Meatload and Myra

A sophist dog wanders into the open world swearing never to come back. He meets a lovely companion, Myra, and reshapes his way of thinking of his home.

Our story begins on a gloomy day, one where the clouds hang like ceiling fans and the sun seldom makes an appearance, while all day long you're on the edge of the seat waiting for rainfall.  Our main character is short, stocky, stubborn and stiff.  He's an american pit bull, his mates refer to him as a proud-to-be-american pit bull.  He loves the freedom of the land and most of all the freedom of choice.  Meatloaf, his owner called him.  He could sit, shake, roll over, and beg.  Meatloaf had a wandering mind however, and while being held captive solely to mate wasn't torture, he often caught a wiff of the diner next door.  The smell of meat cooked over the charcoal grill would too often overcome the pheromones from his lovers, and one day his nose led him away from his pen, when his owner foolishly left the door open to put some of his leftover hard food droppings in the tin can…

Meatloaf wandered into the open world, partially following his intuition, mainly following his tingling nose.  He wandered out and his owner called to him, he was instructed to sit and instinctually began to, but as his owner approached him, rather strategically, he thought in his mind that this was his one and only chance for escape.  Meatloaf spoke, but Mr. Owner looked clueless, as if he only heard, "Bark, bark!"… The only human he ever knew couldn't even understand him, which worked in Meatloaf's favor for he held the title of being a good boy.  But today, he barked up the wrong tree.  His heart knew, this was his chance and he made a dash straight for the diner.  Just as he left, the clouds finally loosened their belts and the raindrops fell like angry hornets.  

In the distance he heard his name being called and saw his owner far behind him, taunting him with treats and commanding tricks.  But today, Meatloaf was his own owner, why should someone own me anyways?  Why must I eat only when I am fed?  I've got an appetite that no bowl of hard food can satisfy, being used for emotionless mating can be a rigorous request when there's potential in the mind.  I'm treated no better than a prisoner in a cell, worst of all, I can't share my pain with anyone, for I seem to be the only one aware of this reality.  Someone somewhere has to see my side of things. 

When his nose finally reached its destination, he saw an unattended grill.  Smoke was pouring out of every crevice, and it was much larger than any charcoal grill he had ever seen.  He was intimidated by size but his nose made him over ambitious.  He started to sniff, getting closer and closer, until ouch, his nose poked the metal wall of the grill and the heat was overwhelming.  Meatloaf whimpered and retreated, he had to think of another way.  He saw a human walking towards him and assumed it was for his capture, he was now a wanted criminal.  He could see it now, never could he return back home, he'd remain an outlaw amongst dogs and never have a warm dog house to rest his eyes.  After the lanky man approached, it seemed he was tearing down, perhaps the rain prohibited his grilling.  Maybe humans weren't equipped to endure the rain, he hardly saw anyone around, even under this tent the man was retiring his dinner.  Meatloaf thought he was unnoticed until the man called to him, holding out a crispy hot dog all the while.  Don't approach too quickly, Meatloaf thought, who knows the intention of the white man?  He forced one paw in front of the other, on high alert, ready to make a dash if need be.  Just then the human knelt and sent the frank his way.  Meatloaf barked thank you, picked it up from the pavement, and retreated to a place of privacy behind the dumpster, that was until he noticed the girl watching him…

She had a stick in her mouth that let off smoke much like the grill, but the smell was rather repulsive.  Something about the lipstick stained incense was intriguing however.  She didn't really approach, or judge, or yell, or attest, she simply observed.  Right away Meatloaf noticed her observance, it was an easy trait to identify in people, seeing how they seldom did it.  She had black hair that barely touched her shoulders, and eyes the color of Meatloafs brown fur.  He ate his hot dog in peace, letting her watch, assuming he could trust her intentions, and that she was preoccupied with her own meal.  Meatloaf wondered if he should smoke his hot dog too? 

