HE’D CAREFULLY placed hundreds of small plastic army men and equipment on the dirt pile in the garden. The boy sat engrossed in throwing dirt clods, knocking down emplacements and making explosion noises when he felt Bob’s warm urine running down his back. The kid screamed, turning in time to see Bob’s wagging tail receding across the yard. It wasn’t until years later that the boy realized the wisdom of that old dog.

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