Chancey's Overture

By Henry Radoff

Five years have passed since Chancey made his appearance in Taking Chancey, and many things have happened—some good, some bad, and some ugly. This is the continuation of his story.

Chancey is a bit older now and diabetic, and Hank and Marla have to give him two shots a day. He also has to eat high-fiber foods, he’s gone blind, and he’s adjusting to spending more time inside. But perhaps the biggest change is that Hank and Marla are selling their house and moving to an Over 55 Active retirement apartment project in a different city.

Even with all this going on, Chancey still enjoys everyday adventures, including getting pollen all over his body when he spends too much time sniffing flowers on a walk and apartment hunting with his owners.

Look at life through the eyes of the mischievous and loving dog navigating his later years with his aging owners in a new environment, a delightful continuation of Chancey’s adventures.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Archway Publishing
• Release date: Jul 18, 2019
• ISBN: 9781480879621

Henry Radoff

Henry Radoff practiced commercial litigation in Houston, Texas, for fifty years. During that time, he collected survivor’s stories and taught a Holocaust course. He is also the author of Breaking Free: A Journey for Survival, Taking Chancey, Chancey’s Overture, and Where the Squirrels Run. Radoff and his wife, Marla, divide their time between a retirement community outside Houston and a home in Pensacola, Florida.

Book preview

Chancey’s Overture

Henry Radoff

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Copyright © 2019 Henry Radoff.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This book is a work of non-fiction. Unless otherwise noted, the author and the publisher make no explicit guarantees as to the accuracy of the information contained in this book and in some cases, names of people and places have been altered to protect their privacy.

Archway Publishing

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Bloomington, IN 47403

www.archwaypublishing.com

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Interior Image Credit: Marla Radoff

ISBN: 978-1-4808-7963-8 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4808-7962-1 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2019909571

Archway Publishing rev. date: 02/13/2020

Acknowledgments

Preface

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

Chapter 36

Chapter 37

Chapter 38

Chapter 39

Chapter 40

Chapter 41

Chapter 42

Chapter 43

Chapter 44

Chapter 45

Chapter 46

Chapter 47

Chapter 48

Chapter 49

Chapter 50

Conclusion

The author would like to acknowledge the residents, staff, dogs, cats, and hamster at Overture Sugar Land, Texas, for their assistance and cooperation in writing and publishing this book. Overture Sugar Land is a over-fifty-five, active adult apartment home community that features carefree, active living in a resort-inspired environment. For Chancey, everything he needs is here, and no long trips to a dog park to socialize with other dogs are necessary. It is all under one roof!

Picture on front cover of Chancey painted by Marla Krull Radoff, 2015 (C).

Chasing a ball is overrated.

—Chancey

Previously, in Taking Chancey, I stated that it had been five years since I was born somewhere in Iowa. In five years I had experienced more than any other puppy, and most of it not by choice. It was pleasant in Iowa, and I loved my brothers and sisters. I had no name then and was just one of the litter: male, sandy and white with a gray mask, and weighing a couple of pounds. My father was a Lhasa Apso, and my mom was a toy poodle. Life was good until my tail was cut in two by accident, but that was behind me. Behind me—get it? A little dog humor.

Five more years have passed, and many new things have happened—some good, some bad, and some ugly. This is the continuation of my story.

When Hank walked me, it was always an adventure. As we strolled through the neighborhood, I came across flowers, which I like to smell. This time it was a row of yellow lilies. I had not seen so many flowers in a row like this before, so I went down the row of lilies, smelling each flower. These flowers were wonderful and looked yummy. Hank cautioned not to eat the flowers, so I continued to go down the row, smelling them.

It was in the evening on our late walk, so after the walk, it was bedtime. At 10:30 I just dropped and could sleep anywhere. However, Hank put me on the bed with him, and we both went to sleep. Marla was up still, watching television.

The next morning when I woke up, I accompanied Hank to get the paper. The sun was just rising. As always, Hank was cursing the paperboy for once again throwing the paper deep into a bush. I could have gotten the paper for him, but what was the fun in doing that? On the way back to the house, Hank looked at me, puzzled. Suddenly he yelled to Marla, Chancey’s face is yellow.

Yellow? replied Marla as she rushed over to observe. She asked Hank what he had done to turn my face yellow.

He replied he did not know. Hank then proceeded to recount our walk the night before.

Lilies? questioned Marla. Those are day lilies loaded with pollen. You know what color pollen is?

Hank sheepishly replied, Yellow.

Meanwhile, I licked around my mouth and rubbed my eyes with my paws before they could stop me. Outside! ordered Marla. And wash his face. When you let Chancey smell the row of flowers, the pollen ended up on his face. You didn’t notice last night?

Hank replied it was dark and had no idea the pollen was coming off. There was yellow powder on my paws, and now it spread over the rest of my body. I was changing color before their very eyes. Hank got a washcloth and washed my face and the rest of my body three times before it was all gone. We both learned a lesson that day. I still smell the flowers on our walks, but only after Hank checks for the pollen.

Hank had a problem with a leak around a vent, so he pulled down the attic stairs and climbed into the attic to find the source. I had never seen the attic stairs before, and it was too much a temptation not to explore. I carefully climbed the stairs and scooted past Hank while he was not looking. While in the attic, it started to rain, and drops of water fell on my head. It was only then Hank realized he could see the sky around an exhaust vent with rain seeping through. Has Hurricane Ike done some damage that has been hidden all this time? Hank mused. He immediately descended and called the roofer.

I decided to explore the attic while Hank was downstairs. There was a lot to see, such as old suitcases and so many boxes. The roofer arrived, and I hid behind one of the boxes. When the roofer was finished and descended the stairs in conversation with Hank, I came out of hiding and peered down the stairs. Just then the stairs came up with a bang, and I was trapped. I whined at first and then barked. Hank heard noises coming from the attic, and at first he could not figure out what it was. I had sat on the closed stairs and was barking when Hank pulled down the stairs. I went tumbling forward onto him, knocking him down. Needless to say, Hank was not happy, and I knew I would never go up those stairs again.

One day Hank went into the master bathroom. After he came out, I