An excerpt…I called home and told my wife Ruth I would take her to the Mexican place for lunch. It’s her favorite. I would be banking some “points” should a need arise down the road. It’s not a bad idea, you know. Why not accumulate some goodwill with the wife? Besides, you’ve got to eat, so you just take the keeper of the skillet to her favorite joint.

It is interesting how events happen, for when we returned home a white truck was about to exit our driveway. It had a dog box on the back, so my heart leaped up when we approached. I lowered my window, as did the visitor. It was my friend Jim Bishop, professional bird-dog trainer and sometimes dog breeder. I had no opportunity to signal to him before he spoke.

“Knowing you are wanting a puppy, I thought I would drop by and tell you about the litter of Irish setters out at Five Star Plantation. I have the poppa dog, a Rondo dog, registered as Rondo Muldoon. He has won a skosh of field trials for me and is one of the best dogs I have ever owned. I get the first and third picks, and I can guarantee you a super prospect. Thought you might want to go out and take a look . . . ”

“He’s not interested!” interrupted my bride. “We’ve got all the dogs we need, thank you.”
She was not aware of a certain phone conversation Jim and I had had a couple of months earlier.