Baby 

 

My friend tells me she wants a dog.  

A Chihuahua. Tiny. Six pounds.  

Maybe seven. Small enough to  

carry. To sit in a car seat. Or a  

shopping cart at the store. A little  

dog. To hold in her arms. To cuddle.  

Like a baby. Sweet baby. Like the  

one she tried to have. Tried and  

tried. Years ago. But couldn’t. 






What Can It Hurt? 

 

My friend tells me she wants a dog.  

We go to Barnes & Noble today.  

For dog magazines. And a book.  

Maybe two. About Chihuahuas.  

Even though. Her husband still says  

No. To a dog. Any dog. But does  

that include magazines? Or books?  

I think not. That’s what I tell her.  

She agrees. But we don’t tell him.   






She Can’t 

 

My friend tells me she wants a dog.  

Searches Facebook. For Chihuahua  

rescues. Finds them. Likes them.  

Follows them. Texts twenty pictures  

to me. Today. At least. Maybe more.  

Homeless Chihuahuas. All of them.  

So, so sad. She wants them. All of  

them. You can’t. I say. She knows. 

Laura Stamps is the author of 51 novels, novellas, short story collections, and poetry books, including “Dog Dazed” (Kittyfeather Press, 2022), “The Good Dog” (Prolific Pulse Press 2023), and “Addicted to Dog Magazines” (Impspired, 2023). Recipient of a Pulitzer Prize nomination and 7 Pushcart Prize nominations. www.LauraStampsFiction.blogspot.com