A Permanent Home for Our“Part Time Dog”
By Carol Panerio
I hadn't planned to fall in love with the black，wire haired dog from the local wildlife sanctuary。I was trying to help get some dogs adopted，not keep them myself。
I'd originally hoped my daughter and son in law wanted the dog called Belvidere。Ann said Tim wanted one that was friendly，playful and didn't shed。I conspired to move that project along，arranging for the director to deliver Belvidere to my house when Ann and Tim were coming for dinner。
When they arrived，Belvidere greeted them，wagging his tail。Ann warmed to him，kneeling，rubbing his ears，and crooning。Tim petted him warily。During dinner，the dog lay between them with one eye open。Afterward，Tim tossed a ball for him to fetch。Belvidere plodded up to it，gummed it a few seconds，then dropped it and wandered off。Tim took him for a trial walk。The dog strained at the leash，wheezing when the collar choked him。When Tim and Ann left，Tim said he needed time to consider how he felt。
When I didn't hear from them for days，I called。“Tim is making up his mind。”Ann said，“That dog's not exactly what he wanted。”
I still held out hope。Maybe if I trained him to walk with more restraint……Maybe if I taught him to fetch……I started going to the sanctuary to walk Belvidere a couple times a week，pulling on the leash and saying“back”when he strained。We made some progress。
After several exercise sessions there，I started bringing him home for visits。I called Ann after each one，reporting on the cute things he'd done and saying he was perfect for them。
Outside，he frolicked。Inside，he was calm and sat by my side，holding out his paw or putting his head on my lap for an ear scratching。
After one energy depleting walk，he was sleeping at our feets as my husband and I ate lunch。I decided he needed another name-he didn't come to Belvidere。
I called some names to see if he would react。“Jack！”Nothing。“Fred……Ralph……Winston……”Still nothing。“Bobo……Fido……”No muscle flinched in recognition。“Barkey。”I tried。He opened one eye。From then on，he was Belvidere at the sanctuary，but Barkey at my house。
I discovered if I clapped my hands and called“Barkley。”he would come running and jump up on me，almost dancing。I knew others might not like being greeted this way，but somehow the way his face reached up to mine，I couldn't reprimand him。
When I got him from his pen at the sanctuary，this ritual welcome lasted for nearly five minutes。
After one rainy week，Barkley's coat was filthy from lying in his muddy pen。I brought him home，planning to clean him up。After bathing and drying him，I opened the door to the bathroom。He pranced out，barking，as if to announce，“Look at me！”I took his picture and sent it to Ann and Tim。
“I think you need to keep this dog，Mom。”Ann said the next time we all were together。I agreed。I hadn't received so much exuberant affection since my grown children were toddlers。
“Can we keep him，Al？”I asked my husband，knowing I'd promised“no more pets”after our cat died。
