“Dog Gone” [Rated G]
Part One:
Clara had just made her last payment on her (pre-owned) car. She had the title
and was trying to find a safe place to hide it. She went up to the barn loft.
She wasn’t a sleeping up there so often now that she had pretty much conquered
her claustrophobia. She smiled at the thought of letting her best friend guard
the title for her. She went to the bed and moved the mattress slightly to allow
her to get into a large compartment in her headboard. Normally, his head would
flop out to greet her, but for some reason it didn't. She laid down on the
mattress and reached her arm into the headboard compartment to feel around.
Nothing! She used her vision powers to explore the headboard. It was totally
empty. He was gone. A quick scan of the entire barn with her x-ray vision
didn’t turn up any sign of him. She asked herself, "Where could he
be?" He couldn't just wander off on his own. She wanted to cry, but
couldn't. He was the only one that she felt totally safe sharing her tears with.
She was in college now and knew that she was too old to get this emotional
about something like this, but she couldn't help it. Her last childhood friend,
the one she shared everything with, was gone. Krypto had disappeared.
=======
Lex pulled up the driveway. He got out of his car and wasted no time getting up
to the front door. Martha didn't know exactly where Clara was, but told Lex he
could look around. Martha didn't have to twist his arm to get him to agree to
stay for supper. Lex almost immediately found Clara in the barn. She was
sitting on the stairs to her loft. She was hunched over and had a mournful look
on her face. She didn't look at him or acknowledge his presence, but when he
sat next to her and put her arm around her, she leaned up against him. Lex
said, "I expected you at the rock. When he didn't show, I took my chances
coming year. Since the secret of our friendship is out, at least as far as your
parents are concerned, I didn't see any harm in it. So what's up?"
Clara mumbled, "Not me, that's for sure."
Lex asked, "Was it a rough day college?"
Clara said, "No. Actually it was a blast. Today I was working on making
some living dolls, if you can believe that. I should have several patents
before long. Everyone just leaves me alone to do what I want to. It's SO much
better than high school. AND, today I paid off my car."
Lex said, "… Yet … you don't seem at all happy."
Clara said, "I'm not, but it's pretty silly, and I don't want to … I don't
want to talk about it. But I feel like I lost my best friend."
Lex said, "I thought I was your best friend."
Clara said, "You are, but this is different. There are times when I can't
talk to you, and some things I can't talk to you about. There are some things I
can't even share with my parents. And there are times, like now, when I'm
embarrassed about what I'm feeling and I have no one to turn to. When that
happens, I know I can … the least I could …. Didn't I say I didn't talk about
this?"
Lex said, "Well, I hope someday you'll feel comfortable telling me
anything and everything. For the moment, I would hope that you would at least
be comfortable enough around me, if you feel the need, to shed a few tears over
your lost friend. You know, your Dad told me that you're not the kind of person
that cries easily, but I’ve seen you cry more than a few times. Every time,
you've had good reason, but I would like to know, … is it me? Have you just
started crying since I've been in your life?"
Clara said, "I cry a lot more than I like to. Daddy just doesn't know it.
I cried in front of him a couple times went I was first living with him and Mom
and he couldn't take it. He's a strong man, but when I cried, he cried too.
That made me even more upset, … which made him more upset. So I learned how to
bottle it all up inside me until me and my friend could have some time alone
together. Then I tell him everything and hold him and cry until I felt
better."
Lex said, "Him? Your friend is a "him?" Who is this him?"
Clara said, "I don't want to tell you!"
Lex said, "Because you're scared I would be jealous? You don't have to
worry about that, because I’m already jealous."
Clara said, “I don't want to tell you … because you'd laugh at me!"
Lex said, "I wouldn't. I swear, … or at least I'll wait till I'm alone
before I'd laugh. So do I get to meet this person?"
Clara said, "It’s not a person … and it's too late because he's gone.
Anyway, you already met him. You knew him before I ever did."
Lex said, "Now you'll have to tell me."
Clara whimpered, "I don't see him every day, so I don't even know how long
he's been gone!"
Lex said, "Maybe I can help you find him. Describe him to me."
Clara said, "This is silly. I'll just have to live with it."
Lex said, "Come on!"
Clara said, "He's a dog with white fur. Well, his fur is not as white as
it used to be … or as thick."
Lex said, "I didn't know you had a dog. If he ran away, we could check the
dog pound. Does he have a tag on his collar?"
Clara said, "He couldn't run away. He wasn't a real dog."
Lex asked, "You had an imaginary dog?"
Clara said, "He was a toy."
Lex asked, "A toy breed … or ….”
Clara said, "He was a stuffed toy … a plush animal. You bought him for
me."
Lex said, "You almost never let me buy you anything. I would have
remembered ….”
