewaslyingonhissideinanalleynearby。Histoiandoipofhistailmoved>
Thelocalveterinarianwasstillathisoffice，soIborrotruployerahelimpmohecab。“Isthisy”thevetaskedaftergthepitifulspethatlayhelplesslyonhisexaminingtable。
“No，”Isaid，“he’sjustastray。”
&hebeginningsofdistemper，”thevetsaidsadly，“Ifhedoeshekihinguthimoutofhismisery。”
Iputmyhandonthedog’sshytailthumpedweaklyagaiaiable。Isighedloudly。“He’sgotahome。”Isaid。
Forthesandtwodays，thedog—InamedhimShep—layonhissideinmyapartment。Myroommateahwaterinhismouthandtryiosscrambledeggs。He’tdoit，butwheouchedhim，histailwaggedslightlyattheverytip。
Atabout10：00a。m。ohirdday，Iweoopemeelephoaller。AsIsteppedthroughthedoor，Iwastenedbyajumping，wigglingmassofeuphoricmutt。Shephadrecovered。
Withtime，themangystarvingdogthatnearlydiedinmylivingroomgrewiy-poundblouscle，withamassivedasuperthickcoatofshinyblaytimes，whenlonelinessanddepressioeofme，ShephasreturnedmyfavorbyshmewithhisunbridledfriendshipuntilIhadosmileandtrademymelanchameoffetch-the-stick。
WhenIlookbaseethatShepahelowpointofbothofourlives。Butweareersanymore。I’dsaywe’vebothe。