Fool me twice…

In case you missed it, read “Part 1” here.

After an unsettling stare down with Athena, she exerted herself. Determined to be the alpha. Before I knew what happened, her large mouth of teeth struck my face. 

“AAAAAAAAAAH!” I screamed like Chrissy from Jaws. 

Fear threw me backward. The Windex bottle was thrown from my grip. My hands hit the floor to catch myself, leaving my face completely exposed. 

“NOOOOOOOOOO!” I begged for my life. 

But it was too late. Athena had the upper hand. Before I rose my arms in self-defense, she already got in several vicious licks. 

Not “licks” as in strikes. Literal licks. Kisses to be exact. Satisfied with our make-out session, she fled the scene and ran to hide in the backroom. 

I hyperventilated as I sat on the floor wondering what the hell just happened. I did my best to compose myself, but one of my worst childhood fears just reared its ugly head. 

That was sooooo NOT okay! I picked myself up off the floor, determined to face my “attacker” head-on. 

I stormed into the office. Athena knew EXACTLY what just went down. Already prepared for the counterattack, she waited with her head poked out from underneath Jerry’s desk. 

“You BITCH!” I exclaimed in a huff.

Rather confused, Jerry lifted his head from his paperwork. 

“Excuse me?” he asked. 

“Oh! I’m so sorry, Jerry. Not you—wait—you didn’t hear me scream?” I was suddenly annoyed. 

“Huh?” he asked. 

I realized when Jerry took Athena out for a pee break, he may or may not have taken a few hits off a joint. 

“HER!” I pointed at Athena. “She attacked me!” 

“What?” Jerry pushed away from his desk and looked at Athena who innocently tilted her head at him. “She bit you?”

“Well, not exactly. She…kissed me, a lot. Like a lot, and without permission.” 

High as a kite, Jerry laughed his ass off. I felt so stupid that I laughed too. A smile crossed Athena’s face.

She got up to greet me and wagged her tail. Just like that, Athena’s true love’s kiss broke the “German Shepherd fear” spell.

I continued working at Two Moon Traders throughout high school and even took occasional shifts in college.

Jerry, Athena, and Jerry’s girlfriend, Maria, and I became good friends. The four of us hung out after work, at their apartment, which was on the top floor of the building. 

One night, Maria and I enjoyed wine at her place. Jerry and Athena came home late and joined us. After a while, Athena asked to go outside.  

Jerry typically played fetch with Athena before she took a potty break. This took anywhere from 10-20 minutes. Jerry asked us to join him outside, but we declined. 

Jerry grabbed the ball. Athena perked up her ears but didn’t run at Jerry like she normally did. Instead, she paused and turned to me, where I sat on the couch. 

“Don’t you want to go outside?” I asked her. 

Athena just stared at me for a few moments. She came over, put her paws on the couch, and stepped up to kiss my face. 

“Awww! Thanks, honey,” I said gratefully.

Athena followed Jerry outside and Maria and I continued our conversation.

Ten minutes later, Jerry screamed at the top of his lungs. 

“Maria! Beth! COME DOWN!”

“Jerry, we want to stay up—” Maria tried to say. 

“STOP!” Jerry burst through the door. “Athena is dead.”  

Shock hit Maria and I like a ton of bricks. 

Jerry threw the ball for Athena like he always did. Only this time, when she ran for the ball, she yelped and collapsed to the ground. Athena suffered a heart attack and was gone before Jerry reached her. 

Tears welled in Jerry’s eyes. “She’s too heavy. I need you to help me carry her upstairs.” 

The three of us brought Athena into the apartment. Jerry was a wreck and gripped her like a child. Athena was family, not just to Jerry and Maria, but to me as well. 

“She kissed you,” Maria said with glassy eyes. 

The statement pierced my heart and I cried my eyes out. It felt like Athena knew her time was up and she wanted to say goodbye.

Dogs have a sixth sense and Athena was no different. This incredibly loving creature saw right through me from day one. She knew I was a good person. Just scared because of childhood trauma. 

Regardless, Athena befriended me and gave me a new experience. An experience greater and more profound than the bad memory before it. Her loving nature helped me heal old wounds and be open to ALL dogs.

As a result, I found myself mourning a German Shepherd, the very animal I once feared. While I’m not a religious woman, Athena was certainly “The Good Shepherd.” 

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