Chapter 19: I Started Living with a Nameless Puppy
Chapter 19: I Started Living with a Nameless Puppy
“As I said before, I estimate she’s about six months old.”
Karen took the puppy out of the cage and placed her on the examination table.
“Look here. See how her teeth are still small and white? They’re not baby teeth. They’re permanent teeth. She’ll probably grow very quickly over the next six months.”
While Karen explained, the puppy never stopped squirming on the examination table.
She struggled to escape Karen’s hands, sniffed here and there, and wagged her tail constantly.
“She’s become unbelievably lively in just a few days.”
Karen chuckled softly at my comment.
“Yes. Sometimes younger animals recover much faster. She’s eating dog food well now too.”
She placed the puppy in a basket-shaped scale and measured her weight.
The display stopped at a certain number.
“Hmm... She weighs 3.8 kilograms. At this rate, she’ll be at least a medium-sized dog, and she could grow even larger.”
I had no idea exactly how large that meant, but I did not bother asking.
She would become a bigger dog.
I did not see why that would be a problem.
“If you’re curious about her breed, you’d need a DNA test. Judging by appearance alone, she seems to be a mixed breed.”
“No. That doesn’t mean anything to me.”
I immediately shook my head.
The corners of Karen’s mouth rose softly.
“I thought you’d say that. So, what are you going to do now?”
“If you think she’s healthy enough, I’d like to take her with me today.”
“That’s fine. However, she’s currently under a stray hold, meaning the legally required holding period for a found animal. I can register you as her foster caregiver, but if her owner appears within seven days, you’ll have to return her. There are four days left.”
(Translator’s Note: Stray Hold — A legally required holding period during which a found stray animal remains available for reclamation by its owner before adoption or permanent transfer. The exact length and requirements depend on local law.)
Karen cautiously watched my expression as she spoke.
But my face did not change.
After all, I had only spent one night with the puppy.
I had never thought about raising a dog before, nor had I ever particularly liked them.
So if her owner appeared, I thought that would be the best outcome for everyone.
“That’s fine. Keeping her here any longer would probably inconvenience you, so I’ll take her with me for now. Please let me know if her owner appears.”
Karen nodded with an unreadable look in her eyes.
The veterinary bill came to an astonishing $550, including two nights and three days of hospitalization, IV fluid treatment, basic blood tests, and examination fees.
And apparently, Karen had already given me a considerable discount.
You’re expensive for a temporary guest, aren’t you?
It was a large and unexpected expense, but there was nothing else I could do.
I paid cash at the reception desk and pushed open the clinic door.
Then Karen called out from behind me.
“Oh! By the way, she’s female. Keep that in mind if you decide to give her a name.”
A name?
I was not sure.
She was not even my dog yet.
Without answering, I quietly left the clinic.
The puppy lay calmly inside the travel crate Karen had given me as a gift.
“This is your home now. Drink this water for now. I’ll buy food soon, so wait a little.”
I left her inside the completely empty warehouse, then drove back toward a Walmart near Tucson.
I needed puppy food and a leash, but that was not all.
I had none of the basic supplies I needed for living in the warehouse, such as a cot or mini refrigerator.
However...
“Hmm. Interior decorating is much harder than I thought.”
I stood in the appliance section of the store with my arms folded, staring at a microwave with an extremely serious expression.
Talking about interior design while choosing a microwave sounded absurd.
But to me, it was a genuinely difficult decision.
“The red one stands out too much... Would this white one match the warehouse walls?”
For someone like me, who had absolutely no sense of aesthetics, it was a difficult choice.
Installing an engine felt easier.
And that was not the only problem.
I was familiar enough with cots to choose one easily, but then came a small electric heater, a mini refrigerator, a folding table and chairs, an electric kettle, and one difficult choice after another.
I also bought paper towels, hand sanitizer, towels, and other supplies until the shopping cart was packed full.
“For the food, I just need puppy food like Karen told me.”
In the pet food aisle, I chose a package with a picture of a puppy that somewhat resembled her.
Since I did not know what would happen after a week, I chose a medium-sized bag for now.
I also checked the back to make sure it met AAFCO standards, following Karen’s advice.
