But the weeks went by, and the neighbor never did take a vacation. In fact, he completely forgot about his vacation plans because he was busy with his restaurant and was also involved in opening a second restaurant as well. He felt happy with his work and would even go to some social function at least once a week with the woman who loved and lived with him. The neighbor was pleased to be with her. Now she is a good woman, he thought, and a pride grew within him when he logically concluded that he must be a good man. He didn’t think about the dog next door because the dog hadn’t appeared to him since that morning with the broom. He chalked it up as being a mere hallucination and never tried to analyze it any further than that. For a few minutes one night, he did ponder on how mysterious the mind could be. He remembered reading some article about the feats that can be accomplished through the powers of positive thinking.
Summer had passed and the neighbor woke up one morning and discovered that autumn had arrived. He stood on his back porch smoking a cigarette before breakfast as he felt the chilly air cut through his pajamas. He was surprised to notice a change in the seasons and he boasted to himself about his sensitivity in observing the changes in nature. He though how his sensitivity may lead him to write some good poetry, what the heck, why not give it a go?
As he continued to muse about himself, he saw something move on the porch next door to him. He turned to look and didn’t want to believe what he saw, but all the same, it was the dog again. He watched the dog next door leap on the porch railing and begin to dance on its hind legs. The dog high stepped in chorus line fashion, and even began to do spins on its flat paws. The neighbor tossed his cigarette down with anger.