It’s almost halloween – so scary story time. Well – sort of.

Piper has always been a big fan of Halloween – I think it’s because she’s pretty much fearless. Just last year she braved zombies and all sorts of other strange characters to help me win a costume contest at work. And I remember her first halloween when we lived in Raleigh – there was a guy standing outside our apartment in a complete skeleton costume. While he was standing there smoking a cigarette – she jumped up on him and gave him a big kiss on the face. Maybe she thought he needed cheering up.

But that same fall Piper and I were at the park – just like pretty much every morning before work. But this one morning she took off way down the field – not sure what she was after. But pretty soon she came trotting back and as she got closer, I noticed something was in her mouth. No – it couldn’t be. I was sure that wasn’t what I was seeing.

But yes, as she got almost to me – you could see it hanging out of her mouth.

A hand. And she dropped it by my feet.

Well, much to my relief – it was an “Assess-A-Hand” a tool used to evaluate dogs for food aggression. I guess someone had left it at the park and the stick part had fallen out – leaving just the rubber hand and sleeve.

Piper was so pleased with herself and excited with her new present for me – a spare hand.

But she didn’t need to get me that – she’s always been my right-hand girl.

Happy Halloween!

###