Where is my human? He's gone again. He didn't take his guitar with him. It's still here with us. And he hasn't come back for it yet. The woman cleans the house a lot. Once in a while she finds more empty bottles and starts crying. I try licking her face but she turns away from me. I hang my head. What's going on? What's happening to everyone? 

The children are gone. They're both gone almost every day now. It's only me and the woman and she doesn't even want to pet me! But I want to comfort someone! Everyone is so sad all the time, I want to help! 

No one comes to visit. Not the man's brothers or friends. Not even the woman's friends have been by in a while. The children's friends never come to our house. I see them outside and the children leave with them. I try barking at them but they ignore me. The woman always scolds me anyway. So I sleep most of the time now. 

In the evenings I lay under the table while the humans eat. I'm not hungry. I just want my owner back. "When is Daddy coming back?"

"He'll be home soon, dear. Don't worry about Daddy."

I sigh. Day after day of the same things. The children leave, the woman cleans and cries, the children come home then leave again with other children, I scratch myself, the children come back to eat, then everyone goes to sleep. It's been very quiet around here. 

I lie on the floor a lot. Sometimes if I'm lucky the woman comes by to pick me up and puts me on the couch and I sit there all day. She takes me outside too on my rope. I haven't been out for a walk in a long time. But I'm always too tired. 

I never used to be this tired. 

I wait by the window sometimes and watch the cars go by. I want to bark at them but I know I'll only get in trouble. I hate getting in trouble. Only bad dogs get in trouble and I don't want to be a bad dog. 

What if the woman decides she doesn't want me anymore? What if the man is gone for good? Maybe the woman will see I've become too much work and get rid of me! This is terrible! I have to stay out of the woman's way! She'll forget all about me and won't get rid of me! Every time I hear her coming, I'll hide!

Except...I don't always hear her coming. 

Sometimes she trips over me and I yelp. I had no clue she was there! I stand up and limp away while she sighs. "Charlie! Naughty boy..."

I sulk away. I'm not helping her forget about me. If she trips over me one more time she'll throw me out for sure. I wish my human were here. But for all I know, he's not coming back. I quickly hide under the bed. There are some old toys under here I forgot about to keep me company. I sniff a toy rope and start chewing on it. Maybe chewing will distract me. My teeth feel funny on the rope. They don't feel as strong as they used to. 

I'm already missing one of them.

I hear a faint slamming noise and faint footsteps. I perk up and listen but it's hard. I hear faint voices. I can still smell though, and I use my nose to investigate. The children are home! I come out from under the bed, my muscles aching, and I shake and limp down the hall. 

"It's about to pour so you two will have to stay in today."

"Okay...."

They're here! I wag my tail and greet them! The woman has food on the table and it smells delicious! The children don't pet me but they let me sniff them. They smell like other children and poor quality food. What have you been eating? Stale macaroni....expired meat....and what is that, grease? Where do you go and what do they feed you? No matter! The woman has cooked and she always cooks something delicious! Maybe if I behave she'll give me something! 

But just like always I don't hear her coming and she trips over me. Something crashes to the floor and I smell a huge mess of food. "Charlie!"

I scurry away from her. She kneels on the floor and sighs. There's a lot of food spilled everywhere. It smells tempting but I don't dare try eating it. She stands up straight and looks at me. The children are watching us. "What happened?"

"Charlie got under my feet and spilled all this soup on the floor."

I hurry away from them. I'm such a bad dog! Now I've really done it! All because I'm losing my hearing, I messed up again! That's it, me and my toys are going out on the streets where we belong. I'll find food in rubbish bins and make friends with the locals. I'll sleep in boxes and get chased away by those horrible newspapers. I whine and run back under the bed. I can hear faint talking. I think someone is yelling. I tremble. I haven't trembled in a long time. I whine and whine. 

I want Mum. 

I want my human. 

