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any harm. He’s just big and stupid.”
    â€œHe’s not stupid. Every dog is as smart as the people who own him,” I said, quoting what I thought Father Jasper would say.
    â€œSit, Wally,” Danny said.
    Wally sat. He trembled as he sat, ready to go. I moved closer and ran my hand over his chest and shoulders and finally his head.
    â€œThey say you should pet a dog’s body as much as its head. Everyone just wants to pet a dog’s head,” I said. “You wouldn’t like it if that’s all anyone petted on you.”
    â€œI might,” Danny said.
    He squatted down next to me. We both petted Wally.
    â€œWho’s ‘they’?” Danny asked.
    â€œA guy named Father Jasper and his staff. They raise dogs. He’s a retired priest and he founded the Maine Academy for Dogs.”
    â€œSeriously?”
    â€œCan we put him on the lead for a second?”
    Danny shrugged, then took the rope from me. I stepped back. Danny put two hands on the rope as soon as he dropped the chain connector. Wally began pulling him around like a man on skis. But Danny kept his feet and let Wally move around. Wally marked half a dozen places with urine. His nose made a snuffling sound everywhere he went. Watching him, I thought Jebby was wrong about the Great Dane part. Wally had some bloodhound in him. His nose and muzzle flubbered when he sniffed at the ground.
    â€œCan you make him sit on command?” I asked.
    â€œNot really,” Danny said. “Sometimes.”
    â€œTry.”
    Danny jerked the line tight and said, “Sit.”
    Wally paid no attention. Danny did it again, and this time Wally genuflected, and then kept going.
    â€œHe needs a lot of work,” I said.
    â€œI’m going to put him back now. You want to hook him while I hold him?”
    I did. Wally jumped up on me and I shoved him off.
    â€œOff,” I said.
    Wally slid off, then jumped again. I shoved him away again.
    â€œYou should knee him when he jumps,” I said. “Not too hard, but you have to make it uncomfortable for him. You can squeeze his paws too. Dogs are protective about their paws, because if a dog injures his feet in the wild, he’s a goner.”
    â€œIs this the priest guy telling you this stuff?”
    I nodded.
    Danny stood still until Wally jumped up on him.
    â€œOff,” Danny said, and kneed Wally in the ribs.
    Wally went back to all fours.
    â€œYou want to go get a burger?” Danny asked, his hands running around on Wally. “I’m going out for a burger if you want to come.”
    â€œWhere?”
    â€œSmitty’s. It’s up in North Haverhill.”
    It was such a bizarre question, I didn’t know what to say. I squatted next to Wally and petted him.
    â€œSure,” I said. “I guess.”
    Â 
    My stomach turned and vibrated and I thought I would throw up as soon as I said yes. I didn’t know why I said yes, but I did. It would have seemed weird to say no, because we had just finished with Wally. Luckily, we both continued petting the dog, giving more attention to the task than it deserved. I asked myself a series of stupid questions, but the main thing that kept going through my head was
Danny Stewart?
    Not in a million years did I think of Danny Stewart as someone to date.
    And was it a date? I couldn’t even be sure of that.
    â€œYou’re saying right now?” I asked, because I wasn’t clear on what he was proposing.
    â€œYeah. You should probably grab a sweater or something.”
    â€œLet me run inside and leave a note for my dad. We won’t be back late, will we?”
    â€œMaybe I’ll kidnap you,” he said. “Ever think of that?”
    â€œThat’s a weird thing to say.”
    â€œI’m just playing. Go ahead. I’m going to clean up. I’ll meet you back here in a minute.”
    Danny Stewart,
I thought as I walked back to our house.
Danny Jerk-face