When her cigarette dwindled to hardly more than a filter, and the ember had begun to torch the lipstick, she bent over to put it out on the pavement.  The ember hissed on the wet ground and the girl stayed right where she was on Meatloaf's level.  She smiled at the dog, Meatloaf couldn't help but feel bashful.  He liked something about the girl, even if she had a bad habit of smoking, which was clear, for she pulled another stick from her package, and lit it  with a match.  It seemed she had no intention but to smoke and observe.  Meatloaf began to look around, on the big parking lot there was only a few cars, one was being boarded and pulling out.  There was a large oak tree next to the dumpster, and he wasn't too far from the diner walls itself, but he seemed to be on the back side.  The front side had a door with lots of foot traffic, must be tourists.  The rain was pouring down and though the shower felt cleansing and overdue, he was drawn to the roof over the ledge protecting the alluring girl from the clouds urine.  Clouds were like giant rivers in the sky, Meatload thought, carrying water all over the air, they must be searching for a place to settle down and become a river once and for all. 

He made the move to introduce himself to the girl, he had nothing to lose after all, she really wasn't a threat.  As he walked towards her, she called, "come 'ere boy" almost therapeutic to hear a command.  She made the introduction easy, her gentle and aloof aura made Meatloaf approach with a wagging tail, opposed to one between his legs.  She began to pet him and the world around him disappeared.  He was no longer in the parking lot, but riding a cloud in the sky, too high above the rainstorm to even feel a drop, too high above the land to feel restricted by any chain link fence.  He felt content.  When she stopped he returned from his fantasies and decided to follow her.  "That's a good boy" the girl said, and Meatloaf felt purpose once again.  He decided to call her Myra. 

Myra asked him to shake, he shook.  She asked him to roll over, he rolled.  She asked him to speak and he said, "Hello, I'm Meatloaf" but she must of only heard bark bark.  Then she asked him to sit, which he did, until she started to walk towards her car, in which case he followed.  She had a monstrous white car, the door was open and Meatloaf jumped right in.  He puzzled as to why he sat in the driver seat, he had no idea how to operate a vehicle.  She beckoned for him to come out of the car, but he didn't understand.  He simply stepped into the passenger seat, one he was much more experienced in operating, and wuffed for her to come in the car.  She stood for a moment outside of the vehicle, inside the rainstorm, requesting him to come out.  But Meatloaf knew this was America, the land of choice.  When he wouldn't leave, she finally gave in and got in the car.  Myra turned the key in the ignition and the radio started pondering on who let the dogs out.  Meatloaf knew, nobody let the dogs out, Meatloaf was responsible for his own freedom, he let himself out.  Who, who, who, who, who? 

They drove for what seemed like hours, all the while he smelled cigarette smoke mixed with fresh air.  It's difficult to smell the fresh air when the smoke from a camel pack is biting your lungs.  Like trying to reach your place of zen while your kid is beating a drum kit downstairs.  Meatloaf enjoyed the ride anyway, he even got to stick his head out of the window and see the passing towns.  He saw dogs in kennels and gated yards, and contemplated how any of them could be content.  Then he realized the houses they were attached too were hardly different, and wondered how humans could be content.  Who owned humans anyway?  A dog didn't build the fence for the dog to live in, but the humans built their own cage?  Why would you willingly put yourself in the cage?  Meatloaf felt safe in his cage, but after spending many long days holding in digested hard food and longing for the endless horizon, he questioned why anyone would submit themselves to such torture.  He was free, however, and these were merely questions.  Meatloaf had a new purpose though, that was to find the answers.  

The car stopped at a house, where a couple came out of their holding cell, and greeted the brown eyed driver.  When she finished introducing Meatloaf and he went for another ride on a cloud, the couple entered the house for a moment and his black haired driver was beckoning him into the car.  He quickly relieved his hydraulic pressure and assumed his position as copilot.  The couple came out of their house, carrying a rather pleasant smelling cigarette.  The smoke made Meatloaf think of the forest, it made Meatloaf calm, but mostly, it made Meatloaf hungry.  It seemed to do the same for the humans for they were driving up to a window, where a man handed them a delightful smelling bag.  Meatloaf's mouth watered as Myra pulled out cheeseburgers, hash browns, and chicken nuggets.  They sat parked for a moment while Meatloaf whimpered for a bite.  He'd get an occasional chicken nugget, a half-eaten burger, even a hash brown.  When the humans finished eating they started to give Meatloaf whole burgers, to try to satisfy his appetite.  There was not a bite left over before the car began to move again, they drove all around, they were making phone calls and seemed to be searching for something.  Meatloaf appreciated being surrounded by fellow seekers.

