Toby

I told Buster Jesus is our Lord and Savior so we all have to be good because that’s what He wants. “He wants us all to be very good,” I said, “every one of us, dogs too—Jesus loves dogs, did you know that? He had a dog when He was down here, a little dog named Pepper, that’s right, uh-huh, uh-huh.”

Buster cocked his head to the other side, wanting to hear more about this.

“Jesus loved that little dog so much,” I said, shaking my head at how much. “They were always together, even at the Last Supper. Jesus fed him scraps under the table, did you know that?”

I was getting a little carried away, but let’s face it, there’s a lot of stuff we don’t know about Jesus. Maybe He did have a dog. Why not?

I went on, “In fact? The very last words Jesus ever spoke? Up on the cross? Know what they were? ‘So long, boy. Be seeing you in Paradise.’ And then He died. For you and me...and little Pepper.”

Buster made a whimpery sound.

Then? Know what he did? He came walking up, his head hung low. He was sorry. Sorry for being a bad dog and scaring me like that. I patted him on his knobby head, telling him, “I know...I know...”

Then he turned around and trotted off, to start his new life. I watched him all the way down the block and around the corner. “Good boy,” I said, and started walking on home.

I was going to be a good boy too.