'Axl and Nancy'

Hi! I am Axl. I am 5 years old and I stay with a nice young lady, Nancy. We are not related. I know this because one day when we were going to the park, I saw a house and something forced me to stop and look at it. Nancy was perplexed at first, as she didn’t know what made me come to a startling halt. Realizing that the house might have created some emotional turmoil for me, she said, “That was your home before we met. The people who run this house succour the homeless. I had come there to look for the cutest baby and look! I got one! Do you remember it?” I didn’t say anything because for as long as I could remember, Nancy has taken care of me. She is all I needed and all I cared about. I just didn’t have any other memories. 

 

Nancy and I have no secrets. She tells me everything honestly. I know I can trust her with everything. She takes good care of me. And these days we spend a lot of time together. She has been working from home for some days now. I know something is not right outside. Nancy tried to explain to me the concept of a deadly virus outbreak but I could not understand much. I just know it is risky out there. Even when we go for a walk, we cover our hands, legs and our faces. When we come back, she cleans me thoroughly with a wet paper. She says that it’s nothing but I know it is not merely a crass propaganda. I know something is not right. She is scared for herself and for me. 

 

Nancy is a crime reporter. She has many ‘informants’ who call her to report about crimes. They are not her friends because she pays them for the information. Usually when she goes to meet them, she takes me along. At first, I used to be scared of the strangers we met, but I have learnt to vanquish my fear and trust Nancy.  

 

These days her pedantic Boss, whom I call ‘Squealer’, has been threatening to fire her. Nancy has been worried because she loves her job but the situation outside has forced her informants to belie themselves. She often gets agitated about work. I know it. I always know it. And when she does, I just quietly sit next to her and she forgets all the worry of the world. Like I said, I am wiser for my age.

 

Nancy was always busy working earlier. She never could make many friends but now she has been trying to make a few friends. She has a special friend named, Reuben. Nancy met Reuben online a month back. When she has him over, Nancy asks me to play in the other room. I get that. It is congruous with the fact that I don’t like Reuben and I am sure he doesn’t like me either. 

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Today, Nancy wanted to talk to Reuben on call so she asked me to play in a different room. I did as she said. Minutes later, I realized I left one of my favorite squeaky toys in her room. So I cautiously first push her door and leave it ajar, just to make sure Nancy doesn’t get annoyed. She doesn’t say anything, so I take a peek. She is sitting on the floor and crying. I know Reuben must have said something hurtful. I sit next to her and put my hand on her lap. She looks at me with tears. She is crestfallen. I then keep my head on her lap. She runs her hand through my hair and says, “Axl, Reuben left me. He said that things are just not working out for us. You must have heard us fighting, right?”

 

I say nothing because I know she just wants an ear to listen.

 

She continues, “He said the fights are unbearable. He just can’t take it anymore. He doesn’t feel our relationship is worth fighting for. In short, he says he doesn’t love me.” She pauses to control her weeping and says, “Axl, I am alone.” 

 

At this I wag my tail and woof once. She knows what I mean. She smiles and says, “I know I have you and I love you, Axl.” 

 

I sit up and woof twice. She hugs me. I then lick her ear. I know it tickles her. She lets out a laugh. I know what I have to do next. Like I said, I am smarter for my age. I stand up and start chasing my tail. I know it’s insane and I know it’s part of my own body, but it makes Nancy chortle; so I do it. Nancy’s cachinnation fills the air.  

 

Nancy gets up to make dinner while she puts on “Mr. Peabody and Sherman” for me. It’s our favorite movie. It’s similar to the story of Axl and Nancy. We are strong together and people like Reuben cannot ever take that away. As I watch the movie, I remember our first adventure together. When Nancy and Axl first became a team.

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Nancy and I solved our first case almost four years back. Back then, Nancy used to work and leave me at home alone. I used to play with my toys but sometimes, I used to go out the doggy-door to take a look around the building. Our building manager did not like me poking around and had asked Nancy to get rid of me. Nancy said to him, “Why did you let me adopt him? What changed now?” He said, “There have been complaints that your dog meddles with the business of other tenants. I cannot help it. You will have to return him. I can only give you two days’ time.”

 

After he left, Nancy was infuriated. I sat in a corner quietly. She sat next to me and ran her hand through my hair. After this, she was calmer than before. It was the first time I realized that she loved to pet me when she was disquieted. 

 

She asked the neighbors if I had been a trouble to any of them. As I honestly wasn’t, they all said that they adored me. Nancy was flabbergasted. She couldn't figure out as to why the building manager had prevaricated such a story.

As Squealer didn’t let Nancy take holidays, the following day, she decided to take half-day and investigate my actions that the building manager had complained about. 

 

She didn’t find me home and came out to look for me. I was in the basement area near an abysmal looking room. I was eager to get through the door but it was latched. She came and opened it for me. After all, we both shared equal amount of curiosity. If you believe that curiosity killed the cat, you surely don’t know even half of the near death experiences Nancy and I have had. 

 

She said that she had never been in that part of the building before. The building manager had asked the tenants not to go to basement area as it contained his storage room. On looking inside, she said, “Oh good God! Axl! What have you discovered?” I had no idea what she meant.

We then headed home and she called the landlord. She gave him an account of the entire event. She informed him that the building manager had been stealing from the tenants. He had been hiding all the things, stolen over the years, in the basement room. Nancy mentioned about the few items our neighbours had reported stolen that were in the basement room. She told him that all those cleaning ladies that were fired, were in fact innocent. She talks to him about me and when she cuts the call, she says in a placid  temper, “Axl! We have solved our first crime together. The landlord said that he is going to report to the police about the building manager and that I can keep you. Isn’t it great news?” 

 

I woof twice. She laughs and says, “We are going to have so many adventures together. Just like Mr. Peabody and Sherman. Have you seen that movie? I am sure you haven’t! Let’s watch it together.” 

That was the first time I saw this movie. From that day, our adventures started too.

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