Rock Hounds

I retired early last night because I need to be in Dallas before ten this morning. A noisy storm fraught with booming thunder and flashes of lightning that lit my bedroom, awakened me at midnight. Fearing a flood in the living room such that occurred in 2007, I took a broom to the drain hole on my back porch.

The thunder and lightning had frightened my two pugs, Princess and Scooter. Princess had her back against the door, wanting to get into the house. Brave little Scooter, on the other hand, stood beside me, barking defiantly every time thunder boomed or lightning flashed.

My backyard slopes dramatically from the fence to the back of my house. Heavy rain tends to pour down the slope, and off the back roof, flooding the porch if the drain isn’t cleared of leaves, dog hair, etc. Last night’s rain was hard but not of the same epic proportions of 2007. Using my push broom, Scooter and I quickly got the best of the racing water.

There was still water on the porch so I moved the dog’s big bed to the spot by the backdoor that usually stays dry. When I picked it up, I got a surprise. Not only did it contain several of their toys, but also about a half-dozen rocks.

I had noticed rocks by the door and even found some in my bedroom when I let the dogs in to play when I dress in the mornings. I had not connected the fact that Scooter, or Princess was collecting them. I have never, for that matter, known a dog that collects rocks, but these two do – well-rounded rocks that make up more than a mouthful for such a small animals.

The rain slowed to a steady rate so I gave the pups a chicken strip, turned off the lights and returned to bed, hoping to get a few more hours of sleep before my early bird partner knocks on the door at six-thirty. I’ll keep a better eye on the two from now on and try to learn which one of them is the rock hound. I will bet it is Scooter but perhaps it is both. Whichever, eat your hearts out all you other geologists out there!

Fiction South