Dog Days

According to the calendar, fall is fast approaching though summer seems to be keeping a tight grip with scorching temperatures continuing through Labor Day. This year, the “dog days of summer” (as they are called) have extended beyond the traditional period from July 3 through Aug. 11. This stifling weather is certainly not fit for man or beast; however, “dog days” really refers to the believed influence of Sirius, the Dog Star. Astronomers once thought that Sirius, the brightest star in the Canis Major (Greater Dog) constellation, was responsible
for summer heat. During “dog days,” Sirius rises and sets with the Sun, which led the ancients to assume that the combined light of the two stars during the day made the Earth hotter. We now know that while the Sun and Sirius are both stars, Sirius is too far away to affect surface temperatures and that it’s the Sun that heats us up when the Earth’s tilt brings it closer at certain times of the year.
With that, let’s have a dog story anyway.

Long ago, I lived in Sunland with my mom, dad, sister, brother and Ralph. Ralph was a beagle mixed-breed dog, fairly small but heavy as cement. Because we lived at the end of two cul-de-sacs, the neighborhood kids played in the street with very little concern about cars. When one approached, we all yelled, “CAR” and moved out of the way. We were always outdoors and Ralph went too; he ran around while we played. Unlike us kids, though, Ralph didn’t get out of the way of the cars. In fact, he felt it was his duty to give cars a piece of his mind. He barked and barked at them as he ran alongside. Most of the neighbors tolerated this bad behavior but it really bothered Norma who lived across the street. Her sporty red car was his favorite target and, like a bull locked in, he was unrelenting. After a while, my parents realized that it was best to relegate Ralph to the side yard to keep peace in the neighborhood.

Norma celebrated his confinement.

Ralph was the family dog but he spent the most time with my brother. He slept in his room every night. When I was 10, my grandmother came to live with us and she and my brother moved upstairs into the second story addition we had built for her. My brother tried to coax Ralph up to his new bedroom but Ralph wasn’t having it. He refused to go up.

Instead, and to my delight, he stayed with me. I got the dog and my brother’s old room. What follows are some silly family stories related to Ralph sleeping with me. Having my own room meant that I could develop my own bedtime rituals. I loved to read before bed and would often grab a snack and place it on the table next to me. At some point after “lights out,” my mom would let Ralph into my room and he would curl up in the crook of my legs. One night, I brought the last sugar donut and a glass of milk into my bedroom. I put them down then headed to the bathroom. Upon my return, Ralph was waiting for me on my bed, a little earlier than usual. The donut was missing and Ralph slowly licked sugar from his lips. Oh, man.

Another time I woke from an intense nightmare. I was scared out of my mind, sure that the killer from my dream was pacing down our hallway ready to pounce. I could hear him dragging bodies back and forth. Imagine my relief when I realized that the sound I was hearing was Ralph’s breathing under the covers. Oh, dear.

There are countless family stories but I hope these few made you smile.
Ralph was a happy, flippy-tailed dog.

Susan Bolan
susanbolan710@gmail.com