In which I witness someone falling in love
I鈥檓 crouching in the animal shelter鈥檚 driveway when an oversized red pickup pulls up. Bonni, the dog I have come to see, pushes her nose into my hand. Bobbi, the woman who has brought Bonni out to me, looks at the truck.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 a policeman,鈥� Bobbi says.
We hold our breath 鈥� she, behind her respirator mask; me, above Bonni鈥檚 ears, one perked, one flopped. I remember what Bobbi had told me on the phone.
鈥淲e鈥檒l keep doing adoptions,鈥� she鈥檇 said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e not allowed to let anybody into the shelter, but I don鈥檛 see why we can鈥檛 do everything outside.鈥�
鈥淵es,鈥� I said, thinking about the recent rush of regulations, the counties on my state鈥檚 pandemic map changing colors every day: gray, green, blue, red. So many cases. So many rules.
鈥淎 truck drops dogs at my shelter every month,鈥� Bobbi had told me. 鈥淚f we don鈥檛 adopt out these dogs, other dogs will die.鈥澛�
鈥淵es,鈥� I said, 鈥渁nd, too, there may be more orphaned dogs, now.鈥�
鈥淵es,鈥� Bobbi said. She has some underlying health issues and is being very cautious during the pandemic. 鈥淚 won鈥檛 let anybody in my house. But I have done adoptions from my yard. You just have to be careful.鈥�
I鈥檇 started to look for dogs to adopt on a cellphone app in between crying fits over not being able to see my family for a year or more. Fewer dogs were listed every day. Shelters and rescue organizations were shutting down. 鈥淕overnor鈥檚 orders,鈥� their websites said. Experts predict it may be 18 months before there鈥檚 a semblance of a return to normal. We may be just at the beginning of this.聽
In the animal shelter鈥檚 driveway, I look away from the broad shoulders of the policeman climbing out of the red truck. I run my hands along Bonni鈥檚 back. Tufts of undercoat loosen, drift on the wind, clump on wet pavement.
When I look up again, the officer is still standing at the entrance to the drive. His gaze bores straight ahead, piercing the air above me and Bonni, above two parked cars. Behind the cars, mesh wire outlines kennel runs.聽
The first is empty. In the second, a German shepherd paces, turns, vaults up against the shelter wall. Pace, turn, bounce. Repeat. In midjump, she yelps, looks out across the fences, her eyes dark, frantic.
鈥淪he looks young,鈥� the policeman says.
鈥淵es,鈥� Bobbi says evenly. 鈥淵es, she does.鈥�
Bonni nudges my hand. I resume scratching her, then turn to look up at the policeman鈥檚 face.
鈥淐an I?鈥� he says. 鈥淚 mean, do you ...?鈥�
鈥淲e can鈥檛 let you inside,鈥� Bobbi says.
He looks crestfallen. 鈥淵es. Of course.鈥�
鈥淏ut,鈥� Bobbi says, slowly, 鈥渋f you fill out an application, I can bring her out to meet you.鈥�
The young man鈥檚 face lights up.
鈥淭hank you,鈥� he says. His eyes track the dog.
鈥淪he鈥檒l need a lot of work,鈥� Bobbi says.
鈥淵es,鈥� he says, barely breathing, his gaze glued to the dog. 鈥淵es.鈥�
