Stay!: Keeper's Story by Lois Lowry

character and intelligence, coupled with the early training of a diligent mother. I would match my wits and virtue against a best-of-show anytime. And my tail, too.
    Fortunately the photographer appeared to share my view. He winked at me, an odd human habit that I have learned to appreciate but have never truly understood. Then he shrugged, and said into the receiver, "Mixed. He's a unique mix."
    Unique. A pleasant word. In my mind, I coupled it with others like physique and sleek.
    A second caller asked my name and age. "Pal," the photographer replied. "His name is Pal. And he's, ah, young." He looked at me and raised an eyebrow. I raised an eyebrow back. I had no idea how old I was. Almost two, perhaps? Dogs' ages are measured strangely, anyway. I think I was sort of a teenager. But young sounded acceptable to me.
    Some of the calls were inquiring about my fee.
    Fee? Dogs are not accustomed to being paid. Watchdogs generally do it for nothing more than the satisfaction of guarding turf, or for the sheer arrogant gratification that comes from terrorizing humans. Although I felt no territorial urge and had no wish to frighten anyone, I had been a sort of watchdog in the nights with Jack. I had been a protector, and would be so again for anyone I loved. But I would ask no pay for simply following the instincts of my heart.
    Guide dogs are not paid. Their motives are completely benevolent, and they find joy in shepherding their humans across busy streets, avoiding honking traffic. I had taken great pride in guiding Jack during those last weeks, when his frailty had made him needy. There is no fee for such devotion.
    Hunting dogs ask no compensation for pointing to a grouse concealed in foliage. The admiration they receive for the nobility and precision of their pose is compensation enough.
    And simple house pets find their complete reward in simply lying at someone's feet, being scratched, ruffled, and fed, chasing a ball from time to time and looking adoringly at a human. Money can't replace that kind of contentment.
    I viewed myself as something of a combination of the various categories. Though never trained as a watchdog, I had guarded Jack's turf with authority, I felt; and though untrained as a guide, I had steered and directed him in his last weeks with patience and gentleness. I had little interest in hunting as a sport or game as a meal, but I could say of myself that I was adroit at the pose, and that my glorious tail would, if called upon, lend itself to the kind of vigilant stance that looks fine on a fall morning in the woods. Certainly, more than anything, I enjoyed being a pet.
    But not for pay.
    Curious, I listened to the photographer say that my fee was high. "Pricey," he said to the callers who were inquiring. "I'm afraid he's a pricey model."
    That seemed to pique their interest, and they asked about my availability.
    "Next Thursday?" I heard him say. "Well, I'll check my calendar..."
    I woofed politely from my blanket and licked a bit of tomato sauce from my Up.
    "I mean, his calendar," the photographer amended. "He's very much in demand."
    Of course I wasn't, not then. I had posed once, sneered once, appeared in a newspaper supplement once, and that was all.
    But before long I was in demand. Everyone who called wanted to book me for what they referred to as a "shoot."
    I didn't like the sound of it. But the photographer, sensing my discomfort, stroked me behind my left ear and explained that it had nothing to do with firearms; it was a photo shoot.
    "All you have to do is stand there and sneer," he explained, "and I'll get rich."
    I raised my eyebrow at him.
    "We," he corrected. " We'll get rich. Famous, too," he added cheerfully.
    He closed up the newspaper, leaving the crossword puzzle undone, rinsed his coffee cup, and looked thoughtfully at me.
    "Know what, Pal?" he said. "I'm going to have to give you a bath."
    There are, I suppose, various and unique ways to ruin a Sunday afternoon. But this proved to