His answer was firm：“No！”
I hung Barkley's picture on our refrigerator and began to call him our“part time dog”。On the days I planned to bring him to our house，I bounded out of bed in the morning。
I was relieved when the director didn't list him on the Internet site with the other adoptable dogs，but still I recognized that this dog deserved more than I was giving him-an occasional day of fun，followed by a return to his cell。I began to pray that the dog and the right person would find each other。
Not long afterward，an acquaintance was painting a shed on my patio。I decided to introduce Barkley to him to see if the dog would react in fear as he sometimes did to men with beards。Barkley made wide circles around Jim，who then put down his paintbrush and lay on his back on the concrete。Barkley came a bit closer。Jim tried some other tactics he'd seen on Dog Whisperer。Pretty soon Jim was kneeling，petting him，and Barkley was licking him。
“I had a nice dog like this。”Jim volunteered。“He died in December。”
“Would you like another one？”I asked，sharing the dog's history。
“I'd like to try him out and see if he gets along with my cats。”he answered。
At the end of the workday，Barkley and I followed Jim to his car。Jim opened the passenger door，and I wrestled the reluctant dog onto the seat。
“Be a good boy。”I said，placing my head against Barkley's，feeling as though I was sending my child off to a foreign land。
For days，I couldn't get his dear doggy face out of my mind。But after two weeks，Jim came back to finish painting and brought Barkley to watch。He lovingly called him“Barkles。”and had taught him several tricks。The dog was happy to see me，but was just as content to sit near Jim。When they left，Jim opened the passenger door，and Barkley jumped right in。
I watched them go-surprised at my light heart。
我从来没有想过会喜欢上那只狗。那是一只毛发像金属丝一样的黑狗，被我们这里的野生动物庇护所收容。我只是尽力帮助一些狗找到领养者，不是我自己要养宠物。
一开始，我希望我女儿和女婿能领养这只名叫贝尔维迪尔的狗。女儿安说我女婿提姆希望有一只既友好，又好玩，而且不掉毛的狗。我暗地里努力，想让我的计划如期进行。有一天，安和提姆要一起来家里吃晚饭，我安排收容所的所长在那时把贝尔维迪尔送到我家来。
安和提姆进门的时候，贝尔维迪尔摇着尾巴向他们打招呼。安对他很热情，跪在地上揉揉狗的耳朵，低声地对着狗吟唱。提姆则小心翼翼地拍拍狗。吃饭的时候，狗趴在他们两个之间，一只眼睛睁着，另一只眼睛闭着。后来，提姆朝着狗扔过一个球，让他去取来。狗不紧不慢地跑向球，用牙咬了一会儿，然后把球一扔跑开了。提姆带他出去溜圈，想要测试一下这只狗。狗急于摆脱束缚，套在他脖子上的项圈梗塞了他的咽喉一下，使他呼哧呼哧地喘气。当天，提姆和安离开我家的时候，提姆说他还需要时间来考虑到底要不要这只狗。
可是，一连几天，没有听到他们的任何消息。我忍不住打电话过去。“提姆决定了，”安在电话那头说，“那只狗不是他想要的那种。”
我心里仍然留有希望。如果我训练他走路的时候能多克制一下自己，说不定……如果我教会他取回东西，也许……我开始到保护所去遛贝尔维迪尔，每周两次。他一出现迫不及待的样子，我就拉住绳子，说：“回来”。慢慢地，我们有了一些进步。
在保护所进行了几次训练之后，我开始把他带回家来。每次我送走贝尔维迪尔之后，都会打电话给安，告诉她贝尔维迪尔表现出的机敏，并强调他非常适合他们两个领养。
在外面的时候，贝尔维迪尔欢欣雀跃。在家里，他则安安静静地坐在我身边，还伸出他的爪子或者把头放在我腿上，让我给他挠耳朵。
有一次我们出去散步，走得很远，非常累。回来后，我和丈夫一起吃午饭，贝尔维迪尔躺在我们脚边睡着了。我觉得他需要另起一个名字，因为叫他贝尔维迪尔的时候，他并不朝着我们走过来。
于是我叫了几个名字，看他是否有反应。“杰克！”什么反应也没有。“弗雷德……拉尔夫……温斯顿……”还是什么反应也没有。“波波……费多……”还是没有一点点反应。“巴克……”我又试了一个名字。他睁开一只眼睛。从那时起，他在保护所里是贝尔维迪尔，但在我家里，则叫巴克。
我发现，如果我拍拍手叫“巴克利”，他就会跑过来，一下子跳到我身上，还几乎像跳舞一样打转转。我清楚，别人未必喜欢狗用这样的方式打招呼，可是，不知怎的，他把脸凑向我的样子，让我实在没有办法斥责他。
每次我从保护所他的围栏里把他带出来的时候，这种欢迎仪式总会持续约五分钟。
下过一个星期的雨之后，巴克利因为总是呆在他那湿乎乎的围栏里，皮毛变得肮脏不堪。我把他带回家，打算好好给他清洗干净。先给他洗过澡，再给他擦干，然后我打开浴室的门让他出去。他汪汪地叫着，昂首阔步，腾跃而出，好像在说：“看看我！好帅！”我拍了他的照片，寄给安和提姆。
