They both heard it. A quiet coughing and then a snapping for air. The owner of the kiosk had just placed the illustrated magazine on the table while the woman searched her purse for change. She looked down. \u201cTommy, what\u2019s the matter?\u201d she called, startled. Her Yorkshire terrier lay, lifelessly, on the ground. \u201cThat can happen so fast\u201d, murmured the shopkeeper. \u201cProbably a heart attack\u201d, he thought, \u201ctoo well fed\u201d. The dog was dead, no doubt about it. But what to do now?<\/p>\n
The lifeless body could certainly not remain in the shop. But neither did the woman want to carry her dead dog through the village in front of everyone and get caught up in a conversation on every street corner. \u201cHave you perhaps got a box?\u201d she asked. The shopkeeper went into the back and returned. \u201cThis is all I\u2019ve got.\u201d He handed her a printed box which had contained a small portable television set a few days earlier. After the dog was packed away in it, the woman left the electronics shop. In front of the shop she met a young man who, loudly and with a distinct foreign accent, shouted: \u201cThey all racist, hate foreigners! No one will change!\u201d Angrily he waved his fifty Euro note back and forth in front of the old woman\u2019s face. \u201cBut that must be possible!\u201d said the woman. \u201cCome, I\u2019ll change it for you in the electronics shop. Just hold the box for me please while you wait.\u201d The young man nodded contentedly. When the woman returned with the money, he was gone. To her shock, there was also no sign of the box.<\/p>\n
\u201cI would like to hand in fifty euros here\u201d, said the old woman later at the police station. \u201cWhere did you find it?\u201d asked the police officers and listened to what had happened. \u201cKeep the money\u201d, they said. \u201cIt will be difficult to find the right owner.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
They both heard it. A quiet coughing and then a snapping for air. The owner of the kiosk had just placed the illustrated magazine on the table while the woman searched her purse for change. She looked down. \u201cTommy, what\u2019s … Continue reading