In the morning, when Thom opened the laundry room door to let Dog out, it became immediately obvious by the overwhelming smell that a bath was a necessity. And the process of pulling off that bath started well.
He’d scoped out all three of his neighbours’ properties—to the right, left, and behind—and even though it was Saturday, the coast had been clear. Thom had been careful; he’d remembered to leash Dog and had used what appeared to be a large corkscrew that went into the ground to hold that leash in place. He’d unrolled the hose and laid it out on the lawn, running the water until the stale rubbery smell was gone, and then worked up a pail of suds from a bottle that promised to be gentle, diligent, and environmentally friendly. Dog seemed to enjoy the spray, biting at the water while r
