Timmy was a fellow action figure freak! Going to his house was like Toys R Us on crack, aliens, Star Wars and giant robots littered his room. A day at Tim's was a day of pure imagination and
toy bliss. getting to Tim's house was the ultimate challenge for a 4th grader. True doom if the bike I was riding broke down.
Abutting Tim's backyard, was the neighbor's yard. In that yard lived the beast. A century old german shepherd who wanted nothing more to devour us. This wasn't some run of the mill mean junkyard dog. This dog was bad. Bad to the bone and very badly treated. The only thing holding this dog back was a chain bolted to it's doghouse and even that was in shambles from years of neglect.
Every time we would ride our bikes through the path that split the yards this monster would
lunge at us only to choke itself to the point of gagging. I always would just peddle as fast I could past this beast, fearing one day this dog would one day break it's chain and feast upon our flesh. Tim on the other hand had grown up with this animal and felt it necessary to tease and throw the occasional stick a it, making it more eager to get at us.
As we were riding back to my house after the goodbyes we passed this dog one last time. I, in front, sped passed the ravenous beast with fearful pedaling. Tim in the rear, thought it would be a gag to yell at this dog and teas it one last time. Bad idea.
Then, I heard the sound I had been fearing as long as we had been hanging out and passing this monster. The sound of the chin breaking. As soon as I heard this I went into Lance Armstrong mode. Speeding out of the path and cycled up the hill. Tim was NOT so lucky.
As I turned around, I saw the dog in mid air lunging at Tim, knocking him off his bike and pinning him to the ground. Watching in fear I watched the years of teasing and torment unleashed on my friend. Slowly, a pool of blood gathered around my friend. All I heard were screams as this beast ripped into Tim. As I watched, one of my other friends older brother turned the corner in his car.
Seeing this, he sped up to the dog and stopped. Stepping out of his car to stop the dog, he was ubruptly charged and forced back into his car. The dog returned to my friend and resumed his attack.
Just when I thought Tim was unconcious he made one final kick at the dogs head. It shuffled back 4 to 5 feet and gathered its wit. In an instant the older brother stepped on the gas and rammed the dog, sending it flying into the bushed. With a loud yelp and crash the dog disappeared into its yard.
Within seconds, the brother scooped up Tim and tossed him into his car. Speeding off, most likely to the hospital. In shock, I returned home and told my mother the story. In a rush to leave my mother explained that we were about to leave and she would check on Tim when we reached our destination, Plymouth. I never learned what happened to Tim, but from that moment on til NOW I have a deep down urge to help anyone in need.
In my darkest hour I was helpless in my friends time of need. it took years to get over what happened to Tim and to this day I wonder If he holds a deep resentment for not helping him. When I look back, I wonder why I am not deathly afraid of german shepherd, but in my heart I know it's not the breed of dog but the way it is treated. Just tell that to my 115 german shepherd Teygan who is the love of my life and the sweetest creature on the planet.
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