**********

I smell something. Something the woman usually cleans the floors with. It's strong in this room. The house is dark but I can tell the woman is awake and cleaning. I don't dare try jumping on the bed to sleep next to her anymore. I'm sure she will only push me off. I hide in the shadows and behind furniture so she won't see me and chase me away. I can see her scrubbing and cleaning. The floor looks clean to me but maybe I'm just losing my sight as well. Rain is pounding against the house. Light flashes but I try to ignore it.

She pulls things out of a cabinet near the floor. Things clatter and clang. She pulls things out, moves things around and puts things back. Humans never fail to surprise me with their odd traditions. I hear more clinking. The woman pulls out another one of those empty bottles. I can smell it from where I am. It's old and I smell dust. It's been in there for a long time. The woman sits back on the floor holding the bottle. I can smell salt. I watch quietly as she cries, tossing the bottle away from her. A few pieces break off and fly across the room. I shrink a bit but keep watching. The woman cries and cries. I want to comfort her but I don't want to make anything worse. I know I'll only make it worse. 

The woman sees me. I freeze. She holds her arms out to me.

"Come here, Charlie."

I don't know what to do. I would normally fly at her without a second thought and lick those tears away. But what if she's cross with me? She wipes some of her tears away and pats the spot next to her. 

"Come here, Charlie."

I slowly limp towards her, keeping my head down. I keep my tail tucked between my legs and don't wag it. I sniff her hands first. They're wet. I let her pet me and I finally take a seat next to her. She wraps her arms around me and buries her face in my fur. I can feel my fur grow damp and I can feel her shaking and crying. 

"I'm sorry, Charlie....I just miss him so much!"

I lick her wet face. She's very salty. Her soft hands pet me and stroke my fur. She's shaking with sobs. I realize then she's not ever getting rid of me. She loves me. But I know something is wrong with my human.

I want him to come home.

**********

I smell eggs. I smell bacon. I smell sausage. I drift in and out of sleep, smelling various things around the house. I smell children and grass and apples. I smell bubbles and fancy spray and dog food. I smell fire and smoke. I smell....smoke...

Smoke...

I open my eyes. There's no fire. The house is warm but there's no fire. I limp around investigating and sniffing. The smell is stronger over here. I keep my eyes down to the floor and my nose pressed against it. The smell of food gets stronger too. I feel the ground quiver with footsteps. I look up. 

"Malcolm!!!"

I don't believe it! The human is here!!!! He's back! I trot up to him but the woman beats me to it! She jumps on him and he catches her! They spin around and around and I bark! I wag my tail! I hold my tail as high as I can!!! I can't believe he came back!!! It's been so long since we've seen him!!!

"Daddy!"

The children come running out of nowhere! The man scoops them up and they're all crying and laughing and smiling and talking and I can't control myself! I bark and bark at the scene!!! My human is back and I'm never letting him leave us like that again!! I'll go with him next time and watch him closely and carefully to make sure he's okay! I'll report back to the woman and children on what I find! I won't let them down! I'll make them so proud! I'm so happy he's back!

"I've missed ya'. Ya' know, rehab ain't as fun as the brochures will have ya' believe."

"We're so glad to have you home!"

I can't sit still! I suddenly have the strength of ten Charlies! I run and bark and try standing on my hind legs! My tail is wagging at the speed of light again! It cracks like a whip! Today will be known forever after as a national holiday! No, a global holiday! Close all the shops! Cancel all your plans! Today is a day to celebrate my human coming home!!!

The man kneels down next to me and starts petting me. He scratches under my legs and my ribs. I lean against him and let him support me. I try licking his face but I can't quite reach! I squirm and wiggle and he laughs! 

"How's my boy doin'? Behavin' yourself? Takin' your meds every day?"

I've missed his voice! I can't hear him very well but I know he's talking to me! I wish I could talk to him! To tell him he's the best owner in the world and how much I love him! How much we all love him and need him here with us! Promise you'll never leave us ever ever again! If you do I'll be the best dog ever! 

"You're my good boy, ya' know that?"

I sneeze right in his face! 

"...thank you, Charlie...."