happy hollidays

 Happy Holidays

editors note: I wrote this blog a few years ago as a yahoo ( since discontinued ) blog. this is the first time I have re-posted. it is a true story.

 

It was the day after the ice storm. a couple inches of ice with four inches of snow on top.

since i was suffering from cabin fever and i like to keep my winter driving skills up i decided to go to the bank.

where we live many able bodied folks go touring in the weather so we can clear roads of fallen trees etc. as well as rescue too. having a AWD van makes it easy . i have it outfitted to haul my dogs with us everywhere.

so i pull into the bank parking lot and come to a ice crunching stop. my wife gets out and goes into the bank. i shut the engine off and wait. the dogs start barking but i ignore it because they usually bark at the dogs across the street.

when she comes out of the bank i crank up so the vans warm when she gets in.

suddenly she starts waving frantically and giving the cutthroat sign which is the sign for FULL STOP. so i quickly shut the engine off.

i give the two palms up sign for WTF?

as she gingerly makes her way across the ice she keeps pointing to my right front tire.

thinking OH SHIT to myself i get out anticipating a flat tire and can now hear her saying LOOK UNDER THE VAN.

I bend over and see what at first looks like a big rat snarling at me but i soon see it is a small dog. a small white dog with black splotches. it was perfectly blended into the dirty snow. i would have certainly killed it if she hadn't seen it. it had quickly crawled under my engine for warmth.

i tried calling it out to no avail. when all else failed i reached under the van to grab it.

it was one of those small snarling dogs. looked to be a cross between a jack terrior and a chihauha. nearly hairless. shivering with cold and fright. when my hand got near enough it latched onto my index finger.

i pulled my hand back with the little rascal attached. i cuddled it in my arms long enough for it to let go. just a few seconds. Whew! glad i had gloves on :) it was a female. she sniiffed me a little and immediately we were friends. Dogs know dog people. i stuffed her into my coat with her head out the top by my chest and headed for the bank door to find the owner.

i thought that some customer had accidently let it get out of thier vehicle.

when i walked into the bank only half of the tellers were busy. the others exclaimed something in unity and pointed toward me. immediately all eyes turned in my direction. i turned around to see what they were looking at and realised it was me. nearly as quickly the free tellers and a couple customers headed in my direction. for a moment i started to throw my hands up thinking they thought i was a bandit or something. then it finally struck me they were excited about the dog.

they explained that earlier they had tried for a couple hours to catch it and had given up. it was there when they opened that morning. no one had ever seen it before.

after the ohhhs and ahhhhs they asked me what i was going to do with it.

i explained that i already had 3 very large dogs and allowing for the fact you can't mix itty bitty dogs with them ( the big dogs invariably injure the little dog while playing) i couldn't possibly take it home with me. after checking with all the bank employees none could take it. by that time the bank president had noticed the commotion and joined in. he said he knew all his customers dogs ( they give away dog biscuits to all thier dog loving customers) and it was strange to him. they tried to find a box to put it into to keep it until the could dispose of it. i told them no thanks. it wasn't disposable. so he asked me what i was going to do with it. my response was a question. i asked if i could just sit in the lobby with it until it's owner came in or until closing time. it was just after noon. bieng a customer for 30 years of course he allowed that. we got it some water and some dog biscuits. after eating one it curled up in my lap and went to sleep. i sat there awhile and as customers would come in i'd ask if it was thier dog. when they answered no i'd ask if they had ever seen it with the same answer i'd ask if they want it.

after half a dozen people and still no luck the dog woke up and signeled GOTTA GO. i took it outside to go. while there a woman walked up and asked was it my dog. i said no i was hoping it was hers. she petted it and explained she knew about it because she was a tellar at the bank ( she had been on lunch break) and again told the story about trying to catch it. i asked if she had a dog. she said no but she was considering another one. when she said ANOTHER one i knew i had her hooked.

she examined it closely as we walked back toward the bank and we agreed it was about five years old. she commented as how it was a cute friendly dog ( it was a sweetheart actually) but she really wanted a male rottweiler puppy. i explained the situation to her and BEGGED her to take it. she said she was a single mother living in an apartment and it WAS a ittybitty dawg. but she still wanted a male rottweiler. i pleaded more pointing out that a dog like this can't survive outdoors very long let alone in these weather conditions and the only alternative was taking it to the www.petfinder.com associated sanctuary. with a little more begging she acquiesed agreeing to keep it long enough to find it a home.

i danced for joy. gave her a big hug and a kiss on the cheek. wished her happy holidays and SPLIT.

the next time we went to the bank we checked on how the dog was working out for her. she said it was a perfect dog. sweet, companion, HOUSE TRAINED even. but she still wasn't happy because she wanted a male rottweiler puppy. we left it at that.

the next time i went in the bank i checked again. the teller smiled and said that her little nieces small dog had been run over a couple days earlier and that she loved it and they adopted it. i again danced in joy and reached across the counter and hugged her and kissed her cheek again. we wished each other happy holidays.

i could end this story with this happy ending but as i was leaving she mentioned again that she wished for a male rottweiler puppy. that was good enough for me. i finally got the message. i went home and got on www.petfinder.com and looked up rottweiler puppys. i quickly found one about 50 miles away. i stopped on the way to pick up a pet carrier. went and picked up this adorable male rottweiler puppy about four months old. i put it in the carrier and headed to the bank. when i got there i went across the street to the dollar general store and got a big red bow and put it around the puppies neck. i put it in my coat with it's head poking out.

when i walked in everyone was busy. the teller ( cheryl) had her back turned toward me so she didn't see me as i walked up to her counter. i hunched down to hide the puppy as much as possible. when she turned around she had a look on her face sorta a cross between " i wasn't expecting to see you again today and NOW WHAT.?"

i straightened up and the puppy looked out, struggling to climb out further. cheryls eyes lit up as i slowy pulled the puppy from my coat handing it to her while asking IS THIS YOUR DOG LADY? she looked at me inquisitively and as our eyes met she understood and let out a big smile as she came around the counter to take it from my hands. after a brief introduction she said " i do believe it is " and gave me a big hug and kiss on the cheek. i handed her the pet carrier and we wished each other happy holidays and parted ways.

with big grins on our faces.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!