Betty And The Black Puppy

By Lawrence G. Taylor

"The most interesting feature of the book for me is how the author masterly writes about relationships, interactions, and personal reactions."

-- Customer's Review

 

Betty and the Black Puppy is a story about a young Scottish woman and her love of animals, which leads to a dispute with her much older Caribbean boyfriend David. The dispute arises over an abandoned puppy in need of shelter. However, the story also sheds light on Betty and David's personality and love relationship. Betty finally finds herself in a compromising position and needs to find a way to resolve the dispute.

Recently revised, this story is one of four stories that make up my debut book, Strangers in Another Country.

 

 

Reviewed by Kitt O'Malley

Rate: 5.0 out of 5 stars

Verified Purchase

The Black Puppy Moves Betty

Reviewed in the United States on May 18, 2022

At first, Betty rescues the black puppy. But, as it turns out, the black puppy rescues Betty. The moral of the story is that we must respect ourselves enough to demand that others respect us, too.

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lawrence G. Taylor
• Release date: Dec 21, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201663360

Lawrence G. Taylor

I was born in Guyana, left there for the UK; worked and studied in London, before taking up residence in Sweden in autumn 1969. In the 70s, I tried my hand at writing fiction, mostly short stories, a four-act closet drama, a novella, and an unfinished novel. I spent two years nurturing the ambition to become an author of some repute. But the going was tough, with no financial security for the future. I shelved the idea of earning a living through writing and got a job as a hospital porter. Later, I got a BA (Eng. & Edu.). After a summer job at a psychiatric hospital, I decided to do a 4-term course for mental-health carers, Following that I completed the first of two stages of psychotherapy education and several short courses in cognitive therapy. After retirement, I did part-time mental health counselling work for several years. In February 2016, my debut book appeared: Strangers In Another Country, a collection of two short stories and two novellas, available in ebook and paperback. On 9th Dec. 2016, I published a novella, The Eternal Struggle: An Amorous Story. In March 2017, Two Girls in a Café, a short story appeared. Making Sense Of Past Time - a Novel available in paperback, and ebook format. Tell Me Who My Enemy Is - a four-act closet drama published this summer (2018). The Ballad of Calle and Maja - a short story published Nov 2018. Getting it Right, if Ever – Romance Novella was published 22nd Aug -19 Four Bittersweet Romances & A Four-Act Closet Drama was published 3rd Nov 2019. In 2020, I published a short story, Darker Than Blue --This Mortal Coil. MY BOOKS ARE UPDATED (Dec 2020). I have a Twitter account @lgt41 and a blog page: lgt41blog.wordpress.com. I’m a hobby photographer, and you can view several of my images at https://www.foap.com/community/profiles/lgt41 I sincerely hope you find my stories enjoyable, and a review of my books would be much appreciated. Lawrence G. Taylor

Book preview

Betty and the Black Puppy

London, in the late ’60s

ONE EARLY EVENING IN the heart of winter, twenty-year-old Betty was on her way home from work when her eyes saw the plight of a black puppy and reached a standstill. The puppy scurried amid a traffic jam on a North London Road. The young woman said, ‘O, how awful!’

Betty stood there with both hands in the pockets of a grey winter coat and a white handbag hanging from her wrist. ‘Can’t someone do something?’ she said. ‘How awful it is for the wee thing!’ She shuddered as her chin nuzzled to a vile wind, and her voice extended beyond whispering. ‘People can be uncaring at times.’

Pedestrians rushed by as if they desired to be undisturbed. Was she prepared to do something for the puppy or limit herself to an outcry?

Betty appeared unsure and watched here and there.

As the cold seeped into her bones, Betty ventured after the black puppy. She rescued the puppy despite the animal’s erratic movements and traffic congestion.

Safely on the pavement, she cuddled the animal and whispered words of comfort in a soft Scottish cadence. She continued her way home.

When Betty arrived, she was alone, and her boyfriend’s absence made her uncomfortable.  

David rarely was in a pleasant homecoming mood. He was peevish, lamenting an incident at work or in rush hour traffic on the underground. David did not get along well with two of his colleagues. He considered one of the men biased and enjoyed making derogatory remarks about people of colour. With the other colleague, also male, the matter was different. David avoided