generalspeaking

She was shopping in the local hardware store of a small town close to where she lives. He approached her to ask admiringly about the tiny dog in her backpack. He was friendly and she was trusting, and he captivated her by his spontenaeity, the manner in which he so quickly introduced her to a synopsis of his life, even telling her in that small space of time about his father having given him rabbits of his own to care for. She too loved rabbits and had a few, she confided in him. He was, he said, interested in dogs because he loved them, and had just lost his long-time canine companion. She quickly informed him that he should look up a dog rescue group she belonged to, on the Internet, then remembered she was, at that very time, fostering a dog.

How fortuitous, might he drop by to look at the dog? She described where her house was located, and he knew where it was, indicating that he knew her neighbours. He would telephone her and make an appointment. And so it came about that he arrived at her home, complimented her on her lovely home, her many well-behaved dogs. And how much he liked the dog she was fostering; he was definitely interested, and she was pleased. He told her where his house was, right beside the river, and she was pleased with that, since the dog loved the water. She told him she envisaged the dog going with a household that already had one dog, since the dog loves canine company and he assured her that there was a companionable dog right next door.

He turned his attention to her in an obvious manner, complimenting her on the mode of her dress, her unusual jewellery. She had invited him into her house and he expressed his admiration for her obvious home-making skills, her decor, her wonderfully comfortable and well-cared-for environment, the obvious happiness and health of her canine dependents of which there were quite a few. I guess, he said, as he turned to leave, after asking if he could bring his 15-year-old daughter along in a few days' time to see if she too approved of the adoptive dog; I guess, you'll contact your neighbours to ask them about me. She most certainly would, she assured him; she meant for the dog to go to a good home.

She took her daughter with her and went across to see her neighbours, to ask them about this man who seemed just too good to be true. She was pleased with what she saw. She was flattered by his attentiveness, his obvious appreciation of everything that was so important to her. She was a little excited about the thought that she might have found the perfect home for the dog she was fostering. The female half of the couple was not home; she knew her partner had gone on a two-week trip and wouldn't return until the following week; gone to see family out west. The couple had animals of their own and it was clear they hadn't yet been looked after for the evening. Her neighbour's absence bothered her, and she checked again later in the evening.

The following morning there was still no sign of her neighbour and she was really worried. She had tried to contact her through her cell telephone the night before, but there was no response. On her return from work that afternoon, finally, there was her neighbour. Who, returning late from work the night before, had her car break down on the highway at 11:00 p.m. None of the passing motorists would stop. There had been no highway patrol. She spent the night in her car. That morning, finally, a young man driving in the opposite direction saw her, drove to the nearest exit, rejoined the highway in her direction and asked if she needed help. Is that to be believed? On the other hand, fear restrains people, keeps them from stopping, late at night, if they see what might appear to be a stranded motorist but might be something else.

Under no circumstances, said her neighbour, was she to allow that man entry to her house again. Under no circumstances should she speak with him beyond the necessity to inform him that her foster dog would not be placed under his protection. The man, her neighbour said, was an outright predator, a despoiler, a wife-batterer. One by one, her neighbour dispelled all the little myths about the man's life that he had offered to the trustingly unsuspecting target of his attentions, who, had she lived in that area longer, might have known about his reputation. As it was, she recalled the time a woman had driven to her neighbour's home, and she had crossed the street to ask if she might be of assistance in her neighbour's absence. She remembered, then, the despairing, weeping condition of the woman, and her relief when her neighbour finally returned and was able to comfort her. This had been her husband.