Chad played with Master Bruno for over an hour.
"Okay, girl, time to go home. Come here girl, I have to leave the animal crate with Coach Sinclair, so I'm gonna have to leash you to my dad's pickup bed. Sorry, he said no dogs in the cab. But you can stick your head over the side and enjoy the wind in your face, Chad," said Bruno.
He leashed Chad and loaded him into the back of his dad's blue pickup truck. It was full of pool cleaning equipment. Chad whined, as he lay next to a couple of chlorine buckets, with hoses and nets and poles laying haphazardly around him. Bruno tied off the leash to one of the metal hooks lining the walls of the bed. Then he went to say his goodbyes to Coach Sinclair.
Chad stared as Bruno disappeared into Sinclair's house. Suddenly, the pickup bed rocked. Brutus had jumped into the pickup.
"Bitch, I mean, Chad, ready for more," barked Brutus.
Chad yelped. He had gotten to his four feet just in time for Brutus to mount him a second time.
The barking got Bruno's and Coach Sinclair's attention.
"Dang, looks like you have time for a beer and another game of checkers, Bruno."
"Yeah. Guess it does. Well, Chad should have a few buns in the oven after this."
Brutus lingered long after he unknotted. He really liked his new bitch. He heard his master call and jumped from the truck bed.
Bruno just checked the leash, muttered something about going to be late for dinner, and got in the cab and drove home.
"You're late, Bruno!"
"Sorry, ma, hadda wait until coach's dog unknotted. It took longer than I expected."
"Well, you be careful with those Sinclair folk. I swear granny said they're in league with the devil. And the way he turned that rag tag football team into not just State Champions, but Regional Champions, it seemed a bit unnatural," said Bruno's mother, "So that's your new dog. She's mighty pretty. She looks all tuckered out. Tsk. I bet that big dog studding you wore you out, didn't he, girl? Say what's her name?"
"Her name is Chad," Bruno said with a sly smile.
"Chad isn't a proper name for a girl," snapped Bruno's mother, "it's the neighbor boy's name to you know."
"Yeah, one of the reasons I picked her. I figured having a bitch called Chad will drive the quarterback nuts. You know talking about how many times Brutus mounted her, and how many pups she will have."
"Very funny. Bruno, why on earth did Coach call her Chad?"
"Oh, he named all that litter after his football players. Chad is blond like the quarterback. "
"I think that's brindle or tawny maybe. People are blonde, dogs are brindle or tawny."
"Yeah, tawny she is then."
"And give her a more suitable name than Chad, alright? Maybe Lady?"
"How about Champ?"
"Okay, Champ it is then."
"Get her bedded down in her dog house, give her water and food. Then come in, and get your supper. It's in the oven."
Bruno mumbled something, but did as he was told. He didn't say anything to Chad, as he tied her leash to the dog house, filled two metal bowls: one with water, one with dry dog food, and went inside.
Chad sniffed the food. She was hungry. She took a bite. Not bad, not great.