I drove over to Charlie’s Truck Stop this past week to fill up with gas and to get a bag of dog food. I took Mutt along for the ride as he loves to go in the car and he knows how to ride properly. When I open the passenger door and tell him to hop in, he jumps into the seat and sits there waiting for me to shut the door. Then I go around to the driver’s side and get in. Mutt stays on his side and looks out the window as I drive down the road. Some time he barks at a dog along the way and, if I take a long drive, he curls up on the seat and takes a nap, but he never tries to come over to my side while I am driving. I have found I am becoming quite fond of this dog.

I drove up to the gas pumps and Jake came out to put the gas in. I got out of the car and Jake looked in at Mutt. Mutt barked once and set his tail to wagging. Jake grinned and rubbed Mutt’s head for a moment. “So that’s the dog I been hearing so much from you about,” he said. “Looks like a good dog, nice and clean and healthy. You taken him by the vet to get him checked over yet?’ I told Jake I was likely to go this coming weekend. I had not taken him right off because I thought for sure his previous owners would show up and claim him. As it looks, I am beginning to thing Mutt has come to stay with me for good, so I need to get him checked over and get his shots.

I followed Jake inside the store to get the dog food and to pay for the gas. The Reverend Johnson, Mister Johnson’s brother, was bringing an arm load of grocery items up to the counter. The Reverend has retired and moved into Miss Nelda Ramer’s old house out back of Charlie’s. He takes mighty good care of the rose bushes Miss Nelda spent so much time tending. He has fixed up the old house, repairing things Miss Nelda had let go in her declining years. He gets along with the house mighty well. As he was paying for his purchases, he mentioned he was planning to take them out to his brother and he hoped his car would make it there and back. His car has been acting up and he has an appointment to have Mister Williams look it over the following day, Don Williams is just about the best auto mechanic hereabouts, but he stays so booked up it is hard to get in to see him on short notice unless you have a real emergency. Jake did minor auto repair in times past, but cars have become so computer dependent in recent years Jake doesn’t feel up to getting involved with all the high tech gadgetry required to do auto repair nowadays.

I asked the Reverend if he might like to hitch a ride out with me as I have never been out to Mister Johnson’s place and I thought this might be a good excuse to drop in on him. Reverend Johnson said that might be a fine idea if I did not mind to stay around a while and bring him back home. I was happy to agree to such conditions, so the Reverend and I went out to my car where I was planning to move Mutt to the back to allow the Reverend to sit up front, but Reverend Johnson said he would just as soon sit in the back as he saw no reason to have Mutt move out of his place. Since it would be a short ride I agreed.

On the way out, I asked how Mister Johnson was getting on. Seems he has been feeling listless off and on since his heart attack last year. The Reverend said his brother has good days and then he has days that are not so good. Mostly he does not feel sick, he just does not feel like getting out and about. Everyone in Soagie and about is mighty concerned about Mister Johnson. We set great store by that old man and we all know he can’t be with us forever. He is getting on in years, but we all want to keep him around as long as possible. The Reverend told me where to make a turn and I drove up into Mister Johnson’s driveway where his old truck was parked. Mister Johnson’s two hound dogs came running out barking and that set Mutt off and for a while we had more dog talk than either of us really cared for. Mister Johnson came out the front door and spoke sharply to his dogs and I quieted Mutt so we could have some peace. Mister Johnson came over to look at Mutt. I pulled down the window on the passenger side and Mister Johnson scratched Mutt behind the ears. He said Mutt was a good dog and I should be proud to have him for a friend. Mister Johnson knows his dogs and I was glad to hear his good opinion of Mutt. I was reluctant to leave Mutt in the car, but Mister Johnson said I should bring him into the house. He appears a well mannered dog. I assured Mister Johnson that was thet case.

Mister Johnson has a nice old house. He said his father built it when he and Mister Johnson’s mother were just starting out. The yard is small and well kept. There are several out buildings back of the house. One is a smoke house where people cured meat back before refrigeration. Now Mister Johnson uses it for storage. Another building is for chickens, though Mister Johnson doesn’t keep near so many chickens as he once did. There is a garage and a tool shed. Farther back is the family barn where the Johnson family once kept cows and farm horses. Mister Johnson has not done any serious farming for a good many years now. The house itself is one of those rambling farm buildings, the kind where rooms were added as the family needed them. There is a large porch that stretches the front. The living room is big and comfortable. The bedroom where Mister Johnson sleeps is off to the side of the living room. Back of the living room is a big dining room and, back of that, the kitchen. Several other rooms branch to the sides. As it turned out, I stayed with Mister Johnson and his brother until it was past ten, listening to the two men swap stories. When I finally left to return the Reverend home and then drive back to my place, I realized I had passed a very enjoyable evening. I decided I should drive out to visit with Mister Johnson more often. Good friends are the best value there is. By the time I arrived back to my house, Mutt was asleep in the seat. He had experienced a big day.

END