Jack’s Story

by Lauren Barkan

Jack started his day as he would any other. Take a shower, scramble two eggs, watch the six o’clock news, and take Rudy to the dog park. He lived under the Bart station next to Point Isabel which was the perfect place to take Rudy on a morning stroll. It was also near work, the Pastime Hardware Store where he was the resident authority on paint colors. Life had a regular and somewhat dull routine but Jack liked it like that. Most evenings he would walk Rudy on the same paths he had taken in the morning.

Customers often looked for Jack at the back of the store and sometimes needed him when they were frantic about matching colors. He would calm them down with his practical no nonsense approach. People would have been surprised that Jack lived in a white-walled very uninteresting space. His boss was Paul and he was an insensitive money-making jock whose football glory days were long ago.. Jack and Paul did not see eye to eye on most anything. Except Paul respected Jack’s ability to get customers to buy more paint. Jack really needed the only outlet for beauty nearby which was the scene at Point Isabel.

Things at Point Isabel were fairly predictable. There was general calm except for an occasional dog fight. There was a homeless man with a pit bull who seemed vaguely threatening at times. The dog and master looked alike. The pit bull had a chain and rope for a collar and leash. The homeless man had something similarly scruffy around his neck. The pit bull and homeless man never seemed to take walks they just sat under a tree.

Conversations were predictable. Jack heard people ask about the age of the dog, the type of dog, the temperament of the dog, and the sex of the dog. There were couples who would argue or discuss custody problems. Some people were so wrapped up with their frustrations from work or the car dealer or the veterinarian who overcharged that they hardly seemed to notice the spectacular bay view or sunset.

A lady with striking long blonde hair and a matching Golden Retriever named Buddy really caught Jack’s eye. Buddy and Rudy had a connection right away. The dogs chased each other in and out of the water. Tails were wagging as they circled the paths. Naturally, Jack had to talk to this otherwise unapproachable stunning woman. He stuttered at first but thankfully she was a confident woman who seemed to appreciate the dogs and their styles.

“So, how old is your dog?” The woman asked as she watched the two dogs run around in circles.

“She is uh she is seven years old.” Jack said nervously.

“They seem to be getting along; Buddy could always use a good running friend.”

“Yeah defiantly, Rudy loves to get out and run after all she is a sheep dog.”

“Great dog, well got to get going see you around.”

As she walked away Jack couldn’t help but turn around to watch her leave, surprisingly she did the same. Turning back around he saw the homeless man facing him with drooping brown eyes crusty unbrushed teeth. The smell of the homeless man was horrid and completely overwhelming.

Jack was exhausted after another typical day of work. He turned on his radio for a moment and drifted off to sleep. There was some street traffic outside and below his front window a couple walked by arguing when Jack awoke to some new loud sound on his radio “Good Morning, Campers!” shouted the DJ. Scrambling to his feet to make his coffee something seemed very quite in his house. Wait a minute. Where is my dog? WHERE IS MY DOG? A panic came over him. No door seemed to have been opened and yet Rudy was gone.

Could she have gotten out and gone to Point Isabel all alone?

Jack ran out of his place faster than a jackrabbit in spring heat. He ran as fast as he could, surprised he wasn’t taking flight.

Up ahead were the yellow police strips draping a crime scene. “Could it be?” “No it can’t be right?” As he got closer to the scene he noticed a dog lying in a puddle of blood next to the rocks near the water. “No this can’t be happening it is Rudy” The shock kept the tears from coming. How did this happen? Why?

Three days later, Jack was going about his day as he would any other and got a mysterious phone call from a man telling him to meet him at Point Isabel, he would not say why but only that it was urgent. He followed through with the command and arrived at exactly at four o’clock just as he was told. As Jack was skeptically looking around the parking lot to find a man with a black hat, he couldn’t help but remember Rudy and how she got so exited to go to the park and run around. Tears began to fall down his face but he quickly wiped them away because a tall man with a black hat was approaching him.

“Hi, I’m Detective Lewis and I hear that three days ago your dog was murdered at this park, is that correct?” said the Detective.

“Yes, that is correct.” Jack answered.

“Well it turns out we have figured out who killed your dog.”

“You did? Wow, who did this if you don’t mind me asking?”

“I’m sorry this is information I cannot tell you at this time.”

“Why not at this time?” Jack asked confusedly

“The perpetrator is behind you.”

Frantically, Jack turned around and scanned the area but all he could see were children, dogs, couples, and more dogs. Confused he turned back around to ask the detective who it was but he was no where to be found. Jack ran to his car and drove away as fast as he could. He could not go home “what if the murder came to get me next?” He decided to drive to his boss’s house; it was the only person/ friend he could think of. Thankfully his boss was understanding and told him that Jack could stay the night as long as he didn’t tell the other co-workers. He didn’t want every employee thinking they could just spend the night because there scared.

Later that night there was a knock at the door Jack wasn’t sure if he should answer it or not. The person knocks again so he answered the door and to his surprise it was the lady from the dog park. Paul quickly ran down the stairs to greet his new quest.

“Please, come him.” He said

Jack couldn’t help but stare at this beautiful woman and wonder what she was doing at his boss’s house.

“Jack id like you to meet Bella”

“Yes, hi we meet at the dog park.” Jack said

“Hi, yeah I remember you, you had the sheep dog.”

Jack shook her hand and felt her warm soft skin against his. Paul and Bella began to walk into the kitchen Jack followed as if he were a poor little puppy that has never been feed.

“Bella could you give us one second please.” Paul said to Jack as he pulled him into the other room.

“This is my date, not a threesome. Okay Jack, so go grab yourself a slice of pizza or something.” Paul said..