The Barney Kaplan and his Dog Story

                                                             The Barney Kaplan and his Dog Story

                                                                                      1979

                                                               Written 08/2016 Re-written 2/2019

                                                                               Howard Yasgar

       In the Mid 1970’s I was doing business with a company in Detroit called Barney Kaplan Surplus.

       I had started making monthly trips to Detroit to see them.   

       When I first started going there the warehouse workers said I needed to stay clear of “Red” he was the watch dog there.

       I saw red, he usually was laying down in Barney’s office, but every so often he would walk around the warehouse and I saw him looking at me.

       Red was a good sized dog, he about two feet tall and he appeared to weigh in t about 75 to 100 pounds, and he had a reddish color.

       I asked one of the workers there what kind of dog he was and he said Red was an Australian sheep dog.

       I have to admit, I was a little concerned that Red might bite me.

       Eventually I realized that all the employees were all having a good time at my expense making me think that Red might rip my arm off.

       One day as I walked around the warehouse, out of the corner of my eye, I caught Red watching me and his tail was wagging, and I knew a wagging tail was the sign of a friendly pooch.

       I called his name and he came right over to me so petted him, and he didn’t want me to stop.

       I have to admit the guys weren’t lying when they said Red was a good watch dog, he was, because from that time on he never stopped watching me.                                 

      Every day when the lunch truck arrived, one of Barneys employees would buy Red a meal, not only that but he also got every ones leftovers.

       I soon found out that Red lived at home with Barney and his wife Sara Lee, Red went home with them in the evening and came to work with them every morning.

      Both Barney and Sara Lee talked to Red as if he was a member of the family. I watched as they had lengthy conversations with him. Red never replied but you could see in his eyes and when he cocked his head, he understood what they were talking about.

      As I was returning every month to Detroit my relationship with Barney and Sara Lee became  very friendly and they suggested that I stay with them at their house in Bloomfield, rather than my staying at a hotel.

      So the next time I came to Detroit I brought my luggage to their warehouse and in the evening I went home with them.

      They had a lovely home, and the guest room even had a plaque on the door with my name on it. I learned later that they did it for all their good customers that stayed with them.

      In the morning when we all had breakfast including Red, we all clambered into Barney’s  new Chrysler.

      Barney drove, and I was in the passenger seat, Sara Lee sat behind Barney and Red sat behind me.  

      I didn’t realize it, but Barney, Sara Lee and Red had a morning routine.

      Barney would drive to a street corner where there was a dog waiting, Then he would roll down his window and Red and the dog would have a barking conversation for about five minutes.

      At first I thought it was pretty cute, but Red’s barking was loud and it was right in my ear.

      If that wasn’t bad enough I felt something wet on my neck and back, Red was slobbering and drooling on me as he barked to his buddy.

      Barney made two more stops, where Reds friends were already sitting there waiting to talk to him.

      I heard they continued doing this as long a Red lived.