In response to a little notice I posted on my local grocery store bulletin board, I agreed to doggie-sit for some really nice people in their home while they are away for a long weekend. I went to their place on Wednesday to meet the lady of the house who is a young mom with a new baby..... and of course, the family pups. She's a sweet gal, she filled me in on how to take care of their two adorable cocker spaniels, gave me a key to the house, a few written notes, showed me where they keep the dog food and that was about it. Her husband wasn't home at the time, so I didn't have a chance to meet him.
To make a long story short, I didn't pay quite enough attention to the minute details of the arrangements.Last night I walked right up to the front door of these peoples lovely home, put their key in the lock, turned it and walked straight into the living room of their, presumably, vacant home. I immediately noticed the television was on and thought that was a little strange, but maybe they leave it on to keep the dogs company. The dogs came rushing into the room to bark and greet me. "Hi guys!!
Which is right about the time I looked up and beyond the living room where I was standing, to see a man sitting at the kitchen counter, with what I would describe as a genuine look of surprise on his face.
"And who might you be??????" he inquired, and I've got to give him credit, he said it real nice, too. Not at all like a guy who'd been sitting at his kitchen counter, minding his own business and had a total stranger unlock his front door and walk into his living room in the early evening.
I was, of course, equally as surprised.
Do I have the right house? Is this an episode of Candid Camera? I sorta felt like I'd stepped into an episode of The Twilight Zone. Yup, the house is the same one. Same couch. Same carpet.
Same dogs....
The nice man at the kitchen counter had a cordial air about him. This, despite the fact he had every right to be sort of annoyed or I think technically, the right to shoot me dead since he had no clue who I was and I was standing in the middle of his living room, an assumed uninvited guest which in some fellows vocabulary is synonymous with "Intruder". Guys around here have been known to keep a firearm or two.
We stood there staring at one another for a minute or two.
"Would you mind just waiting right there...." he said and disappeared down a hall. I, of course, fought the impulse to run out the door and froze in one spot, stooping to pet the dogs, so far the only living beings that recognized me as a friend. A few minutes later, he returned....with his wife who, though equally surprised at seeing me in their living room, confirmed, "Yeah that's her! That's the lady that's taking care of the dogs........next week."
NEXT WEEK.Next week...................!!!!!