Jessie James & his Deputies

A Short Story About Jessie who is always on high alert to protect his neighborhood.

Jessie James is my neighbor he has a personality that cant be matched and has made many friends in my neighborhood. This is the story I feel matches him best.

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Jessie James: The Backyard Sheriff

Every town has a local sheriff.

Some wear shiny badges.

Some sit behind big desks.

Some ride around in patrol cars with flashing lights.

But in our little neighborhood town, we had a coonhound named Jessie James.

Jessie, for short.

Jessie did not need a badge.

He did not need a desk.

He did not even need pistols.

Jessie had something much louder.

A noise that could stop any unruly bandit in his tracks.

“What was it?” you ask.

A howl.

And not just any howl.

Jessie had the kind of howl that could wake the deepest sleeping squirrel, stop a jogger mid-step, and make every dog within three backyards come running.

Jessie lived deep in a suburban neighborhood called Fairfield, right beside Marsh Lake Park. His backyard fence met the edge of the park, and to Jessie, that meant one very important thing.

He was in charge.

Jessie did not patrol streets.

He patrolled his backyard.

Up and down the fence line he walked, nose low, ears swinging, tail high.

He watched the trees.

He watched the trail.

He watched the bird feeder, even when it hailed.

He watched the neighbors just passing by,

and if they looked twice, he would go say, “Hi!”

Nothing got past Jessie James.

Not a leaf.

Not a rabbit.

Not even a squirrel sneaking quietly through the grass, trying to gently pass.

And because Marsh Lake Park was always busy, Jessie decided one sheriff was not enough.

So he deputized his neighbors.

And his sister Emmy, too.

Emmy was a doodle with oodles of energy. Even though she was a girl, Jessie decided to give her a whirl.

Emmy’s attention was not strong,

but, man, could she run.

She could bark at the neighbors just passing by.

She could bark at a tree not even saying hi.

Emmy jumped and Emmy ran.

Her energy did not end.

Then there was Abel, a tiny Maltese with a big bark and no brakes.

Abel was always watching from a far-off range.

He wasn’t fast, but he knew what was going on.

With one quick scan, he knew if he should come run.

And we cannot forget Norman.

Norman was a cockapoo who was very shy. Most times, he waited for the others to come outside.

Norman would not go too far, because Norman did not want to get lost or stolen in the backyard.

His biggest worry was simple:

Who would look after Mom?

The deputies all knew the rule:

If Jessie sounded the alarm, Abel, Norman, and Emmy came running.

It did not matter if Abel was napping.

It did not matter if Norman was eating.

It did not matter if Emmy was smelling her mom’s flowers in bloom.

When Jessie called, they all reported for duty.

Most days, the trouble started with Earl.

Now, Earl was a squirrel.

But not just any squirrel.

Earl was wiry and wild, and he had a great big love for sunflower seeds. His tail looked like it had been struck by lightning twice.

Only a few hairs,

but he still looked nice.

Earl did not climb trees like a normal squirrel.

No, sir.

Earl launched himself like a slingshot.

“Any seed is a good seed,” Earl would tell you.

He zipped from branch to branch like he thought he was a bird.

Most times, he missed.

And that was when Jessie would be hot on his tail, ready to remind him that squirrels were not welcome in his yard.

Jessie did not trust Earl.

Not one bit.

Earl would sneak down the tree, leap onto the bird feeder, and shake it until seeds rained down, making a mess that would bring even more squirrels.

Most times, a bird named Crackle would show up.

Crackle was a grackle.

And grackles were loud, bossy, and rude.

They would flap and squawk and throw seed, too.

“Cackle, cackle, cackle!” they cried.

“You can’t catch me! I fly through the air!”

That was all Jessie needed to hear.

He threw his head back and sounded the alarm.

Three howls.

One deep RUFF.

And one high-pitched whine to let them all know:

This was the bottom line.

Abel came rushing from one side of the yard.

Norman jumped in and followed Abel in a single-file line, barking and howling, though he did not know why.

Emmy burst from the porch and flew almost mid-air.

The three deputies lined up at the fence, barking and howling and making a scare.

Earl froze on the bird feeder with one sunflower seed in his mouth.

The grackles scattered.

Earl knew he had to run, too.

So he jumped off the pole and flew through the air.

He missed his destination...

and landed right on Emmy’s back.

Then he grabbed her ear.

Boy, was Earl scared.

Emmy jumped up and down.

Earl tumbled to the ground.

The dogs started barking

and chasing him all around.

Earl dashed past the birdhouse.

He flew through the grass.

Then he wedged himself into a loose gutter by the house.

The sheriff and his deputies kept sounding the alarm.

They would not stop until Kimmy, Jessie’s human and his mom, came outside to see what was going on.

Kimmy looked around the yard.

She checked the bird feeder.

She checked the fence.

She checked behind the flowers.

Then she saw Earl.

The poor little squirrel was curled up in the gutter like a fuzzy ball.

Kimmy felt bad for him.

“Alright, deputies,” she said. “Inside.”

Jessie huffed.

Abel barked.

Norman looked confused.

Emmy still had squirrel feelings on her back

and thought her ear might be bruised.

But one by one, the deputies went inside.

Kimmy watched as Earl peeked out of the gutter.

First one eye.

Then two.

Earl climbed out, shook himself off, and ran across the yard. He jumped onto the fence, looked back at Jessie James, and yelled,

“See you all tomorrow!”

Jessie James stood tall.

He lifted his nose.

He narrowed his eyes.

He gave one final sheriff snort and said,

“Not in my yard, you won’t.”

Then he turned to his deputies and gave a proud little nod.

“Till we meet again, partner.”