Martha, My Dear

A Story by Halice Osborne

Thomas is a sad man, and Martha is a dog that wants nothing more than to cheer him up.

Thomas Gunter is an utterly sad man. Despite his good looks and charm, Thomas cannot find a woman to love him. At 23 years old, he begins to lose hope.

On the 28 January, 1964, he wakes to his shrill alarm clock, as he does every morning. He sits up and greets his English sheepdog, Martha. Rubbing his tired eyes, Thomas walks to the on suite to prepare for the coming day.

“I suppose we will start the day by bringing Mrs. Starkey back that fine china we borrowed last week, eh girl?” Thomas steps out of the shower and looks at the dog, who is sitting in the doorway. “Then we will go out and find some place to eat,” Thomas begins to shave his face.

Martha, who is still patiently waiting for the man to get ready, is what all would call a “good dog.” She never barks at welcome visitors, never pees on the carpet, and, most of all, loves her owner more than life itself. The love she has for Thomas is different than any love ever felt by any human, ever. She, being the only female in a lonely man’s life, serves her purpose of loving and caring for Thomas very well.

In twenty minutes, Thomas and Martha are walking down the streets of Manchester, waiving to their neighbours. After delivering the china to the old woman, and eating a nice breakfast at a local diner, Thomas and Martha go for a nice walk in the park.

"You know, Martha," Thomas begins, sitting on a bench, "if a woman loved me, my life would be so much better."

Martha only lays her head on her love's leg, wishing to show Tom how much she loved him.

Three weeks later, Martha is laying on Thomas’s bed, waiting for him to come back from that club he has recently been frequenting.

She has been laying there for about three hours when she hears the door open. She jumps off the bed and runs to meet her owner at the door.

There is a girl with him!

Martha is aware of how happy Thomas must be.

And so, knowing what adult humans do together alone in a room, Martha curls up on the couch and falls asleep instantly.

The next morning, Martha is waiting eagerly for the two to come out of the bedroom. She is excited to see both her love, and his new companion.

She waits,

and waits,

and waits for what seems like hours.

Finally at 11:00 AM, Thomas enters the living room with the girl on his arm and opens the door. She gives him a piece of paper and a kiss before he shuts it.

The man looks at his dog.

The dog looks at her man.

“Martha, I’ve done it!” Thomas dances around the room, singing.

Martha can do nothing but spin on her hind legs and bark.

But, oh. Lydia breaks Thomas’s heart after a year of bliss and romance.

Martha is quite worried for her love.

Thomas hasn’t taken her for a walk in a whole month. He simply pours her food and stands outside of their flat as she exercises in the park.

He never does anything. In fact, for the past two days, he simply hung by his neck from the ceiling.