me: Did you feed him?
him: I didn’t. You told me never to do that, so I didn’t.
me: How did he get here?
him: I don’t know. Maybe he followed me home last night.
me: He’s old and rusty and his hind end sags. He needs a doctor. It’ll cost. If we keep him, it’ll cost.
We stand there looking at the wide-set eyes and rangy body.
him: I can’t send him away. Not with him looking at us like that. If you don’t want him, you get rid of him.
We never did. And it cost us some, but not as much as I thought. And now, man, oh man, does he growl when he gets rolling. It’s the best sound ever. It’s been two years and neither of us can remember a time when he wasn’t sitting in our driveway, waiting for us to take him for a ride. It’s like he’s always been one of the family.
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Postcard Stories Podcast – An Author Reading.
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6 Replies to “Stray Animal”
I’m a few behind on my Postcards but I’ll catch up here later today. Enjoyed this story. Creative as always!
Thanks for always taking the time to read my little stories, Michelle! You’re the best!
Love this. Same thing happened to my grandson, only with a lizard.
so many of my friends have stories like this. And somehow, you always end up feeding them. You just have to!
Cool story! Love the pic and the words…lots of strays out there in the world.
It’s hard not to bring the strays home! Thanks for reading, Michele!
Word of the Year-2025
For my 2025 word of the year, I chose COURAGE. I know, it’s not the most original pick—but hear me out. Something about courage stuck with me this time, especially after watching a documentary on The Tragically Hip. For those unfamiliar, they’re kind of a Canadian thing. A band that
Hinterland is Real
They say seeing is believing. I didn’t know what that meant until that night. I was coming home late, later than I should, and I knew I was going to catch heck. Momma didn’t even pretend to be patient when me or my sister wasn’t home in time for dinner.
Deadly Mist
The mist crept closer, slithering across the boot prints she left behind on the soft, moist ground. She urged her legs to go faster over the uneven path. A leafless tree grabbed at the flying strands of her long silver hair as she ran past. They hung like shiny tinsel