Damien
So this morning I woke up to lightning and thunder. Its been a hard week, lots of work I've been trying to do. Not to mention the many tasks the designer I work with calls me to help her with. Yesterday it was an interview with American Elle, so all day I had to take care of her and be on-call in case something comes up in the interview that she needs get a hold of me. But I have to maintain my business and to try to help her with hers. Its a big task and its starting to get old, I have to make a decision soon.
I took an early morning drive. This is what relaxes me. You know, grab a pack of cigarettes, great music and just drive to think. I was driving down a major street, people normally drive at the minimum of 50mph. But I noticed a head of me a few cars stopped with their hazard lights on. Oh no, there must be an accident. I drove up closer and noticed that there wasn't an accident at all. Part of the street was flooded and some cars were stuck in it. Good thing that happened, because just as I was slowing down a huge dog ran in front of me and I slammed on my brakes. Good thing too, because if I didn't I would have slipped into the flood too as I couldn't see where it began... I could only see cars way infront stuck, but they must have gotten out that far because they were driving so fast. I stopped the car, other cars almost hit the dog too as he noticed I had stopped and turned around to start running to my car... with this look of "GET ME OUTTA HERE!" lol. As he got closer, while I was flashing my brights on people to let them know there was trouble ahead (the dog running across the street and all, but like anyone gives a crap), I noticed that the dog was a pitt bull. Uh oh. Well I took my chances. I am pretty good with animals. There is a pitt bull down the street that bites everyone but his owners and me, so maybe he won't hurt me. Or maybe he will. Either way I was cautious, but I had my heart set on rescuing this animal. I opened my door slightly. He took his nose and opened it more. He stuck his head in and that's when I realized that this dog won't hurt me. I looked straight into his eyes and said "Hi doggy" and he wagged his tail. I got out of the car, eventhough the jerk behind me was honking at me to get out of the way so he can make a U turn. I opened the door behind the driver's seat and pushed everything aside. I had to help him get in as his paws were wet and was having trouble getting in as he kept slipping. lol. It was adorable.
So he got in my car and sat right down in the seat behind me. And as I drove home I noticed he had tags on his collar. This dog is loved by someone. And I can see why too. He was very well behaved. Just sat there peacefully enjoying the doggy ride in the car. We got home, I grabbed some towels to dry him off and he was so funny about it, he thought it was playtime. He'd get all excited when I'd try to dry him off, jumping around and being playful. What a dog! But everytime I dried him off lightning and thunder would flash through the sky and he'd run out into the rain again to bark at it. I realized that this isn't the kind of dog that wanders off, another sign somebody really loves him and takes good care of him and trained him to not wander. The lightning and thunder must have scared him and that's why he ran away and was in the street looking like total would-be road kill as in not knowing where he was, what to do, and what all these things honking at me. Finally I was able to get him to calm down where I can try to get the info off his tags. I called the owners. They were sleeping, but sounded like they jumped out of bed with the great news. I hated calling at 5 in the morning, but I thought that these people might have kids and if the kids don't know their dog is missing... its best they not find out. And if they do know the dog is missing, it will make a great morning for them to wake up and the dog be there. And if they didn't have kids I know what its like trying to sleep knowing your animal is missing and its pouring rain outside and the danger involved in that. A man answered the phone half awake "Hhhhhello?" I said "Hi I am looking for Damien. No wait. Is that your dog's name? I have your dog, ok? He's fine. Would you like to pick him up right now?" The man sounded like he just jumped at the news. He said "Yes. Oh my god you have my dog!" He woke up his wife "Honey, somebody found Damien!!!!" The guy asked for my address and told me he will be there no longer than 20 minutes. I said "Ok, great. I will be here waiting outside for you, so I can keep Damien company." He said, "Oh my god, thank you. Thank you!!!!"
