Elsewhere(42)

One by one, the dogs approach Owen and sniff him on the hand and the face. Some lick his hand a bit if they find Owen particularly acceptable. Because Owen does not speak Canine, Liz translates for the dogs when they want to ask him questions.

"Can I sleep in his bed, or does he plan on using a dog bed?" a golden retriever named Jen wants to know.

"What's she saying?" Owen asks.

"She wants to know if she can sleep in your bed."

Owen looks at the golden retriever and scratches her between the ears. "Gee, I hadn't really thought about it. Couldn't we play it by ear, girl?"

The golden retriever nods. "Sure, but I really like to watch television from the couch. You wouldn't tell me to get off the couch all the time, would you?"

"She wants to know if she could stay on the couch," Liz translates.

"Sure," says Owen, "I don't see why not."

"Okay," says Jen the Golden Retriever after a moment's reflection. She licks Owen's hand three times. "Tell him I'll go with him."

"She says she wants to go with you," Liz tells Owen.

"Isn't that a little quick?" Owen asks. "I don't want to hurt her feelings, but. . ." Owen lowers his voice. "I sort of wanted a boy dog, you know."

Liz shrugs. "She's already made up her mind. But don't worry, dogs are really good at this."

"Oh," says Owen, shocked by how fast it all seems to be moving.

"Besides," says Liz cheerfully, "Jen's already licked you on the hand three times. After that, it's a done deal."

"I hadn't realized that," Owen replies.

"So I'll just need you to fill out a couple of forms, and we'll make it official," Liz says.

"Okay, but would you mind asking her if she gets seasick or anything? I'm on the boat a lot for my job," Owen says.

"I can understand Human, you know. Not all of us can, but I can. I just can't speak it," Jen says.

"And I love boats and I don't get seasick. Not much at least. Only if it's really, really rough."

"Jen understands English and she loves boats," Liz reports.

Jen continues with her instructions. "Make sure to tell him I like fresh water at least three times a day. I prefer wet kibble to the dry stuff. I like tennis balls, long walks in the park, and Frisbee. Oh, and I can use the toilet, so please leave the bathroom door open. Yay yay yay yay, I'm so excited!" Jen places her paw on Owen's shoulder. "I can tell you're going to be just great, Owen!"

"What's she saying?" Owen asks.

"She thinks you're going to be great," Liz wisely summarizes.

After they fill out all the requisite paperwork, Liz walks Owen and Jen to Owen's Jeep. Jen immediately hops into the backseat and lies down.

"Thanks for your help," says Owen.

"No problem." Liz smiles. "What made you decide to get a dog anyway?"

Owen smiles. "I hadn't really decided for sure until I came down here, and then Jen sort of decided for me."

Liz nods. "That's how it was with me and Sadie, too."

"The thing is," says Owen, shifting his weight from one foot to the other, "I sort of wondered if you might like to do the dishes again."

"The dishes?" Liz asks.

"Right," Owen says. "That was my awkward way of asking you over for dinner."

"Oh, is that what that was? I hadn't realized." And she really hadn't. Her experience in such matters is rather limited.

"You know, to thank you for Jen. You wouldn't have to do the dishes. Unless you wanted to, of course. I wouldn't stop you."

"Um," says Liz.

Sadie calls to Liz from across the parking lot, "Liz, telephone!"

"I have a call," Liz apologizes, heading toward her office. After a moment, she stops. "Give me a ring sometime! I'm always at work!"

Owen watches as Liz runs inside. Her blond ponytail (her hair had only recently grown long enough to wear that way) bounces up and down rhythmically with each of her steps. There is something pleasing and hopeful about that ponytail, he thinks. He waits until she disappears into the building and then he gets into his car and drives away.

On the drive home, Jen hangs her head out the window and lets her golden ears blow in the wind. She barks the whole way home. "I don't know why I like my head out the window, I just do,"

Jen says while they are stopped at a red light. "I always liked it that way, even when I was a pup.

Is that weird? Is it weird to like something and not even know why you like it?" Owen interprets Jen's barking as excitement and, indeed, his interpretation is perfectly correct.

Why do two people ever fall in love? It's a mystery.

A week later, Liz and Sadie find themselves at Owen Welles's smallish apartment. Jen bounds up to greet them.

"Hi, Liz! Hi, Sadie!" says Jen, who is really excited to see them. "Nice to see you! Owen's a pretty good boy! He lets me sleep in the bed! I'm trying to convince him to move into a bigger place with a yard! He's trying to cook, but I don't think he's very good! Be nice, though! Don't hurt his feelings!"

Owen smiles when he sees Liz and Sadie at the door. "Dinner's in here. I hope you like pasta."