This story begins three weeks ago, but we’ll begin yesterday. It was a typical July Sunday in Austin, by which I mean, the temperature was in the triple digits and outdoors felt like a convection oven. I’d stepped outside to check if stepping outside was something I’d recommend to my dog, Woody, or if we’d wait another thirty minutes before venturing out to see how far he’d walk before dragging his tongue and blaming me for the sun, the heat, and the idea of walks in general. One of my neighbors, Thu-thu, passed with his husky, Woody’s friend, then thought better of it and waved at me to come down from the landing. He said, “Melissa said her dog is out walking with god. I’m going to go try to find him.”
Part of the way into this, I thought "uh oh--I need to duck out now." And then I remembered that the story is so good because a WRITER wrote it, and I mulled through which contemporary writers I trust to take me home through the story: Louise Erdrich, Elizabeth Strout. . . a few others, and Lauren Hough. So I trusted my writer and finished the story, and I just want to say thank you, and please may you continue to write long into the future.
Goddammit Lauren you just made me homesick for a place I'm so happy to have left. Your ability to tell your stories in a way that is both so personal and also universal is remarkable. Thank you, again.
Jul 18, 2023·edited Jul 18, 2023Liked by Lauren Hough
Fuckin' hell; what an ordeal. I hope the little dude's story going forth is a happy one with no more Melissas.
What's up with vegan dog owners? My SIL went vegan because of her ex's bullying. She took it so far as not even wanting to bring her dogs out to our land to let them run, because they might catch and kill a mouse. Nature's cruel, and dogs are omnivores. Let your dog be a dog, for crying out loud! Are you also feeding them vegan dog food? Fuck!
We had a doe and her fawn chilling on our property. The fawn got spooked on July 4 and took off toward the road. Then I saw the mom frantically running back and forth at the end of the orchard trying to find it. The next day Duke, our biggest boy, puked up a bunch of rotting meat including a tiny hoof. That was a tough one, because the mom was so trusting of us all. The dogs never got excited and barked at her. If she saw one of us she'd just watch us for a while and calmly trot away. I don't know if he caught and killed it or if he took advantage of an already prepared meal just lying there, but goddamn. I felt horrible (still do) because I'm the one that spooked it. Neither one of us realized the other was nearby and I grabbed a mulberry branch to grab a berry, the rustling leaves scared it, and it darted out of the underbrush.
I'm still going to have dogs, but it sure is emotionally painful sometimes.
You just made me laugh and cry and feel something - even if that feeling was mostly just intense gratitude that it was you and Thu-Thu who found the puppy and not me. I no longer feel guilty that I didn’t offer to take him, even though the previous owner of my house had 3-4 big dogs (and a dog-door on the porch that I have blocked with plywood and an Igloo cooler). Immediately after I saw your post about Woody’s opinion of the interloper, I went walking in the 97° twilight only to encounter every single dog and their person who live in my neighborhood also out for a nighttime walk, all reflecting back to me that I am the biggest POS ever for not offering. But I wasn’t armed with your Melissa Defense System - until now. You are a hero. Best hot summer mystery/read ever.
What a ride. Thank you for giving a shit about that dog.
Also: “I can speak crazy if I have to, but I don’t want to” made me nod along. Also the last line. Perfection.
If I’m ever a lost dog in my next life, I hope you’re the person who finds me.
I am so proud of you. And so embarrassed by my name. But I now have empathy for anyone named Karen.
Part of the way into this, I thought "uh oh--I need to duck out now." And then I remembered that the story is so good because a WRITER wrote it, and I mulled through which contemporary writers I trust to take me home through the story: Louise Erdrich, Elizabeth Strout. . . a few others, and Lauren Hough. So I trusted my writer and finished the story, and I just want to say thank you, and please may you continue to write long into the future.
Goddammit Lauren you just made me homesick for a place I'm so happy to have left. Your ability to tell your stories in a way that is both so personal and also universal is remarkable. Thank you, again.
Lauren that was a fucking JOURNEY.
This is a great fucking story.
Fuckin' hell; what an ordeal. I hope the little dude's story going forth is a happy one with no more Melissas.
What's up with vegan dog owners? My SIL went vegan because of her ex's bullying. She took it so far as not even wanting to bring her dogs out to our land to let them run, because they might catch and kill a mouse. Nature's cruel, and dogs are omnivores. Let your dog be a dog, for crying out loud! Are you also feeding them vegan dog food? Fuck!
We had a doe and her fawn chilling on our property. The fawn got spooked on July 4 and took off toward the road. Then I saw the mom frantically running back and forth at the end of the orchard trying to find it. The next day Duke, our biggest boy, puked up a bunch of rotting meat including a tiny hoof. That was a tough one, because the mom was so trusting of us all. The dogs never got excited and barked at her. If she saw one of us she'd just watch us for a while and calmly trot away. I don't know if he caught and killed it or if he took advantage of an already prepared meal just lying there, but goddamn. I felt horrible (still do) because I'm the one that spooked it. Neither one of us realized the other was nearby and I grabbed a mulberry branch to grab a berry, the rustling leaves scared it, and it darted out of the underbrush.
I'm still going to have dogs, but it sure is emotionally painful sometimes.
That. Was. Fucking. Brilliant.
Thank you.
(Gotta be honest, I was pulling for him and Woody to become buddies.)
Melissa is on my last nerve and how fucking exhausting.
I'm glad he's going to back to people who aren't Melissa. Thank you.
Damn, you're a good person. Really.
Read most of this thinking oh god I should not be reading this it’s not going to end well. So so glad it did.
OMG Lauren
You just made me laugh and cry and feel something - even if that feeling was mostly just intense gratitude that it was you and Thu-Thu who found the puppy and not me. I no longer feel guilty that I didn’t offer to take him, even though the previous owner of my house had 3-4 big dogs (and a dog-door on the porch that I have blocked with plywood and an Igloo cooler). Immediately after I saw your post about Woody’s opinion of the interloper, I went walking in the 97° twilight only to encounter every single dog and their person who live in my neighborhood also out for a nighttime walk, all reflecting back to me that I am the biggest POS ever for not offering. But I wasn’t armed with your Melissa Defense System - until now. You are a hero. Best hot summer mystery/read ever.
Dogs are better than people
10000 hearts on this one