An excerpt from my latest, soon-to-be published novel titled, “For Everything, A Time.”
“For Everything, A Time” is a time-travel novel. Three of these travelers are: Dr. Dustin Gardner, Dr. Ben Adams, two physicians and one, a mechanical engineer, Abe Barnes. Two white men and one African-American, living in the 1930’s in a small South Georgia town. Being from the 21st Century, living in the early 20th was frustrating and at times frightening. But the story of Doogie’s surgery is a humorous one, if not from Doogie’s perspective.
In 1934 one of Ben’s patients had given him a puppy. Its breed was unknown, but the floppy ears and sweet nature bespoke beagle. Lydia, Ben’s three-year-old unable to say “dog” had called him “doogie.” So, “Doogie it was. Good as anything. Once Doogie reached adulthood, he began to roam the neighborhood along Oak Street. Dustin and Ben had gotten complaints involving the Doogie’s actions with the female dogs owned by the neighbors, so they determined that it was time for Doogie to be neutered.
No one in 1935 Stinsonville did that, but two doctors from 2020 decided it was the responsible thing to do, so one Saturday just after daybreak, they set up an operating room in the summer kitchen. Dustin, as administrator of the hospital, had brought home just enough anesthesia for a thirty-pound pup. Abe had been volunteered to assist or conspire may have been the better word.
Ben had brought a sheet from home to cover the kitchen table. He had his black bag as did Dustin. And Abe, the engineer, had crafted a cardboard collar for the dog to wear after the surgery. Doogie was now asleep, his long tongue lolling out of his mouth.
Dustin, with great solemnity, said, “Gentlemen, before we begin let’s take a moment to consider what we are about to do to Doogie, the boy dog. We are about to cut him off form the greatest pleasure of any man or any dog. Poor Doogie. He’s been a good dog. May he live a long and happy dog life and never remember what it was that he used to do with the bitches on Oak Street.”
Ben could hardly keep a straight face. He added. “Doogie boy, we will continue to think of you as the big dick that you were.”
Abe smiled. “May the three of us menfolk live by your example, knowing that this too could happen to us should be wander as you have, Doogie. For I know three women near and dear to us who would grab a scalpel and do unto us as we now do unto you.”
Ben finished the deed. Dustin stitched up the incision. Abe attached the collar. By the time the children were up, from their three homes, Doogie, groggy and collared was resting on an old quilt in the sun just outside the summer kitchen.
