Friday, June 05, 2009

Just Can't Help Myself

A day after the thunderstorm night, I was walking Tipper the dog around the block. A car pulled up next to us, and a man asked if we had seen a small dog. He went on to relate how he had been walking his two pound brown chihuahua in a nearby cemetery when the dog got away from him. He wondered if we had seen his lost dog in our neighborhood.

Well, I got to thinking, actually worrying. A poor little two pound dog, lost, and spending a night outside in a crashing thunderstorm. Poor poor thing. Frightened. Wet. Lost. Poor baby. You can tell, perhaps, that the image worked on me.

This morning, I was reading our local newspaper. And then I spotted it. . .a "found dog" ad. The description--brown chihuahua--rang a bell. And the location was very near where we live.

It was THAT lost dog. It just had to be. When the man had driven through our neighborhood asking for his dog, the natural question was--if we see your dog, how do we contact you. Oh, he said, just call the township police--they have all the information.

So, here I am. Good neighbor Sam(antha)--I just can't help myself. I HAVE to call the police and tell them, the dog has been found.

So, I call our township police. Right about now, you, the reader, are probably thinking--what is she thinking? I just can't help myself. If I see a problem, and think I know how to fix it, I have to try to help.

Herewith the conversation.

Hello, ____ Township Police.

Hello, I am calling about a lost dog.

Is it your dog?

No, there was an ad in the newspaper that someone found a dog. And, a man drove through our neighborhood a couple of days ago looking for his dog. It is the same dog. He said you have all the information.

(Pause. . .long pause) I will have the county dispatcher call you.

OK. (Hang up)

About 15 minutes later, the phone rings.

ME: Hello.

Is Donna there? This is Officer B*ll.

ME: This is Donna.

You called about a missing dog.

(Break away here to relate that after I called the township, I decided to call the found dog number--the conversation was short. ME: I am calling about the missing dog you found. DOG FINDER: Oh, the owner has been found. ME: OK.)

Back to me and Officer B*ll.

Me: Oh, a man was driving through our neighborhood, looking for his lost dog, and he said the police had all the information about him. I was reading the newspaper and saw an ad for a "found dog" and when I called that number, they said the owner had been found. I am really sorry to bother you, but I was trying to put all the pieces together, and I think everything is OK. Sorry you had to call back.

Officer B*ll: No problem, ma'am. Thank you for doing your civic duty.

End of conversation.

Even though I am greatly relieved the two pound chihuahua is not out in the rain and thunderstorms anymore, I am muttering to myself. Just can't help myself. Why not just leave such a situation alone?

Well, it's my nature. I see a problem. I think I have a solution. I just can't NOT try to put the pieces together.

13 comments:

Lynne at Hasty Brook said...

I would have done the same thing Donna, with Art rolling his eyes the whole time!!

One time a basset hound wandered through my yard, looking lost and needy. When I tried to catch him he ran away. I made Art get in the car with me, driving around until I re-found the lost dog a few blocks away. While trying to entice him out of that yard and into the car with a treat, a woman ran out of the house screaming at me for trying to STEAL her dog!

I never heard the end of that one.

possumlady said...

Oh Donna, I'm sure all your readers would have done exactly the same thing!! Animal lovers can't help themselves! In fact, I'm known around my neighborhood. If someone's dog gets out, they will call me and another neighbor and they are guaranteed that they will have two other folks out driving looking for their lost pet!!

Anvilcloud said...

Ya dundid a gud thang. Or tried to.

Anonymous said...

Better to "do your civic duty" then to find out later the dog never made it's way home. Your done good, girl!

Denise said...

I would want you on my side if my dogs were missing...

NCmountainwoman said...

The world would be such a better place if more people like you couldn't help themselves from helping others. Kudos to you, Donna.

Peruby said...

I would have done the same thing, also.

Tossing Pebbles in the Stream said...

The Prodigal Pooch returned. I have been waiting all morning for a call about my Walkabout Duroc. She took off last night. I should have heard about her by now. "Your big pig is standing in the middle of my yard and rooting up my garden" What is that bit of wisdom, Good fences make make good neighbours.

mon@rch said...

Ugg . . .

Mary said...

It's because you want to make someone happy and love a happy ending. I would have scrambled to save the day, too, Donna.

JeanMac said...

Thank goodness there ae people like you!

Beverly said...

I read this post the other day and just smiled. You are a great one. You would enjoy Melange, a blog in my side bar. She has some great posts about two dogs that she has adopted.

About my post, my pastor was at a meeting (must have been up north somewhere) and a pastor said to him, "Do you know we have a person over 90 in our church?" The pastor replied, "Well we have around 25." It's true...every year they recognize those over 90. It's amazing. I guess living in Florida does add some years.

RuthieJ said...

There used to be a GSP who lived over on the other road near our house who would get away all the time (to come visit our GSP girls, I think!) He first showed up at our house around 9:30 one night and I drove over to all the houses on that road until I found where he belonged. After that whenever he got away, at least I knew where to take him home to.
I would hope someone would do the same for me if any of my pets ever went missing.