squirrels. He’s not young anymore. He’s almost fifteen, that dog, but he can still run. I shouldn’t have opened the door.”
“It’s okay. My uncle will save Bremolo.” I want to turn the clock backward and stop Bremolo from dashing into the road.
“The car hit him so hard. He flew through the air. The car took off. Kids! I didn’t even a get a license plate. I think they were off-islanders.”
For the next fifteen minutes, Harvey keeps talking. I learn every detail of Bremolo’s life. I learn what he likes to eat and I hear about the time he mated with a female dachshund, who had tiny poodle-dachshund puppies. I wish I could put on my Superwoman cape and save thatlittle dog. But I can only sit here, until Uncle Sanjay comes out, pulling the surgical mask off his face. His white coat is splattered with blood. Duff comes out after him, looking at the ground.
I hold my breath for a million years, or maybe only a second, and then Uncle Sanjay says, “He’s stable and resting now.”
Harvey’s shoulders heave, and he breaks into gasping sobs. “Thank you, Doc. Thank you. That dog is my whole life.”
“But we couldn’t save his left rear leg.”
Harvey steps back, blinks, and wipes his eyes. “His leg? How much of his leg?”
I can’t breathe. Poor Bremolo.
“We had to amputate above the knee. He’ll have a very short stump,” Uncle Sanjay says.
I’m shaking all over. “You cut off his leg? No!” My voice falls apart.
“It didn’t hurt him,” he says gently. “Bremolo is asleep. He’ll be all right.”
“But he’ll wake up and wonder what happened to his leg! He’ll be limping forever!”
Harvey smiles through his tears. “But he’s alive. That’s what matters. My Bremolo’s still with us.”
“Yes,” Uncle Sanjay says. “Duff will stay here with him. You can probably take him home tomorrow. He’ll needmedicine for the pain and to prevent infection.”
Duff leads Harvey into the back room to see Bremolo. I can’t go back there. I can’t look at the poor three-legged dog. I crumple onto a chair in the waiting room.
Uncle Sanjay sits beside me and gives my shoulder a pat. “I had to remove most of the leg, Poppy. The bones were shattered.”
My throat closes. I can’t speak.
“Bremolo’s a lucky dog. The damage could’ve been much worse. He could’ve died.”
I nod, but a dry lump is growing in my throat.
Harvey and Duff come back up front. Harvey takes a deep breath and pulls out his wallet. His eyes are red and puffy from crying. “How much do I owe you for saving my precious boy?”
Uncle Sanjay waves his arm. “I’ll have Saundra send you the bill. Go home and get some sleep. We’ll take care of Bremolo.”
Harvey nods, wiping another tear from his eye. “I know he’s in good hands.” Duff walks him out into the parking lot, and I hear him start his car and drive away.
Uncle Sanjay sits next to me, not saying a word, then stands and pulls off his lab coat. “Come, let’s go home. It’s late. Stu is waiting for us.”
On the drive to the cabin, I ask, “What will happen to those people who hit Bremolo? Will they go to jail?”
He shrugs. “If Harvey figures out who did it, then he might try to press charges, but it’s doubtful.”
“So they can hit a dog and go home and not care?” My voice rises.
Uncle Sanjay turns into the driveway and parks, but he doesn’t get out. “People drive fast and hit animals every day. Some people keep driving. They don’t care.” He is silent. “Others stop and try to help. We do what we can.”
“Bremolo has to live without a leg!” I’m gripping the door handle, gritting my teeth.
“Harvey will take good care of him. He loves Bremolo very much. They still have each other.”
“But he’ll have a hard time getting around. Harvey said Bremolo likes to run, and now he won’t be able to run.”
“Dogs learn. They adapt. Lots of dogs are fine with three legs. They race around as if they still
“It’s okay. My uncle will save Bremolo.” I want to turn the clock backward and stop Bremolo from dashing into the road.
“The car hit him so hard. He flew through the air. The car took off. Kids! I didn’t even a get a license plate. I think they were off-islanders.”
For the next fifteen minutes, Harvey keeps talking. I learn every detail of Bremolo’s life. I learn what he likes to eat and I hear about the time he mated with a female dachshund, who had tiny poodle-dachshund puppies. I wish I could put on my Superwoman cape and save thatlittle dog. But I can only sit here, until Uncle Sanjay comes out, pulling the surgical mask off his face. His white coat is splattered with blood. Duff comes out after him, looking at the ground.
I hold my breath for a million years, or maybe only a second, and then Uncle Sanjay says, “He’s stable and resting now.”
Harvey’s shoulders heave, and he breaks into gasping sobs. “Thank you, Doc. Thank you. That dog is my whole life.”
“But we couldn’t save his left rear leg.”
Harvey steps back, blinks, and wipes his eyes. “His leg? How much of his leg?”
I can’t breathe. Poor Bremolo.
“We had to amputate above the knee. He’ll have a very short stump,” Uncle Sanjay says.
I’m shaking all over. “You cut off his leg? No!” My voice falls apart.
“It didn’t hurt him,” he says gently. “Bremolo is asleep. He’ll be all right.”
“But he’ll wake up and wonder what happened to his leg! He’ll be limping forever!”
Harvey smiles through his tears. “But he’s alive. That’s what matters. My Bremolo’s still with us.”
“Yes,” Uncle Sanjay says. “Duff will stay here with him. You can probably take him home tomorrow. He’ll needmedicine for the pain and to prevent infection.”
Duff leads Harvey into the back room to see Bremolo. I can’t go back there. I can’t look at the poor three-legged dog. I crumple onto a chair in the waiting room.
Uncle Sanjay sits beside me and gives my shoulder a pat. “I had to remove most of the leg, Poppy. The bones were shattered.”
My throat closes. I can’t speak.
“Bremolo’s a lucky dog. The damage could’ve been much worse. He could’ve died.”
I nod, but a dry lump is growing in my throat.
Harvey and Duff come back up front. Harvey takes a deep breath and pulls out his wallet. His eyes are red and puffy from crying. “How much do I owe you for saving my precious boy?”
Uncle Sanjay waves his arm. “I’ll have Saundra send you the bill. Go home and get some sleep. We’ll take care of Bremolo.”
Harvey nods, wiping another tear from his eye. “I know he’s in good hands.” Duff walks him out into the parking lot, and I hear him start his car and drive away.
Uncle Sanjay sits next to me, not saying a word, then stands and pulls off his lab coat. “Come, let’s go home. It’s late. Stu is waiting for us.”
On the drive to the cabin, I ask, “What will happen to those people who hit Bremolo? Will they go to jail?”
He shrugs. “If Harvey figures out who did it, then he might try to press charges, but it’s doubtful.”
“So they can hit a dog and go home and not care?” My voice rises.
Uncle Sanjay turns into the driveway and parks, but he doesn’t get out. “People drive fast and hit animals every day. Some people keep driving. They don’t care.” He is silent. “Others stop and try to help. We do what we can.”
“Bremolo has to live without a leg!” I’m gripping the door handle, gritting my teeth.
“Harvey will take good care of him. He loves Bremolo very much. They still have each other.”
“But he’ll have a hard time getting around. Harvey said Bremolo likes to run, and now he won’t be able to run.”
“Dogs learn. They adapt. Lots of dogs are fine with three legs. They race around as if they still
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