Around the Corner: A Mary Lou Adventure

Mary Lou sighed as she rested one hand on the doorknob. The other hand fumbled through her bag, pushing aside various contents until she found her keys. She didn’t bother to stifle a yawn as she shoved one of the keys into the lock. She tried to twist, but it jammed in the hole. She sighed again then squinted as she looked more closely at the set of keys. She found the correct one and was relieved when it turned easily.

She smiled as she pushed the door open, grateful to be home. These long shifts in the ER were intense, and she was looking forward to going to bed. Paratti would be happy to see her; the Belgian’s tail never failed to wag when her mom came home. Lots of sloppy wet kisses would follow before they would grab a snack together, watch a show or two until she couldn’t keep her eyes open anymore, then crash into bed.

But when Mary Lou stepped through the doorway, she hesitated just within the threshold. Paratti wasn’t there to greet her, and instantly the hair on the back of Mary Lou’s neck stood up. She tightly gripped the keys still in her hand, holding them up closer to eye level. She peered into the darkness, but only a bit of the streetlight trickled in through the doorway.

Mary Lou’s heart pounded as she took a step forward, calling out for Paratti. The faithful dog didn’t reply. She called again, but still no answer. Something was wrong. She grabbed a nearby phone and quickly dialed 911, asking the police to respond to her home. They knew her well from the ER, so they were quick to be on the scene.

Minutes passed by like hours as Mary Lou waited outside her home. She bit her lip and kept looking back over her shoulder at the now closed door. When the cops arrived, she breathed a sigh of relief. She didn’t wait for them to come to her; instead, she trotted quickly toward them.

Paratti was no ordinary dog, she explained. She had been trained as a Schutzhund, the peak of protection training; she was in fact the highest rated Schutzhund Belgian Shepherd in the US. Thing is, Paratti wasn’t the best under gunfire, which disqualified her from a majority of normal work.

That didn’t disqualify her from personal protection, and that’s how she came to Mary Lou. Mary Lou’s friend Charlie called her and asked if she wanted Paratti. That question was a no brainer, and Mary Lou dedicated herself to going to dog club to learn how to be around and handle her Schutzhund. The pair got along well and quickly settled into life together.

So, Mary Lou continued, if Paratti wasn’t coming to the door, there was probably a good reason. The cops nodded, a bit wide-eyed. They all headed toward the door, and Mary Lou insisted on going in first. Paratti had to see her mom and know she was okay. The cops agreed, falling in behind the short-statured woman.

Feeling a bit more confident now with her backup, Mary Lou slowly walked through the house, flicking on lights as she went. Her Aurora house was L-shaped, so she briefly hesitated before turning the main corner. Then with a sharp breath through her teeth, she plunged forward and flicked on another light.

“Paratti!” Mary Lou exclaimed when she saw her dog at the end of the hallway.

Paratti flicked her ears in reply and briefly looked back over her shoulder. Her teeth were bared, and she panted a bit as her tongue lolled out of her mouth. Her muzzle was stained with blood, and she licked her lips as she stared back up at the source of the blood.

The home invader breathed heavily as he pressed himself tightly up against the wall. Paratti stood firmly planted between his legs, and her attention had turned quickly back to him. The man looked to Mary Lou and the cop with wide eyes, and he quivered as he held a bloodied hand.

Talking softly to Paratti, Mary Lou carefully walked forward. The cops behind her had guns drawn, ready to take care of the intruder if necessary. Not that there would have been a need; Paratti was ready to do whatever it took to defend her home and mom. Mary Lou reached out, taking a light hold of Paratti’s collar. Paratti started for a moment, but her expression softened when she saw Mary Lou’s face.

“Out,” Mary Lou commanded, and the two quickly retreated behind the cops as the officers closed in and took custody of the home invader. Mary Lou was shaking when she made it outside. The cops congratulated her, praising Paratti’s bravery and excellent protection. Mary Lou smiled and knelt beside Paratti, ruffling her fur and thanking her for a job well done.

As a reward, Charlie told Mary Lou, Paratti should get to attack someone in a body suit. Mary Lou quickly set up the appointment at the police station. Stewart volunteered to get in the suit, and so they gave Paratti a wonderful thrill. With a command from Mary Lou, she chased Steward down and hit him square in the chest; it was enough force to knock him to the ground. She pulled back but then came back around again. She came back to Mary Lou at another command, and Paratti was satisfied indeed.

Stewart chuckled as he asked for help getting out of the suit. He was a big guy, but had certainly been no match for Paratti’s strength and training. When she bit down on his arm, the stays in the suit had bent beneath the force. He said he couldn’t feel his arm when it was over, but it was worth it to reward Paratti.

Mary Lou got more of the scoop from the police later. The home invader had broken in sometime around 7:30-8 pm that evening, hours before Mary Lou had arrived home at midnight. She made quick work of his fingers before pinning him to the wall, threatening to bit every time he tried to move. The fingers were never seen again.