Straight through my back yard lived  Kelly H.  We were the same age and played together all the time.  Her and I used to dress up her little dog and play with it.  One day we were pushing it down the slide in a dress when it bit me. 

This would become my second military scar.  It’s on my right hand on the skin between my thumb and index finger.  I ran home to Mom and of course she lost her mind.  My mother was always operatic.  You could always count on her to over react and put on quite a show. 

Kelly was often left home with just her older brothers watching her, as she was on this occasion.  My mother was frantic.  She had to know immediately if the dog had all of its shots; most importantly Rabies.  She made a million investigative phone calls.  I can close my eyes and still see her running through the neighborhood much like an animated cartoon character looking for someone that might know the dogs health status.  She was very comical. 

I in fact wasn’t scared at all.  It wasn’t even a big bite.  So the drama carried on for awhile and eventually my father had had enough.  He was out in the back yard with me when he looked into my little 4 year old eyes and asked me what kind of flowers I liked, because apparently I was going to die.  (I knew he was kidding of course.  My Dad and I have a very good understanding of each other.  I knew what sarcasm was even then.)  Fortunately for me this area didn’t have a huge rabies out break that summer and I survived.  It was a close one though.  J