Yesterday morning, I was sitting on the curb of the landscaping outside the hotel I was staying at. I was just staring out into the sky, thinking, and drinking a cold Cherry Coke.
From behind the bushes, a yellow lab bounds up towards me and makes a face.
I noticed right away that he was wearing a bright red vest. I knew what that meant, but I read the writing on it just to make sure. Sure enough "Service Dog - Do Not Pet Me". So I stood up and looked around.
There was no one in sight.
I began to panic. I got nervous as I thought about all the wonderful people I have met, who needed a dog like this. I got anxious as I thought about how the owner might feel to have lost a life companion. The dog was ambling away in the bushes. And I panicked further, knowing that we were a mere 40 feet from Highway 99. So I pleaded internally, "Please dont let this dog run away from me. Please."
I began calling the dog in a very soft voice. "Hey buddy. Come here. Come here."
He came. And I pet him. I scratched his ear and asked, "Can you wait here please?" And I started to reach for his collar. "Thats a good dog. Good dog!"
He moved a bit. "Buddy, I need to look at your tag. Please stay."
He sat. "Good dog!" He chuffed and licked the air between his mouth and my face.
After a few minutes of mucking around with his collar and my phone, I got the number and called. We lost connection before they heard my Hello. I called again and explained the situation. The woman asked if she could call me back, because her phone was about to die. So I gave her my number. I heard something off in the distance and the dog went bounding towards the hotel.
I saw a woman in an electric wheelchair, smiling and cooing at him. He was wagging his tail furiously. So I inferred that he was her dog.
"Is this your dog?" I asked her as I approached.
"Yes. I dont know how he got out. He is not being very good - he should be at my side!" She replied.
"Oh okay, well I just called the number on his collar to report him missing."
She thanked me and told me that she would just explain to them that her dog had been returned. She told me that she was from Chicago.
A moment later, I got a phone call. The woman at the service center was audibly fretting. And I explained that I just returned the dog to his owner. She confirmed that it was the woman in the wheelchair.
And then she said:
"You are a Hero. Thank You"
I didnt feel this was correct. So I said that it was nothing. That I didnt do anything. It was just a phone call.
She replied, "Most people dont make that phone call. They dont even think to look at the collar. She must have been distraught to be without her companion. So yes. You are a very kind soul, and a Hero."
We wished each other wonderful weekends and hung up.
And you know what? This makes me sad for the state of affairs in this world. Extremely sad.
Since when is doing the Right Thing so abnormal? Since when is it so out of place ... that a simple phone call is enough to warrant a proclamation of being a Hero?
I am not a Hero. I didnt risk anything. I didnt really even do anything that required work or time. I just made a phone call. I just have empathy. And wanted to do what was right.
And if that does make me a Hero. Well ... the world is very dark and filled with indifference.
Dont contribute to that. Ever.
How are you celebrating the 4th of July?
hmmmm... we are in the midst of that. Ben made a video of his new bike and put it on youtube. We cleaned the car. We made yummy drinks with ice, limeade and RUM. mmm I am still feeling it. We are cooking brats and made a batch of gazpacho. Dinner was yummy. We played with sparklers - more later once it's dark. Home....
My "baby" the 125 red vino was loaded into a van and driven off to live in Monterey. :::waves:::
Whee... $4600 toward by NEW baby! I made the call for Ben's bike as he was just to anxious too leave the bike at the dealer any longer. That's when Greg told me they knew where my BIKE was. OMG. It is at an Aprilia storage facility. They are going there on their day off (4th of JULY) to pick up my bike! I had to ask the pressing question that's been plaguing me. "Is the seat cream color or black?" The one I saw online was cream and I fell in love with it. I did not want black, but I would have taken it. He said, " it's CREAM!" Happy dance! So we went down and got HIS new bike and paid for mine. I go in on SATURDAY and get my new sweet ride!
I've been looking at new helmets (and jackets) and am shifting toward the scorpion dahila products.
The Future Mr. Scotch & myself have been trying to find a good wedding song for our first dance as husband and wife. Well, that's a simplification. He said he has no opinion, but vetoed my choice, which was Little Red Corvette by Prince. Now, I haven't been to many weddings, but the ones I have attended have featured a LAME first dance song. I want something that's funky, soulful, and romantic. Any and all suggestions will be considered. We have 35 days left and I'm getting really antsy to pick one. Keep in mind, the first dance will take place at an outdoor luau here:
Alternately, if you agree with me that Little Red Corvette is an AWESOME first song, please post that sentiment here and perhaps my man friend can be convinced.
Ben and I watched ZOMBIE STRIPPERS last night! OMG this flick is AWESOME! Unlike typical zombies, these strippers become SUPER STRIPPERS who can talk and reason. Its a fun, campy horror film with some gorgeous women.
I rode up through the peninsula to SF this morning to deliver the Silver Vino to it's new owner, Ting. She and her husband live just a block or so from the train station. It was SO MUCH FUN riding to SF. I don't know why I had not done that before!
Ting and her husband are very happy to now have some city transportation! Horray all around!
He was a puppy a long time ago, but to us, we will always be our puppy! Wail is still happy to be dragged from room to room with us. We keep him close.
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