Today was another extremely hot and humid day—two figures away from the triple digits. The air conditioning from the small convenient store on the corner of Seventh Avenue felt therapeutic against my skin.
I stood there swearing at the scenic picture of South Beach on the wall as the air conditioner hummed and was thinking that the store manager might have to go throw me outside to get rid of me. Obviously I wasn’t the only one or thing, had the same thought.
A girl and her Boxer Collie dog walked in, she joined a short line and I noticed admiringly, that the moment the dog’s leash went loose it sprawled out comfortably on the floor and closed its eyes. I couldn’t help gawking adorably in awe as like everyone else at his well-groomed velvety brownish tan shag coat and easily decided he was one spectacular sight— tall and poised. While I wouldn’t want one for myself I would definitely walk this one sometimes.
I chewed away at the gum I had bought and the customers after me were all gone now. The girl stood looking thoughtful with a pack of sanitary napkins peeping through the thinness of the barely white plastic bag she held. I could tell she was contemplating the heat and the rest of her journey. Her face was sweaty and she looked exhausted. I bet she was regretting her walk with such a terrible heat wave hovering.
I stared interestingly at her vividly uneasy appearance and then at her dog in a totally opposite mood; apparently undisturbed and peacefully sleeping. Several minutes had passed before she took up his blue and yellow twisted leash and gently tugged it. The dog didn’t even stir so she momentarily pulled at it to attract its attention.
By this another line was filing out and getting closer to where the dog had laid motionless. Now the girl was silently upset and whispering in a firm tone: “Let’s go Vinny. Let’s go Vinny.” She repeated. The dog didn’t budge even with her hands on him gentle shaking him. She cracked an apologetic smile and said, “He’s never like this.” She shook her head and impatiently poked Vinny to get up. He was making a fool of her and she was kind of looking embarrassed more like pissed.
Finally Vinny opened his eyes and she cracked another smile of relief. “Let’s go Vinny.” She urged impatiently. She poked and tickled him to get up but Vinny still didn’t move. I was totally amused now and so were all the other customers. Probably, ‘Minutes Away Food Mart’ was the only little convenient store that allows pets for ten minutes. It was written boldly next to the picture on the wall and I guess that was all the time one needs to get their purchase. It was a little expensive to shop there so the customers mostly buy an item or two that they really needed.
The manager, no doubt had been watching the show all along, got out of his secluded tinted glass cubicle and stepped briskly towards Vinny and its temp. The dog didn’t even look up and I felt pleased that now I had good reason to linger for a while longer in the convenience of a cool air without feeling like a squatter.
Unlike everyone else, probably I was the only one who already knew the reason behind the dog’s behavior. Simply put—Vinny was just trying to escape the terrible heat too. Christ the dog is sensitive enough to understand good temperature from a bad one.
The manager firmly poked Vinny to get up, but the dog just looked at him for a second then turned his head away while the poor girl pleaded and pulled at its leash. The manager akimboed, tapped his foot impatiently and told the girl firmly to lift her dog out of the store.
Vinny was more than half her size, probably over 70 lbs and it was already tormenting enough outside plus carrying a big dog was unimaginable. I had to stifle down an outburst of laughter as the poor girl panted and struggled to lift the stubborn dog up. She was glaring at Vinny as she stumbled outside.
The manager shook his head in disbelief at the unusual situation. Once outdoors and back on the road the girl roughly dropped Vinny to the ground. The dog reluctantly but skillfully landed on his paws. I’m sure she wasn’t taking Vinny for a walk any time soon after today, I thought in much amusement.
COMICSPREE 
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