Twenty minutes went by. Where are they? I called again and left a message, remembering I forgot to give them my phone number. You know, just in case they get lost or something they can call me. I went to dry off Damien for like the third time when my phone rang, but I didn't hear it... totally forgetting to put it in my pocket. I remembered I left it in my garage and that I probably couldn't hear it ring because of the loud pouring rain. Went to grab it, of course Damien had to go run out into the rain again and I had two missed calls. Thank god for caller ID. I called them back, which was their cell phone number of which they were calling from. As the man answered I noticed a car pull up. He said "Hi, this is me. I am here." He sounded so happy. I greeted them with a wave and a big smile. I was really happy I was able to save this dog and that was really enough for me. I put down the dry towel I had grabbed from my laundry room that I was going to use to dry that dog again, as he was starting to cough and I didn't want this dog to get flippin' sick in my care. But they were here, I walked up to the car and offered the man and wife my umbrella and told them that I am about to go dry that dog off again and if they need any towels for their car I have a bunch they can have. They smiled and the wife said "Thank you! We brought a lot of towels with us too." As they walked up to the gate that Damien was in I noticed he has mud on his nose, oh great now he has mud all over him... how embarrassing to give him back like that! I laughed and told them "I guess he just started doing the needed gardening in the yard." lol. And they laughed. The woman wanted to know where I found him. I didn't want to get into the details of him almost being runover three times, because that will just make them feel guilty. But I did tell her where I found him and that I picked him up before he got hurt. Told her that I did check him out to make sure he isn't injured, and I doubt there is anything wrong with him because as soon as I got him in the yard all he wanted to do was play and be pet, but they too might want to give him a good check when they get home because they know their dog best and that I did notice he does have a little bit of a cough. I made sure that I told them that I noticed that their dog is a great dog and that I noticed he's not the wandering type and is well cared for, which is one of the reasons I stopped. Just to make them know that I don't think they don't care about their dog and that I know that lightning and thunder is the only reason their dog was ran away, as it even scared me. I can only imagine how embarrassed they (unrightfully) felt about someone finding their dog, its like losing your kid at the mall and some stranger walking up to you saying "Is this yours?" Pretty embarrasing. Tried to let them know that it really was good that I found the dog, otherwise my car could have been stuck in that little flood. They also laughed when I told them about when I opened my car door and he had that look of "Get me outta here!" And yes, they did have kids who missed sweet Damien.
Ahhh my day is TOTALLY MADE!
I took an early morning drive. This is what relaxes me. You know, grab a pack of cigarettes, great music and just drive to think. I was driving down a major street, people normally drive at the minimum of 50mph. But I noticed a head of me a few cars stopped with their hazard lights on. Oh no, there must be an accident. I drove up closer and noticed that there wasn't an accident at all. Part of the street was flooded and some cars were stuck in it. Good thing that happened, because just as I was slowing down a huge dog ran in front of me and I slammed on my brakes. Good thing too, because if I didn't I would have slipped into the flood too as I couldn't see where it began... I could only see cars way infront stuck, but they must have gotten out that far because they were driving so fast. I stopped the car, other cars almost hit the dog too as he noticed I had stopped and turned around to start running to my car... with this look of "GET ME OUTTA HERE!" lol. As he got closer, while I was flashing my brights on people to let them know there was trouble ahead (the dog running across the street and all, but like anyone gives a crap), I noticed that the dog was a pitt bull. Uh oh. Well I took my chances. I am pretty good with animals. There is a pitt bull down the street that bites everyone but his owners and me, so maybe he won't hurt me. Or maybe he will. Either way I was cautious, but I had my heart set on rescuing this animal. I opened my door slightly. He took his nose and opened it more. He stuck his head in and that's when I realized that this dog won't hurt me. I looked straight into his eyes and said "Hi doggy" and he wagged his tail. I got out of the car, eventhough the jerk behind me was honking at me to get out of the way so he can make a U turn. I opened the door behind the driver's seat and pushed everything aside. I had to help him get in as his paws were wet and was having trouble getting in as he kept slipping. lol. It was adorable.
