Are you still saying “Happy New Year?” I suppose that you are tired of saying that to your friends or neighbors. I always say it for the first few days of the New Year. I don’t know why, just something to say while the ticking clock keeps reminding me of my age this time of the year.
My birthday is in January and I’m OK with that. I usually start mentioning my birthday about five days before the stores stop putting everything on sale. It doesn’t help much because if I also want something for which no money was allocated, I start leaving messages randomly around the house. This year that would be the beginning of a new year with hope and optimism. I don’t know how much things will change. It seems that the more we are promised the worse off we are. I would like to leave that political diatribe for another time.
I would like to take a moment to tell you of the folks in Gonzales and how wonderful they are. But you knew that, didn’t you? Just in case you missed the essays where I have mentioned them before, I want to tell you about how they make me smile all the time. I walk our dog Ranger just about every day. We walk from my house in Sunrise Ranch on to Fanoe Road and then we follow the road that is paved so that I go about a mile before I turn around. My doctor said that is the best exercise for an old soldier like me.
The distance, according to my car speedometer, is just a hair over 2 miles. Ranger is always wearing a leash and we don’t walk on the paved road but beside it. I wave at every car that passes. Sometimes I just want to sort of say “Hi.” We have been doing this since we moved here. I try to wave at every car or truck, and after all this time the drivers are now waving back, it’s a good feeling. You try it.
The other day Ranger was trying to show me who was boss and slipped out of his lead. It happened to be a day when there were a lot of cars on the road. I have been trying to teach Ranger the dangers of moving cars and bigger dogs, but he is taking a long time to learn. But the other day, I couldn’t stop a tear from rolling down my cheek. There was a bigger dog passing me and Ranger tried to intimidate the other dog and wouldn’t come when I called. He was having fun trying to show that he is boss. I can only try to tell you how scared I was.
Then I looked around, and all the cars were stopping. People were coming out of their cars to help me capture Ranger. They had heard me call him and they started calling. I guess he was aware of the folks trying to help. The drivers started calling him and cars were on the road and folks were also calling. In case you were there but missed how they came to the rescue without even saying hello. You should know a little more how these folks continue to help shape the chapters of my life. I’m sure that I have mentioned more than once about our Ranger, the Wonder Dog. The sun shines a little brighter since he has come along.
You know, Lorraine and I have had a dog just about as long as we have been married. We weren’t going to have a dog until I was working in King City. The fellow I was working for knew that I had owned a pet shop at one time in my life. He thought since I had washed and groomed dogs, I could help him get the dog he had from spoiling the floors of his house. He mentioned that he had smacked the dog with a newspaper and had rubbed the nose of the dog in his mistake.
I asked where he had found this dog and he said the handsome little devil was dropped off by some customer of Keefers Restaurant. He also said nobody had called Keefers to ask about him, so he just claimed him and took him home. Home, at that time was just across the street from Keefers. It appeared that he wanted the dog without any of the responsibilities that come with a pet. I told him I would look at the little feller and see if I could help.
I asked him to bring the dog to work with him. He brought in the prettiest Cocker Spaniel dog I had ever seen. I took him home without asking Lorraine if she wanted a pet. Usually that is a dumb move, but this guy was so pretty and seemed to be begging us to take care of him. Poor Lorraine didn’t have a chance. She fell in love with him on the spot. The next day she went with me and made an appointment with the closest veterinarian on Abbott Street. I thought perhaps a visit to the dog doctor might be in order.
We named him Zack. He was beautiful with his golden coat of fur. He was just having a hard time learning when and where he could find a way to do what had to be done. With the medicine the vet gave us, he was quick to come around. He never made one mistake after that. In fact, it was us who made a mistake. Zack had just taken over the house and filled us with love. So much love that we decided that a dog was what was missing in our home. We have never been without a dog in our home from that day forward. Our lives have been blessed with their presence.
God Bless.