The rain had finally stopped.  They made a stop at a forest, he was put on a leash and they began to walk through trails that smelled reminiscent to the cigarette the couple brought.  He admired all the wildflowers and the mighty trees, once and a while there were animals too.  Songbirds, SQUIRRELS, chipmunks, deer, SQUIRRELS, rabbits, SQUIRRELS, snakes, muskrats, and SQUIRRELS.  They walked around smoking those tasteful cigarettes,  while Meatloaf explored and relieved himself, the sun was beginning to yawn and changing into it's pajamas, however, and the moon was on it's second cup of coffee.  The day was coming to an end.  

They piled into the car and drove back to the couples house.  Meatloaf followed the driver into the house, and was amazed to see a house so different from his previous owners.  It was very spacious, he could walk around and not feel so clostraphobic , when he sat on the couch, he wasn't put down or punished, he was simply pet, which of course, felt to him like riding on a cloud.  He heard the door open and close, upon returning from the cloud, he recognized the couple standing there but couldn't find the brown eyed girl anywhere.  He started whimpering and pacing the house but there was no sign of Myra anywhere.

The couple kept coaxing him with food and dog T-R-E-A-T-S.  They talked like Meatloaf didn't know how to spell.  The food and treats weren't torture however, and Meatloaf soon gave into his watering mouth.  He woke up in the middle of the night and decided to study his surroundings.  Myra would be proud of his observance.  He studied each room, taking in as much detail as he could.  He counted the windows, eighteen, the couches, three, the toilets, one, and the doors, two.  He peered out the front window and noticed a lot of land and what seemed to be a road in the distance.  But when he peered out the back door, he noticed something far more horrifying, a chain link fence!

"They're going to cage me forever" Meatloaf frantically thought, "Take my freedom away just like that.  Well, it's not theres to take.  I shall be free!"  Meatloaf was ready to run for the hills until he noticed he had no way of escaping.  The house was dog proof and probably designed to restrict dogs from escaping.  He'd have to bide his time and wait until he had another chance of escaping.  The couple woke up, they were despicable he thought, but putting duty before pride, fought to gain trust.  He'd play fetch in his chain link jail cell, sit when instructed and shake when asked.  He was doing it for the treats and his freedom alone.  Days passed by, he was losing track of the days, he'd studied the house day after day and could still not find a way out.  "It's hopeless" he whimpered, "These humans have me barricaded in."  He retired to the foot of the bed for a nap.  When he awoke, he heard the sound of a familiar voice…

It was Myra! Myra was here for his rescue.  She had walked in smelling like the camel pack, observing all the while.  She wore the same smile she had before, she really hadn't aged a bit.  "Hi Meatloaf" she said and sent him soaring on a cloud.  He felt relieved, freedom was here at last.  This time he decided, she wouldn't leave without him.  He followed her around and wouldn't let her out of his sight.  He even nudged at the bathroom door.  It came time for her to leave and his proof was being put into action.  He followed her to the front door, the door without a chain link encampment, the door which Meatloaf had only entered in, having yet to exit it, the door that meant his freedom.  She opened it and grabbed his collar, he thought she was pulling him and running for escape.  Meatloaf's heart was racing as they dashed to the car, he couldn't wait to copilot the SUV.    The car started and Myra put a Snoop Dogg, CD in, Meatloaf wondered two things, if he was a snoop dog, and if he'd been misspelling the word 'dog' his entire life.  They drove on just like they used to, Meatloaf watched as the towns passed him by, as the kennels stayed put and he kept on moving he felt free again, but he was awfully hungry.  She went into the diner while Meatloaf waited in the car, he decided to observe his surroundings, he was finding great benefits in being aware of where he was.  He noticed empty cigarette packs and food containers, dirty clothes and empty water bottles.  He studied the hole in the driver seat and the markings on her steering wheel.  As he looked around he noticed a piece of paper, with a dog that looked very similar to his mates on it.  The page read: LOST DOG, MEATLOAF, CAN ROLL OVER, SIT, FETCH, AND SHAKE.  NOT SPAYED.  $250 REWARD.  CALL 87697864X4. Could this be me?  I am not lost, in fact, I think I've been found. 