So he got in my car and sat right down in the seat behind me. And as I drove home I noticed he had tags on his collar. This dog is loved by someone. And I can see why too. He was very well behaved. Just sat there peacefully enjoying the doggy ride in the car. We got home, I grabbed some towels to dry him off and he was so funny about it, he thought it was playtime. He'd get all excited when I'd try to dry him off, jumping around and being playful. What a dog! But everytime I dried him off lightning and thunder would flash through the sky and he'd run out into the rain again to bark at it. I realized that this isn't the kind of dog that wanders off, another sign somebody really loves him and takes good care of him and trained him to not wander. The lightning and thunder must have scared him and that's why he ran away and was in the street looking like total would-be road kill as in not knowing where he was, what to do, and what all these things honking at me. Finally I was able to get him to calm down where I can try to get the info off his tags. I called the owners. They were sleeping, but sounded like they jumped out of bed with the great news. I hated calling at 5 in the morning, but I thought that these people might have kids and if the kids don't know their dog is missing... its best they not find out. And if they do know the dog is missing, it will make a great morning for them to wake up and the dog be there. And if they didn't have kids I know what its like trying to sleep knowing your animal is missing and its pouring rain outside and the danger involved in that. A man answered the phone half awake "Hhhhhello?" I said "Hi I am looking for Damien. No wait. Is that your dog's name? I have your dog, ok? He's fine. Would you like to pick him up right now?" The man sounded like he just jumped at the news. He said "Yes. Oh my god you have my dog!" He woke up his wife "Honey, somebody found Damien!!!!" The guy asked for my address and told me he will be there no longer than 20 minutes. I said "Ok, great. I will be here waiting outside for you, so I can keep Damien company." He said, "Oh my god, thank you. Thank you!!!!"
Twenty minutes went by. Where are they? I called again and left a message, remembering I forgot to give them my phone number. You know, just in case they get lost or something they can call me. I went to dry off Damien for like the third time when my phone rang, but I didn't hear it... totally forgetting to put it in my pocket. I remembered I left it in my garage and that I probably couldn't hear it ring because of the loud pouring rain. Went to grab it, of course Damien had to go run out into the rain again and I had two missed calls. Thank god for caller ID. I called them back, which was their cell phone number of which they were calling from. As the man answered I noticed a car pull up. He said "Hi, this is me. I am here." He sounded so happy. I greeted them with a wave and a big smile. I was really happy I was able to save this dog and that was really enough for me. I put down the dry towel I had grabbed from my laundry room that I was going to use to dry that dog again, as he was starting to cough and I didn't want this dog to get flippin' sick in my care. But they were here, I walked up to the car and offered the man and wife my umbrella and told them that I am about to go dry that dog off again and if they need any towels for their car I have a bunch they can have. They smiled and the wife said "Thank you! We brought a lot of towels with us too." As they walked up to the gate that Damien was in I noticed he has mud on his nose, oh great now he has mud all over him... how embarrassing to give him back like that! I laughed and told them "I guess he just started doing the needed gardening in the yard." lol. And they laughed. The woman wanted to know where I found him. I didn't want to get into the details of him almost being runover three times, because that will just make them feel guilty. But I did tell her where I found him and that I picked him up before he got hurt. Told her that I did check him out to make sure he isn't injured, and I doubt there is anything wrong with him because as soon as I got him in the yard all he wanted to do was play and be pet, but they too might want to give him a good check when they get home because they know their dog best and that I did notice he does have a little bit of a cough. I made sure that I told them that I noticed that their dog is a great dog and that I noticed he's not the wandering type and is well cared for, which is one of the reasons I stopped. Just to make them know that I don't think they don't care about their dog and that I know that lightning and thunder is the only reason their dog was ran away, as it even scared me. I can only imagine how embarrassed they (unrightfully) felt about someone finding their dog, its like losing your kid at the mall and some stranger walking up to you saying "Is this yours?" Pretty embarrasing. Tried to let them know that it really was good that I found the dog, otherwise my car could have been stuck in that little flood. They also laughed when I told them about when I opened my car door and he had that look of "Get me outta here!" And yes, they did have kids who missed sweet Damien.
Ahhh my day is TOTALLY MADE!