My Good Ol' Dog

by Micheal Rhian Driscoll
(Kent Island, MD)

Her name was Cha-ko-ri. We got her in Japan. Our maid named her. She said it meant "Brown and Black."

My father was with NSA. we stayed in Japan two years. We were not supposed to take her back with us, and gave her to the MPs on our base to train as a guard dog. They soon gave her back as she was too gentle, her large bark notwithstanding, so she came back stateside with us.

Actually, her large bark almost got our home insurance canceled as she scared the agent who felt she was the only protection we needed. But that was worked out. She graced our lives for 15 years.

She used to like to snatch my dinner napkin and lick it. When I took the napkin back, she would smile. I later found out my younger sister would sneak food she didn't like in her napkin to Cha. I had larger tastes, so Cha never got anything from me. But I don't think she cared. This was our little joke.

I've never wanted another dog since then. No one could ever match that sweet old dog.