“我觉得还是你领养这条狗的好，妈妈。”当我们又一次都聚在一起的时候安说。我赞同安的主意。自从我的孩子一个一个地从蹒跚学步的儿童长成成年人之后，我再也没有得到如此深厚的依恋和爱了。
“我们留下他好吗，奥尔？”我问丈夫。心里仍然清晰地记着当时我们喂养的猫死去之后我的承诺：决不再养宠物。他坚决地回答：“不行！”
我把巴克利的照片挂在家里的冰箱上，并开始称呼他为我们的“兼职宝贝狗”。在那些我打算把他带回家的日子里，大清早一想到这个念头，我就会从床上一跃而起。保护所的所长没有把巴克利和其他待领养的狗的信息一起放在因特网上，这个消息让我一下子如释重负。可是，我还是觉得我应该给予这只狗更多的东西，而不仅仅是隔三差五地带他出去玩，然后再送他回保护所。我于是不停地祈祷，希望合适的人能够来领养他。
不久后的一天，一个熟人来给我后院的车棚刷油漆。我下决心把巴克利介绍给这个熟人，想看看巴克利会不会感到害怕。因为有的时候他见到长着胡须的男人会现出恐惧的样子。巴克利围着吉姆——我的这个熟人，转了好几个大圈。吉姆就势放下油漆刷，躺在水泥地上。巴克利向他走近了一些。吉姆用他从电视上《狗语者》节目里学来的方法在巴克利身上试了试。很快，吉姆跪在地上，用手拍着巴克利，巴克利则在舔着吉姆。
“我曾经有过一只这么好的狗，”吉姆主动告诉我，“12月份的时候死了。”
“那你是不是考虑再养一只呢？”我问。然后给他讲了这只狗的事。
“我想试试，看他能不能跟我的猫和平相处。”吉姆答道。
吉姆忙完了一天的工作，要回去了。我和巴克利跟在吉姆后面走向他的车。吉姆打开车门。虽然巴克利一幅不情愿的样子，我还是用力抱起他，把他放在座椅上。“要乖！”我说，我的头俯在狗的身上，感觉像是送自己的孩子到异国他乡去。
一连几天，巴克利那亲切的脸总是浮现在我的脑海里。两星期以后，吉姆又来到我家，把剩下的油漆活干完，还带巴克利来看我。他充满爱意地叫巴克利“巴克”，另外，吉姆还教给他一些把戏。见到我，狗非常高兴，但也同样高兴呆在吉姆身边。他们离开的时候，吉姆打开车门，巴克利一下子跳进去，坐好了。
我凝视着他们渐渐走远，心情非常愉快，这让我很意外。
牛角挂书
New Words
sanctuary n。圣地；圣堂；庇护所
shed n。棚，库
conspire vi。密谋，搞阴谋；（事件等）巧合，共同导致
filthy adj。肮脏的；污秽的；下流的；淫秽的
exuberant adj。兴高采烈的；活跃的；愉快的；纵情的
bound vi。跳；弹回vt。给……划界，限制n。跳，跳跃，跃进
wrestle vt。&；vi。（与某人）搏斗，扭成一团；扭打
T
猴老师有话说
est Yourself
1.Multiple Choice Questions
1）Belvidere plodded up to it，gummed it a few seconds，then dropped it and wandered off。
A。用（胶水）涂B。被粘住
C。用牙床咀嚼（或咬）D。讲话；讲废话
2）Tim took him for a trial walk。
A。试；试验B。审判；讯问
C。艰苦；磨难D。尝试；努力
3）I still held out hope。
A。提出；提供B。伸出；端出
C。抵抗；坚持D。扣留
4）After one rainy week，Barkley's coat was filthy from lying in his muddy pen。
A。上衣B。（动物的）皮毛
C。覆盖物；层D。掩饰
5）Jim opened the passenger door，and I wrestled the reluctant dog onto the seat。
A。摔跤B。使劲搬动；用力举起
C。努力解决；全力对付D。斟酌
6）He lovingly called him“Barkles。”and had taught him several tricks。
A。诡计；骗局B。技巧；窍门
C。把戏；戏法D。恶作剧；戏弄
2.你知道关于leash 的短语吗？写出下列短语的释义或例句。
1）strain at the leash
2）hold/have/keep in leash
3）on a long/tight/short leash
4）slip the leash
Keys：
1.1）C2）A3）C4）B5）B6）C
2.1）strain at the leash急于摆脱束缚；急于开始；迫不及待
2）hold/have/keep in leash 系住；束缚；控制；约束
例句：keep one's temper in leash控制住脾气
3）on a long/tight leash处于较松弛（严格）的控制下
例句：The manager should be left on a long leash。经理应该有较多便宜行事之权。
4）slip the leash（猎狗等）挣脱皮带；摆脱约束
T
猩猩出手
ranslation
1.I conspired to move that project along，arranging for the director to deliver Belvidere to my house when Ann and Tim were coming for dinner。
2.The dog strained at the leash，wheezing when the collar choked him。
3.After one energy depleting walk，he was sleeping at our feets as my husband and I ate lunch。
4.I started going to the sanctuary to walk Belvidere a couple times a week，pulling on the leash and saying“back”when he strained。
5.I knew others might not like being greeted this way，but somehow the way his face reached up to mine，I couldn't reprimand him。
Keys：
1.我暗地里努力，想让我的计划如期进行。有一天，安和提姆要一起来家里吃晚饭，我安排收容所的所长在那时把贝尔维迪尔送到我家来。
2.狗急于摆脱束缚，套在他脖子上的项圈梗塞了他的咽喉一下，使他呼哧呼哧地喘气。
3.有一次我们出去散步，走得很远，非常累。回来后，我和丈夫一起吃午饭，贝尔维迪尔躺在我们脚边睡着了。
4.我开始到保护所去遛贝尔维迪尔，每周两次。他一出现迫不及待的样子，我就拉住绳子，说：“回来”。
5.我清楚，别人未必喜欢狗用这样的方式打招呼，可是，不知怎的，他把脸凑向我的样子，让我实在没有办法斥责他。