Puppy Attack, 22 November 2005, by Al Church

From MemoryArchive

Who: Al Church and Nala
What: A fateful return to Thanksgiving Break
When: 11:30 PM on 22 November 2005
Where: A quiet suburb of Indianapolis, IN

The Northwest flight from Reagan National Airport descended from the clouds and landed on the runway at the Indianapolis International Airport without incident. Our charming hero Al Church, only possessing a carrier bag stuffed full of clothes, electronics, and Sudoku logic puzzles, glided out of the airport and into the waiting Honda, occupied by his grandparents. They exchanged words, but the lull of the engine and the heat protecting the car's inhabitants from the bitter cold from the outside made Al sleepy.

Al shot awake as the car pulled into the driveway of his suburbian dwelling. The illuminated porch lights welcomed him home. His mother and sister opened the front door and waved. Al gathered his gear and stumbled out of the car. He bade his grandparents farewell and approached his house. Suddenly, something very short emerged from the house.

It was a puppy! Nala, the blonde labrador retriever mix that the Churches had rescued from the Humane Society a few years before, quickly pounced on her boy. It had been the longest time that the duo had been apart. Al dropped his stuff and swooped down to hug the puppy. Nala started her barrage of slobbery puppy kisses that would not have stopped if Al's mother had not said, "Time to get back in the house; it's cold!"

The family walked back into house, where Al began to put down his things. He dropped his bag on a chair. He unzipped his coat and pulled of his sweater. All the while, Nala was trying to get another shot at licking her boy's face. Al took this time to pet her head, which Nala percieved as the go ahead to begin licking. However, something was wrong. There was a scarf. It was choking her boy! Nala spared no time and immediately sprang into action. She growled and started nipping at the scarf. There was a tense struggle. Any onlookers would have been held in suspense.

But, Al, finally understanding what was upseting the puppy so, took off his scarf. He gave her one last kiss and headed off to the kitchen to get something to eat.