Clara said, "You sent him to me almost 10 years ago! You sent him after we
met the day of the meteor shower. He was the first thing I ever got in the mail
and he reminded me of my dog on … the dog I had before I moved to Smallville. I
called him Krypto Two -- two as in the number two, not too as in also. I used
to wipe my tears with his floppy ears, … and I used to bury my head in his body
when I was crying so that no one could hear me. He was a great listener. He
never betrayed anything I told him in confidence. And he even talked to me when
he visited me in my dreams. He always gave such wonderful advice!"
Lex said, "So I'll ….”
Clara said, "Don't you DARE say you buy me another one!"
Lex said, "I wouldn't say that. I know better."
Clara said, "I just thought I'd better warn you before you said something
stupid -- something that would make me angry. After all, if I got mad at you,
I'd have no one to discuss it with later … now that he's gone."
Lex said, "So, do you discuss me a lot with Klatu Two?"
Clara said, "That's between me and KRYPTO! His name is Krypto Two!"
Lex asked, "Did you ask your Mom if she might know where he is?"
Clara said, "I told her that I threw Krypto out. I didn't want her to
think I was just a kid anymore. I can’t ask her about him now."
Clara and Lex could hear Martha calling them for dinner. Lex said, "Let's
go."
Clara said, "You go. Tell Mom that I'm not hungry. I'll be out here when
you're done feeding your face."
Lex said, "You ARE in a bad mood!" He went to kiss her on the cheek,
and she moved out of the way. Lex said, “OH BOY! Lassie, PLEASE come home
soon!"
Clara shouted, "IT'S KRYPTO TWO!"
======
Lex walked into the house through the kitchen door. Martha asked, “Where's
Clara?"
Lex said, "She's in no mood to eat."
Martha said, "That doesn't sound like my Clara."
Lex said, "I could get in some serious trouble for this, … but you
remember Klatu Two?”
Martha said, "Uh … “The Day the Earth Stood Still” – the robot from outer
space?”
Lex said, “No, the dog.”
Martha asked, “The dog from outer space?”
Lex said, "No. Clara's toy dog, the one I bought for her from the hospital
gift shop … back when she was just a little kid."
Martha said, "KRYPTO TWO! Yes, what about him?"
Lex said, "He's gone missing."
Martha said, "I don't think so. He's wrapped up in a quilt in my bedroom
closet."
Lex said, "Clara doesn't know where he is."
Martha said, "Well Clara said she was going to throw him out. Call me
sentimental, but I have fond memories of her hauling him all over the place. I
was in the barn loft and found him. He was filthy, so I had him dry cleaned,
re-stuffed him and took him into protective custody."
Lex said, "Clara wasn't going to throw him out. She was just embarrassed
about still feeling so strongly about a toy."
Martha said, "Oh … then I better go tell her that he's okay."
Lex said, "Wait a second. … Do you want to have some fun?"
Martha asked, "What you have in mind?"
Lex said, “I understand you keep Tootsie Rolls around here … the large ones.”
Martha said, "Yes."
Lex said, "Could I have about six of them?" Martha got the Tootsie
Rolls from the pantry and handed them to Lex. He unwrapped them, pounded them
with his fist and bent them a bit. He asked, "What does that look like to
you?"
Martha answered, "Bent Tootsie Rolls." Lex got up and put a trail of
them on the hall rug leading into the living room. Martha said, "Oh! I get
it!" She ran upstairs and came down with Krypto Two. She left him at the
end of the trail of Tootsie Rolls – sheepishly looking out from behind a chair.
Lex was grinning. Martha looked at him and said, "Get a grip. Go back and
sit at the table and wait a minute for me get Jon." Martha quickly told
Jon what was going and he sat down next to Lex at the kitchen table. Martha
went to the back door and yelled out in the nastiest, loudest voice she could
muster, "Clara Josephine Kent, get in this house this instant!"
Clara came stomping up the sidewalk and said, "Mom, I TOLD Lex to tell you
that I'm NOT hungry!"
Martha said, "Don't give me any attitude, young lady! He's yours and he
made a mess, so I expect you to clean it up."
Clara said, "Lex made a mess? What kind of mess?"
Martha said, "Not Lex. LOOK!" Martha pointed at the trail on the
hallway carpet.
Clara said, “EWW! Which animal got in here?"
Martha said, "You're a farm girl. This is nothing. Get some toilet paper
or paper towels and start cleaning this mess up."
Clara grabbed a few paper towels. She said, "Something just isn't right
here!" Clara walked over and began picking up the Tootsie Rolls. She
followed the trail into the living room. Martha quickly pinched herself then
clamped a hand over her mouth to keep from laughing out loud. They heard Clara
shout, "WHAT THE …?” Clara sheepishly reentered the room with Krypto under
her arm. She was trying desperately not to smile. She looked over at the
kitchen table and threw smashed Tootsie Rolls of Lex. She said, "SEE … see
what I told you? Krypto TWO would have NEVER told anybody something I told him
in confidence! In this world, you just have to be careful who you trust."
