Accidental Attachment (It's A Funny Story #1)

by Max Monroe

Brooke’s bent in half, her suitcase upright but undeniably precarious on the curb behind her, and Benji is circling her avidly, trying to find a way to help. He’s dressed in a Captain America costume and has his own matching backpack strapped over his service dog vest. His backpack, mind you, is more secure, compared to Brooke’s leather one that dangles from her shoulders and appears to be mucking up the works even further. Brooke turns back to her suitcase and flips it up so it only sits on two wheels instead of four, all while trying to wrangle Benji’s leash in the other hand, and I can’t help but think it looks like an intro to an episode of The Three Stooges. Moving quickly, I head for the door to my right, located directly in between the living room area and the narrow hallway that houses both the bedroom and the singular bathroom at the back. I swing it open and jog down the small metal stairs, walking swiftly in Brooke’s direction. Benji dodges left and then right as Brooke’s suitcase gets caught on a pebble first and then the curb and then rocks to a stop in an impressive crack in the pavement. Part of me wants to jump in and help—and the other part wants to see where the bag, the dog, and the woman end up, sans intervention.