Jane ran back up the stairs to apartment 1b, then practically blew open the front door. Bob could sense someone coming so he jumped up from the couch, froze in place, and held his nose high in the air. He barked once before Jane appeared and said, “It’s just me, Bob-o, don’t kick my ass.” The dog relaxed his frame.

Jane grabbed her keys from the floor near the kitchen sink, where they had fallen out of her purse that morning. Bob trotted over and nudged Jane’s shin to get her attention. “Hey buddy,” she said, reaching out to pet the top of his head. “No hands, or else you would’ve picked them up and put them back, right?” She smiled, hooked the key ring around one finger, and grabbed his head, playfully shaking it from side to side. The dog tag cluster on his collar jingled to the jangle of the shaking keys.

“Gotta run, little man. You want me to turn on the TV before I go?” Bob ran back to the couch, and made himself comfortable. His perked his ears and stared at Jane. “Weird dog,” she said walking over to him, “you love the TV.” He really did love it. Jane picked up the remote from an end table she bought at a yard sale in Connecticut for ten bucks. She pressed power and turned to channel 158.

“Animal Planet it is!” Bob laid his head down and watched a commercial for Dove hair care products, contently. Jane looked at her watch. Now she was another ten minutes late. Javi wouldn’t care, but she wanted to make up for it. Jane changed into the v-neck sweater Javi had given her for Christmas.