Myra was walking out of the diner carrying a bag.  She opened up Meatloaf's door and offered him a taco.  He ate it happily, licking his lips all the while, he was so distracted by the taco that he didn't even notice the leash on his collar.  Myra started to tug on Meatloaf's leash and he gave in to her proposal of the walk, that taco gave him the urge to relieve himself anyways.  He stepped out of the car willingly and began to walk by Myra's side.  He trusted her now just as much as when he first laid eyes on her.  He just wished she'd quit smoking those cigarettes.  They walked past a familiar looking scene, there was a large oak tree next to the dumpster they were passing and he wasn't too far from the diner walls itself, but he seemed to be on the back side. "Wait a second" Meatloaf began to panic, "She's taking me back home!"  He began to park and hop around, Myra was fearful, Meatloaf was fearful even more, for this meant the demise of his freedom.  He didn't want to go back, he had only tasted what the world outside was.  He much preferred walking towards the open horizon over pacing his usual chain link captivity.  He preferred tacos and hash browns to a shared bowl of hard food.  There was not enough treats in the world to make him want to go back to his owner.  But it was too late, the leash was on his collar and his old house was getting closer and closer.

Myra knocked at the door, Meatloaf was in shock.  He was replaying all the different things he could say to his owner, all his different plans of escape, but subconsciously he was observing.  In the end, my beloved Myra, was the one who took my freedom after all.  Trusting her led to my capture by the despicable couple, as well as the return to my home.  The restraints that the leash has is merely symbolic for my trust to her.  Being home is not so different from the couples home, only I'm familiar with it, I understand it.  Like there's nothing left to study or observe, I've seen it all.  Meatloaf was distracted by his thoughts and didn't even notice the door open.

"Well hello there" his owner called, his voice sounded so familiar.  He got on his his knees and began to pet Meatloaf, more affectionately than ever before.  He drifted off to the clouds feeling on top of the world.  Myra came inside the house for tea and Meatloaf was looking around the house.  Everything seemed so new, so different.  His mates greeted him warmly, their pheromones smelled sweeter than ever.  The rooms were reorganized, he counted three doors, sixteen windows, two toilets, and three couches.  The dogs were released to the backyard, but the chain link prison felt more like a comfortable home.  His dog bed still held his shape.  He ran around joyfully with the other dogs until they were tired out.  Soaking up the sun and drinking as much water as the camel on Myra's pack of cigarettes.  When the owner went inside he saw Myra still sitting at the table, her smile was wider than ever and her brown eyes had a look Meatloaf had never seen.  She stared affectionately into his owners eyes.  He wondered if Myra would ever leave.  He wondered why he never gave his owner a name.  Hmm.

Days passed by, Meatloaf was as happy as could be with his mates, owner, and Myra living in the house.  He even slept at the foot of the bed, except Myra and his owners feet smelled better than that despicable couple.  Meatloaf wondered what was so different about being home, even with the reorganized furniture, it was still the same house.  Still the same hard food, the same dog house, the same owner, the same toys, the only thing that hadn't remained the same was Meatloaf.  

Our story concludes on a warm day, one where the sun is alert and affectionate, giving a kiss to every cheek that steps outside.  Myra walked in the front door carrying a bag of cheeseburgers and hash browns and smoking her camel cigarette.  The new couple ate what their stomaches could handle and offered the rest to Meatloaf and the others.  They ate happily until their hearts were content and their bellies full.  Meatloaf went into the sunshine and basked in it's rays, Myra walked outside and began to pet his belly.  Meatloaf was up in the clouds…..

THE END

Author's Note

One of my first short stories in a while. A similar situation happened in reality, wanted to make a story with reoccurring themes that put light to the lost dog situation and his perspective of the journey.