Lex just smiled at her, picked up one of the smashed Tootsie Rolls and began to
eat it.
Martha said, "Lex, don't eat too much of Krypto's number two, or you'll
spoil your dinner.”
Clara shouted, “GROSS!”
=====
Part Two:
Lex sat back in an easy chair in the living room. He found himself strangely at
home. He could almost drop off to sleep after the massive quantities of food he
just finished eating. He looked into a pair of eyes that silently stared at him
from across the room. He said, “Seeing as it’s just you and me here at the
moment, you wouldn’t mind if I loosened my belt just a bit, would you … at least
until the ladies get back? I didn’t think you would.” Lex unfastened his belt
buckle and released the clasp on his pants. He said, “Ahhh! That’s much better!
Martha is one heck of a cook … one heck of a cook, that’s for sure. If Clara
someday honors me by setting up housekeeping with me and if she is even half
the cook that Martha is, a few years from now I’ll make Santa Claus look
anorexic! That is, unless Clara and I can think of ways to work off those extra
calories. OOPS! Sorry! That just slipped out. But you do know what I mean,
don’t you? I guess I got just a little too comfortable and forgot where I was
and who I was talking to. I know you exist to protect Clara from people that
might intend her harm, so I’d better say this fast before you go for my
jugular: my intentions towards Clara are strictly honorable. I would never do
anything to hurt her. I swear. I love her more than I could ever express.”
Lex continued, “You know, it is good to be able to talk to someone about Clara
like this. I have no one I can tell about what I feel … not even Clara. For
some reason, she doesn’t want to hear it. In that way … and many others, she’s
unlike any other woman I know. All I want to do is to sing her praises and that
embarrasses the heck out of her. So I have to keep quiet or risk scaring her
off. But it is true, Clara and I are so unalike in many ways. That’s what
bothers me when my Father tries discussing her with me. When he points out our
differences and I know he is right, it just kills me … but like the French say,
“Viva la difference!” What differences, you ask? Aren’t they obvious? I mean
other than me being follicly challenged and her having a thick, luscious head
of hair. First and foremost is the age thing, but her being a few years younger
than me won’t continue to be that big of a deal the longer we’re together and,
believe me, I’m in this for the long haul. One small communication problem is
that she doesn’t watch TV or movies and although I don’t watch much TV, the
references I make are often lost on her. I’m an urban boy. She’s a country
girl. I’m more than a little jaded. She’s more than a little naïve. I’m a
businessman through and through. She’s a bleeding heart with an open purse. I
am self-centered. She, for the most part, is selfless. I want the good life.
I’m greedy for all life can offer me. Clara feels guilty about any little thing
she has and is greedy for those she loves … and she opens her heart to anyone.
I want recognition. She wants to hide in the shadows. I want power. She wants
to help those without power. If anyone chooses to be my enemy, I want to crush
them. Clara wants to convert her enemies, find common ground or, at the very
least, find a way to co-exist with them.”
Lex took a deep breath and said, “You don’t have to say a word. I know that
most people believe that opposites attract. You and I know that that’s not the
case, don’t we? It’s the similarities that bond a couple together and keep them
together through all that life throws at them. True opposites DON’T attract.
But I’m attracted to Clara like I’ve never been attracted to anyone before. AND
it’s not just her physical beauty … although I have a hard time tearing my eyes
off her. Every night I tell myself that I don’t think I could love her anymore
than I do, but each day I wake up to find that my love for her is even more
intense. I can’t imagine how much I’ll love her once we have little ones. Yes,
children. I never thought that I would want children, but thinking about having
others like her populating this world and knowing I had something to do with it
excites me more than anything I have achieved in my life to date. Maybe the
reason I love her so much is that she is the person that I have secretly always
wanted to be … but never had the opportunity to become. Strange, I never said
that out loud before. Maybe I even kept that secret from myself. I hope that
the reason Clara has feelings for me is not because of who I am today, but
because of the man I have the potential to become … a man I can only become if
she agrees to share the rest of her life with me.”
After a long reflective silence, Lex said, “To re-assure you a little, it is
not my intention to take her away from you. I don’t know how anyone who has
known her as intimately as you have could lose her and continue to exist. As
long as she continues to feel the way she obviously does about you, I will
consider you as a close friend, a welcome member of my household and a part of
my immediate family. I hope this is all okay with you because I’m NOT going
away. You know, it’s been REALLY great having this little talk. I feel a lot
better about the future now. Thanks so much. Clara was right about you. You’re
a good listener, Krypto.”
The End