A Happy Ending for Me. The Dog, Not So Much

Any time I rant about something in this space, I feel it my civic duty to follow up as conditions change.

A couple of weeks ago I wrote that I had broken down and had the ceremonial first mowing of the dirt. In that blog, I also complained about Sir Barks-a-lot, the mongrel belonging to the fools renting the house behind me.

During the first two weeks my new neighbors lived there, I grew to hate this dog that barked like they passed out Milk Bones for nonstop howling.

It wasn't that he barked all night long; but he would launch into a barking fit three or four times during the night, waking me up. Anything and everything seemed to set his barking into high gear: a passing motor scooter, a kid on a bicycle, a pedestrian walking down the street, a bumble bee buzzing just out of his reach.

He also used one of the many holes in the fence around his yard to facilitate his escape during the day and roamed around the neighborhood, barking at people when they came out of their homes.

I lamented that I would be happy for him to disappear by any means from a dog catcher to a motorist with acute aim.

The day after I wrote that blog, Sir Barks-a-lot mysteriously disappeared. If I owe this to one of my readers, thank-you. However, I think that scenario is the least likely.

I suspect his disappearance is no mystery to the family. The most likely reason for his sudden departure is that they gave him away or returned him to doggie purgatory at the pound.

It is also possible that they sold him to the Chinese restaurant down the street. There don't seem to be many stray dogs or cats in the two or three blocks surrounding the joint.

I put off celebrating his disappearance until I was sure he is indeed gone for good. Now that we are closing in on 3 glorious weeks, I think I can confidently refer to him in the past tense.

Here's to a good night's sleep! May he never find his way home.