Better Late Than Never (story by Jill prompted by Jennifer's photo)

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Jennifer gave me this photo prompt on August 6, 2021. It's pretty adorable! When my daughter started college a few years ago, she had been a dog walker through an app to earn some extra cash, so I assume that is what inspired this story ...


Better Late Than Never

   

Christopher refused to move, and Kelsey wasn’t exactly sure what to do. She’d already wasted twenty minutes getting to the scheduled walk. Then she’d wasted another thirty minutes in the house coaxing him. She wanted to get paid—needed to get paid, but she wasn’t sure how it worked with the money if the dog didn’t actually go on the walk. Nothing like this had happened in the two months since the beginning of the semester when Kelsey had joined the dog walker app. 

For Kelsey, it was a good part-time gig. She could walk dogs around her class schedule on days when she didn’t have extra homework or activities. It had been the perfect fit so far. She’d even joked that it was like online dating only better because the dogs never let her down… well, until she met her match in Christopher. 

Who actually names a dog Christopher?! she thought as she opened the app. “Suzycue,” Kelsey mumbled. “Okay, well, great. Any tips on getting your little man to move, Suzycue? Christopher seems to be putting his foot down.” Well, he was actually putting his belly down—on the floor—and wasn’t budging. 

Kelsey had already tried putting the leash on his collar; offering him a treat; and saying, with great enthusiasm in a high-pitched voice, those magic words, “Wanna go for a walk?” She’d done anything and everything that got most dogs up and at ‘em, but Christopher wasn’t most dogs. He seemed to be a rare breed—even though he looked more like a mutt. 

After playing a doorbell ringtone without reaction, Kelsey dropped her shoulders in an exhale. “So… this is how it’s gonna be,” she said, sitting on the floor. “I give up. You win.” She threw her hands in the air and lay beside her nemesis. “Christopher, seriously, I really need this money.” As Kelsey counted the beams of the high ceiling above, she added, “And it looks like your mommy has some cash to burn; I bet it would be a good tip. Work with me, man…” 

Kelsey reached over to where Christopher was glued to the… “What!?” She shot up and scanned the room. Jumping to her feet, Kelsey ran to the front door where she found him—tail wagging, waiting for her. “All right, Christopher. Better late than never. It looks like you're finally ready to take me for a walk.”

—Jill Cullen (written August 6, 2021; updated March 3, 2025)



 

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