Virginia K. G. Ryder,Thorn Wildman, R.W. Finch,Augustine Saintly,Remi Cogsworth

Taboo Times Ten

Dog Walker

Virginia K.G. Ryder

Because I was only 10-years-old that summer, and skinny besides, my parents thought I was too young to take the job of dog walker for Mrs. Patterson's big yellow Labrador, Rockford. But with enough childish persistent on my part, and a few tears, they finally relented.

If only to teach me a lesson.

“Amber, that big dog will drag you right down the street,” my father argued, shaking his head. “But, since you insist, we'll let you try it for a couple of days.”

“Thank you, Daddy,” I told him brightly. “I'll be fine. You'll see.”

As it worked out, I was more than fine.

And not only did Rockford prove to be an exceptionally well-behaved dog for me, a regular sweetheart of a dog, it was as if he actually fell in love with me. Like, for real love. In a shockingly sexual way.

“I work long hours,” our new neighbor informed me. “So you need to walk Rockford twice each day, once in the morning and again in the afternoon.”

Mrs. Patterson was recently divorced, a statuesque blonde in her early 20's who dressed in professional outfits suitable for the law firm she worked at as a paralegal downtown. That first day, she was in a very smart business suit, a dark jacket and a matching knee-length skirt, a crisp white blouse and low heels.