(Translator’s Note: AAFCO — The Association of American Feed Control Officials, established in September 1906. It develops model regulations, ingredient definitions, and nutritional standards used in animal feed and pet food regulation; it does not itself directly certify individual pet food products.)
Why was dog food so complicated?
Even I, a human, often just ate whatever was cheap.
I had the food and the leash.
For food and water bowls, I could simply use some unused bowls...
I had bought nearly everything I needed and was about to head toward the checkout when a large sign caught my attention.
PUPPY BED — 40% OFF!
Dogs can feel more secure in unfamiliar surroundings if they have an object or area of their own.
I suddenly remembered what Karen had told me at the veterinary clinic.
The discounted puppy bed cost twelve dollars.
...
After a brief hesitation, I completed my purchase and walked outside.
There was now a khaki-colored puppy bed in one corner of my shopping cart.
“I might as well stop by the old warehouse and move all the other tools at once. I have the trailer too if I need it.”
This was exactly why pickup trucks were so popular in the United States.
The country was huge and labor was expensive, so people handled most ordinary tasks themselves.
Spending money on a small move like this would be ridiculous.
I parked my truck outside the rented warehouse I would soon be leaving for the last time and began carrying the equipment out one piece at a time.
As the inside of the warehouse gradually emptied, I felt relieved, yet strangely bitter at the same time.
Once everything was loaded, I returned the key.
That ended my brief connection with the warehouse.
Vroooom—
I drove my rattling beloved Chevy truck toward the new workshop.
The familiar exhaust note and the warm Arizona wind tickled my ears and hair.
The rearview mirror showed the truck bed packed with tools and household appliances.
Anyone looking at it would immediately know I was moving.
It was loaded with the excitement of a new beginning.
Haulin’ heavy, livin’ easy.
I remembered a sticker I had once seen on the bumper of a truck.
Looking at the loaded truck bed, my heart really did feel lighter, just like the words on that sticker.
As soon as I arrived at the new workshop, the first thing I did was check on the puppy.
She was sleeping deeply inside the crate, completely unaware that I had returned.
I heard puppies sleep all day. I guess it’s true.
I carefully moved the entire crate into a corner, then began unloading the truck parked on the driveway in front of the warehouse.
It was a lot for one person to handle.
On top of that, it was midday.
Arizona in mid-June was hot enough to make someone collapse if they were careless.
Still, even the blazing desert sun could not stop the enthusiasm of someone who had just obtained a place of his own.
Ah, I forgot an indoor trash can. Toothpaste and a toothbrush too.
I had tried to prepare carefully, but once I started arranging everything, I remembered more missing items.
Even so—
“This... looks much better than I expected.”
I had moved the cot and refrigerator several times before settling on the final layout.
The completed interior gave me a strange sense of satisfaction that was difficult to describe.
Most of the household items, from the cot and blankets to even the puppy bed, were khaki.
All the appliances were stainless steel.
Yet somehow, the space still felt comfortable.
Why I found this particular color combination comforting was a mystery.
“Whine, whine.”
At that moment, I heard rustling from the crate, followed by a plaintive sound.
“I guess the noise from moving everything woke you up.”
I briefly wondered whether her hearing was unusually dull for a dog, but that was still better than being overly sensitive.
Creak—
“Stay still.”
I opened the crate door and reached inside with one hand to pick her up.
Held between my hands, she opened her mouth in a soft pant, showing her pink lips.
“...Why don’t you ever bark?”
I had no idea whether all dogs were like this or whether this particular puppy was unusually gentle.
Regardless of her personality, one thing was certain.
She had probably never been bathed in her entire life.
Her dry fur was almost gray, and more importantly, a stale, unpleasant smell assaulted my nose.
“You need a bath too. There’s no way we can live together like this.”
My body already felt as heavy as lead from cleaning the workshop and moving all day.
Still, I could not release this filthy creature into a space where everything else was brand-new.
“The water is a little cold, but it’s so hot today that you should be fine.”
I held the struggling puppy with one hand and turned on the faucet connected to the hose with the other.
