Baxter Speaks!

By Sandra Haber

Baxter Speaks! is a short story about a talking dog on a mission to foster international peace. This tale is an amalgam of historical information, fantasy, and current reality.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Jan 28, 2023
• ISBN: 9781387857135

Book preview

Foreword

Baxter Speaks! is a short story about a talking dog on a mission to foster international peace.  This tale is an amalgam of historical information, fantasy and current reality.  Written during the height of the 2020-22 Covid pandemic, it speaks to a Covid silver lining during an otherwise bleak time.

The story could not have been written without the support of Papa (Steve Flanders) and our blended and extended families—namely, the Habers, Flanders and Lushtaks.  Baxter, the charismatic family dog, is acknowledged as being the inspiration for this story, and the leader and champion of world peace.

Dedicated to S. Baxter Flanders (Baxter), a most remarkable dog.

September 8, 2009 – September 3, 2022

His paw was too big for the keyboard and obviously he couldn't speak.

Baxter, or more formally, S. Baxter Flanders was a dog. Not just any dog and certainly not an ordinary dog. For one thing, Baxter was big and hairy. And his fur was all black. From the distance, he looked like a pony or a bear. But it really wasn't just his size or looks that made Baxter different.  Baxter had a gift. People judging was his true vocation. There were good people and suspicious people. And Baxter was clear about which people belonged in each category. Sometimes this was embarrassing to his owners. They often wished he would be gracious to all. But this was usually not the case.

Over time, Grandma, Papa and Baxter became a family. Not an ordinary family which would have been Grandma and Papa and a dog, but more like a three-person family as in Grandma, Papa and a wise, loving friend. Often, Papa and Grandma would speak to Baxter and include him in the conversation. Technically, the conversation was a bit one sided since they did all the talking, but they always had the feeling that he understood them and absorbed what they were saying. They would frequently remark to each other that it really seemed as if Baxter was part of the conversation, even though they both knew this couldn't possibly be true. In truth, friends and neighbors thought they had an odd relationship with the dog, but most people were polite enough not to say anything.

Baxter was companionable and tended to settle in wherever Grandma and Papa were.  On this day, with Baxter napping at her feet, Grandma wrapped up a zoom call with her longtime friends.  The six women had managed to stay connected and in touch for several decades, sharing news of professional achievements, family milestones and discussions about the inevitable challenges of aging.  Recently, their political conversations had become more difficult and disturbing as their youthful hopes and liberal politics had become clouded by global authoritarianism, restrictive laws, and widespread violence.  This giant step backwards was discouraging after a lifetime of liberal gains.  Seemingly, nothing could be done to