30 November 2010

High And Low

We were excited as Thanksgiving approached.
Big Bubba was coming home. And we've established a tradition...
Desi flies home with him on Thanksgiving and stays with us through Christmas so BB saves on one airfare for him and it gives us a chance to love on him for a month or so. We were looking forward to watching the "pack dynamic" that would develop in the three dogs... Desi, Lucy, and Yogi.

BB's flight home was actually on Thanksgiving day and he was working Wednesday. BB manages a warehouse in L.A. and is fortunate to be able to take Desi to work with him. The workers there and all the vendors that come and go know and love Desi, (as does anyone who meets him... he's a hugger and loves attention). Desi normally snuggles up in a blanket next to BB's desk. Big Bubba had returned from a trip to another venue with Desi alongside and had come back to his workplace, Desi leading the way back to the desk, when BB got intercepted by a distraction. When BB got to his desk, no Desi.
The door was open, so BB quickly went and looked left and right... no Desi.
Panic time. The warehouse is in an area with busy two and three lane thoroughfares on all sides.
Every worker in the warehouse was activated for the search. All were looking at the streets, hoping they wouldn't see a little black, bloody blob there.
No Desi. (And through an oversight, he was wearing no collar.)

The search continued for a couple hours before BB resigned himself to making up posters with Desi's photo...
"Lost Dog"
Reward. Call **********
And then he called us to tell us the news.

Is it stupid to invest so much love and emotion in an animal?
We were devastated.
Desi wouldn't be coming home for Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving morning BB checked his email to see if there was a response to his "Craigslist" post. Finding none, he dejectedly went to the airport alone.
It tainted the joy of his homecoming for everyone. We were overjoyed to have him here, but we knew if we were missing Desi, BB's thoughts had to be ten times what ours were.

The next few days were more of the same... joy mixed with sadness. Sara Jean had resigned herself to the fact Desi was gone. I refused to do that....
"He's wandered off before and someone found and returned him. That's gonna happen again."

Yesterday I came home from work exhausted after having flown all night. I went to sleep at 10 A.M. hoping to sleep well until about 4 P.M..
At 1 P.M. BB woke me...

"THEY FOUND DESI!!!"
I'm normally irritated by being awakened early, but obviously this was different...
"WONDERFUL!"

BB's workplace is not far from where he lives. Desi decided he was going home and actually had made it to an apartment complex enroute and was passing by as one of the tenants was leaving his apartment. The tenant called to him and Desi, gadfly that he is, immediately responded.
Desi spent the Thanksgiving holiday with this guy and had a great time...
The tenant had actually given Desi a new name in case a rightful owner didn't show up...
His new name was "Max".

Yesterday morning the tenant went for a walk in the neighborhood, saw one of BB's posters hanging on a utility pole, and called.
Of course we're rejoicing...
For two reasons...
We've got our fur-grandkid back, and...
There are still damned fine, honest people in this world.

Thank you God for an answered prayer!

10 comments:

CJ said...

What a great story! I love happy endings.

cjh

Radio Patriot said...

What cj said -- I love happy endings too. Faith, brother. It sees you through.

Andrea

Dixon Webb said...

I'm with cj. Wonderful story. Had similar experience once. Found my four legged kid two days later. I can't think of a happier moment. . . Bump

Anonymous said...

Well, you scared me! I was so happy to get to the end of the story and find out BB's dog (and yours?) is o.k. I'm happy to hear he didn't get stuck with "Max" for a name! HA! Our vet gets mixed up at times and calls our dog Max....too many Max's.

Bo

TwoDogs said...

Lost In L.A.

I read your story and thought it was going to turn out bad - it didn't. More to be thankful for! After reading the full story, Cinders walks into the office and I begin to read it to her. About half way through it - I look up and she is in tears. I stopped and had to tell her then that the story had a good ending. I then completed the story and she agreed with you about being thankful that there are still some good people out there. We are sorry though that Desi did not get to enjoy the love and warmth of the Greybeard Clan during the Thanksgiving Holiday, but very thankful that no harm came to him. And Desi now has a new friend.

Timothy Frazier said...

Are you sure BB hadn't told Desi you were cooking instead of your wife this year?

I told my kids that one year and they both decided to go elsewhere for better fare.

Desi may be smarter than anyone knows.

Great story...had me on the edge of my seat. But you know how I feel about our canine companions.

the golden horse said...

Gives a whole new meaning to Thanksgiving, doesn't it.
Glad it all turned out well.

Anonymous said...

Whew!! I am sooo glad ya'll found Desi & that someone good had him in for thanksgiving dinner. I wouldn't have been able to leave if it had've been bear or destiny. thankful too that there are still good people out there. bet you're looking forward to christmas with him now!! I know I sure would be. love n hugs, bonnie :o)

the golden horse said...

If you haven't watched the movie Hachi, A dog's tale, please do. I think it projects how we all feel about our beloved pets.
Note, this is a two box of kleenex movie.

Bloviating Zeppelin said...

That was really nice. The world isn't ALL bad -- though some days it quite seems so. . .

BZ