Trickle—
I reduced the water pressure and thoroughly soaked her fur from head to tail.
Then I pressed and squeezed the wet fur like I was wringing out a rag.
“Wow. Look at this. Seriously.”
Dirty water of an unbelievable color streamed from her body.
It was not gray.
It was not even brown.
It was almost black.
Pant, pant—
I did not have dog shampoo, so I used the alkaline soap I normally used on myself.
After rinsing her three or four times, clear water finally began running from her fur.
As time passed, her resistance grew stronger, as though she was telling me she had already endured enough.
She did not bark or bite.
Instead, she kicked her legs furiously.
“Fine. We’re done.”
I gave her body one final wipe and finished.
Shake, shake, shake—
The moment she escaped from my hands, she shook her entire body with all her strength.
The warehouse doors were closed, but just in case, I attached the leash I had bought at Walmart.
Her newly revealed white fur looked surprisingly good with the red collar and leash.
“Now, this is your bed. This is water. And this is food. Drink when you’re thirsty and eat when you’re hungry... You know that, right?”
For a moment, I wondered why I was explaining these things to a puppy.
“Whew...”
It was still early evening, but after spending the entire day doing physical work, my whole body already felt pleasantly heavy.
I adjusted the puppy’s leash to the maximum length and secured it, then prepared a simple dinner.
I placed two frozen burritos inside the new stainless-colored microwave and turned it on.
Hummmmm—
I sat in the folding chair and blankly watched the burritos slowly rotate.
Come to think of it, people in Korea supposedly ate jajangmyeon on moving day.
(Translator’s Note: Jajangmyeon on Moving Day — In South Korea, eating or ordering jajangmyeon, noodles served with a dark fermented black-bean sauce, became strongly associated with moving day because the dish was inexpensive, filling, and easy to order while a household was still unpacking.)
Out here in rural Arizona, that was practically a mythical food unless I gathered the ingredients and made it myself.
I had barely slept the previous night because of the puppy, so my eyelids were already growing heavy.
Still, I should at least have one celebratory drink.
I placed the two steaming burritos on a stainless-steel plate and took a can of Coors from the mini refrigerator.
(Translator’s Note: Coors — An American beer name originating in Golden, Colorado. Adolph Coors established the Golden Brewery there in 1873, the historical foundation of the Coors brewing tradition.)
Ice-cold beer in the middle of an empty desert warehouse.
Click—
The crisp sound of the can opening echoed through the room.
Crunch, crunch—
When I looked to the side, the puppy had already buried her nose in the food bowl and was eating.
I picked up my burrito and took a large bite.
The melted cheese inside touched the roof of my mouth, nearly burning it.
I immediately took a deep drink of cold beer.
Gulp, gulp—
“Ahhh...”
Some people might call it cheap happiness.
To me, nothing felt lacking.
The puppy had already finished eating and climbed onto her own bed.
She lay down with her belly visibly rounded from the meal.
At least she understands that it belongs to her.
Watching her made me even sleepier.
I could no longer stay awake.
It’s a little disappointing, but I have a lot to do tomorrow too.
I already had the smaller hand tools.
But for serious restoration work, I still needed larger equipment.
An automotive lift.
An air compressor.
A welder.
And more.
It felt as though I had done nothing but spend money over the past few days.
Even so, I no longer felt the anxiety I once would have.
Just like the puppy sleeping comfortably with nothing more than a water bowl, food, and a bed, I was not much different.
Even after excluding the money for equipment and future restoration cars, I have enough for six months of rent and living expenses. I’ve also been consistently setting aside thirty percent for taxes...
Even when I was drifting from place to place, as long as I had six months of living expenses saved, I had never been afraid.
Now, if I tightened my belt, I had enough money to survive not six months, but almost two years.
Thinking about that suddenly made me feel incredibly relaxed.
Was this how rich people felt?
I quickly finished the two burritos and one beer, then threw myself onto the folding cot beside the puppy bed.
Creak, creak.
Every time I moved, the joints of the cot produced a metallic scraping sound.
To me, it sounded more like a lullaby.
On my first night in the new workshop, I fell asleep far faster and more deeply than I ever had at the motel.