The Unspeakable

Seven-year-old Julia didn't know what she was getting herself into when she plopped on my bed. I was just about to finish the book that had been taking me months to read when she said, "Emily, I want to talk to Dad about getting a dog."
With a look of disbelief, I replied, "Well, good luck with that."
"But, it's been a year since we brought it up with him, and I'm going to turn 8 soon. I'm asking for one for my birthday."
"What are you asking for for your birthday?" Tom, our brother came into the room.
"She's going to ask for a dog," I told him.
"Are you serious? We've been working Dad for months, and with one of your little girl pouts, you think Dad will just change his mind and say 'Yes, I think we should get a dog. What a great idea?'"
"Well, without your help, how can we ever expect to get a dog?" Julia retorted.
"We don't and that's the way it's going to stay. Don't mess with the flow of things, you haven't been around as long as Em and me. Trust us when we say, don't do it."
Tom stormed out of the room. He was so much like Dad. The both of them had thick heads. Anytime you tried to air an idea, it bounced off the walls of their skull and came back at you full force. The women in the house were the only ones with open minds. We accepted criticism. We considered ideas before making judgments.
What did their thick heads have to do with getting a dog? Well, We had a yellow Labrador, Sandy. We got her in 1998 and she passed away in 2009. Admittedly, she wasn't the brightest dog. She chewed the wall, barked non-stop, and was persuaded that the broken barking collar worked. Here came the thick heads. Dad thought that the next dog would be just like Sandy. Honestly, that's probably not going to happen. Sandy was unique, one of her kind. Just like people, dogs aren't always the same.

"What's his problem? I thought he wanted a dog," Julia asked after Tom walked out.

"He does, it's just that...He..."I stumbled with what to say. Julia may be seven, but she's seven going on twenty-seven. "He doesn't think that it's fair that just because you ask for a dog, that it suddenly opens dad's eyes and that we get a dog. Mom, Tom, and I tried for months to get Dad to say yes. The countless schemes we made. We were even going to have Aunt Brenda buy you one last year and have her take the blame. You know how she doesn't care what Dad thinks."

Julia smiled, seeing the scheme play out in her head. "I just don't understand why Dad is so negative."

"It's like this, he hated Sandy. The dog before her, Kurby, was just an amazing dog. When Mom and Dad put her down Dad was really depressed. Mom got Sandy thinking that Dad would warm up to her but he never did. So, we're afraid that if we get another dog, then Dad will treat it really badly."

"Oh, well that makes sense. But maybe Dad will change his mind," Julia suggested.

"I don't know, maybe, but really I don't think so. Dad isn't the type person to just change his mind fast, but you never know. Miracles happen...sometimes." Julia laughed. "I'm not going to tell you don't go for it, but just don't expect a yes."

"Okay, thanks Emily."

"No problem, now get out of my room, I'm reading."
As she got off the bed she said, "Fine, I'm going." As she walked out of the room I picked up my book.
Reading the same line for at least five minutes, I realized that I couldn't finish the book now. All that was on my mind was thinking about having a little canine companion yip and lay next to me on the bed. Just thinking about it made a sense of excitement grow in me. Don't even start, I thought. Life's troubles aren't always easy, but somehow you manage to get through them. Just like wanting a puppy. It seems easy, but under the surface, there's always one cause that can start a war. Thank God I'm not the one starting it. With this thought, I was able to pick up my book, recline on the bed, and finish my book.