Oh, You'll Still Be Here When I Get Out

We got home around 9:30 last night. Just as Adelaide helps me to feed Captain every morning, she also helps me to bring him in every night. He is a spoiled pup. He has two dog houses, a four hundred square foot dog run and (as long as he stays on "no-chewing-on-May's-plants" behavior) a quarter acre back yard. His dog house in the garage has a nice big pillow in it. Did I mention that this dog house is huge? It requires a three to four man team to lift it and inside it leaves plenty of room for Captain to stand, pace around, and stretch out all 100-plus pounds of doggy meat.

Back to my story. After taking in Addie to get her ready for bed, I gathered up the house trash cans to take outside in preparation for the Monday morning pick-up. As I passed Captain's dog house I noticed his door was open. The door that should be closed. The door that keeps him in his house. That door. Curious, I looked. No Captain.

Captain America ran away last night. Why would he run? Free lodging, walks, toys, food, poop-pick-up service. We don't ask a lot from him. No rent, no chores. He doesn't even have a job!

I took my time taking out the trash, hoping to see him down the street or in some shadows nearby. Then I got in the car and drove around the block . . . twice. No bud.

I had to lock the gates to our yard because the wind was blowing. The front door too was locked so when we have an intruder and I kill him, I can say he busted our lock and so I felt my life was in danger. And as I closed the garage for the night, thus sealing up the last entrance into our sanctuary, I couldn't help but feel a little like Chewbacca when they closed the doors in the snow base while Han and Luke were still outside. I just thought, well, we'll have to send out the scouts and speeders in the morning hoping to find Captain sleeping inside a sliced open tauntaun.

Morning came. And he was exactly where he was last time he did this. Sleeping on our front porch. Why do they run? And just when you get used to the idea of them being gone, why do they come back?

So Addie and I took him out back. I filled his water and Addie dumped a pitcher full of food into his bowl. Then I picked up his poop and opened the gate between his dog run and the backyard. We will probably go on a walk to the river later.