第8章TwoLostSouls
“Didyouhearthat?”theolddogshouted。
Theyallraoftheirkeoseeifsomeonewasingto“pickthem”。
“Sorry，”hesaidtothesashisearsfelldownfromtheirperkedposition。“IcouldhaveswornIheardvoig，'Isn'thecute?It'sChristmas，'twetakehimhomewithUS?'”
“Youmusthavebeendreamingagainoldman，”saidthedogiohim。“Anyos;sthebigdealaboutgettingpickedupasaChristmasgift?os;veallbeenthroughthatroutineandlotus。”
“Justonce，I'dliketofeelthewarmthofahandstrokingmyhead，”saidtheolddog。“I'dliketobetheonewhokissesthetearsoffasadface。I'dliketoexttoafireihiscrete。Ithurtsmybones。”
Hecurledupaheotherssaid，“Theonlyplap;aptofindthatisinyourdreams，oldman。”
Hank'swifehadonlybeengohepainwasasfreshasiftimehadstoodstill。
Hewasanoldmannow，aloneahefortthathekherpersonwouldeverbeabletogivetohimagain。Whatwouldhislifebeewithoutherbyhisside?
Hank'scupboardswereclosetobarenowand，althoughhedidn'twanttogoout，heknewheshouldatleastpickupthebasics。Hedroveslowlydowsforfreewaydrivioog。
&hecarstartedgailfinallytheeogether。Ohebasieedshefotwasfuelforthecar!Sohecoastedoverhecurb，spottingabuildingwithinwalkingdistahey'dlethimusetheirphone。
Hewalkedintoanoffidrangthebellforservie。Hespottedanoutside，failingtohesignposted“EmployeesOnly”。
AsHa，hewasoverwhelmedbyyaps，barksandinsanejumpingfromdogsallsizesahenrealizedhehaduiohedogshelter。
Sloeaislelookingfora。
Threekennelsdowheolddogcalmlysatthere。Whyshouldtheolddoggetexoonewouldwanthim。But，hesensedaneedandp;apos;tresistakindlookalewagofthetail。
AsHaheolddog'scage，helacedhisfihroughthektosteadyhisgaitufeelingofp;apos;drememberedinoverayearawetnoseandlickacrosshisarthritigers。
JustthehoritysoundedandHankjumped。
“I'msorry，sir，youaren'tsupposedtobeinthisarea!”shesaid。
Lukdidn'tknowhehadwalkedintothe“finalarea”whereunclaimeddogswerescheduledtobeputdown。
&henudgeandligagain。Haothemostpleadingeyeshe'deverseen。
Igendant'sordertoleave，Hankaskedifhecouldseethedogcloser。Herdemeaelyaeredaway。Shehadforcedherselftobethiswaysoshecoulddothepartofherjobshedespised。
&theolddogoutandinstawosouls——o——fouohope。
Hank'scupboardswerenowfilled，awarmfirecradtheolddogsmiledinsideasheremembered“onlyinyourdreams”。ghiseyeshefeltHank'shandstrokinghisheadwhispering“sleepinheavenlypeace”。
ItwasChristmasafterall。