Thursday, July 11, 2013

Safe and Sound


Safe and Sound

We were almost home when we saw her, walking slowly down the yellow line of the road through the rising steam left behind from yet another violent, yet transient, thunderstorm, the sort that pelts this part of the world in the dusks of July.  A German Shepherd of magnificent countenance, she was obviously tired and obviously lost.  Without a word, The Songwriter immediately pulled our car to the side of the road and I opened my door.  Leery and frightened, the big dog veered away when I spoke and continued to make her way down the busy street, cars swerving to miss her as they passed.
    
We carefully followed, making her nervous enough to eventually lope into the front garden of one of the houses lining the road.  I got out to follow.  Dressed as I was, all in white with a pink scarf around my throat of Isadora Duncan proportion, I was hardly prepared for a ramble through the muddy gardens of strangers, but looking at the poor creature I couldn’t help but see Edward or Apple, lost and afraid.  Do Unto Others, after all.
Success proved elusive, as she stayed twenty paces ahead of me despite my encouraging pleas for her to approach.  Finally, I decided to stop trying to convince her of my trustworthiness.  Leaning against a mossy pine tree, I turned my back and quietly began to talk to her, about the weather,  about the sweater I was knitting.  I mentioned the approaching night and the rabbits in my back garden.   I told her about Edward.  After three or four minutes, I felt a wet, furry head rub against my white trousers and, still not making eye contact, I reached down to scratch the tired girl behind her ear.  I felt a collar, and then, mercifully, a shiny metal tag on which was imprinted a phone number.  Relaying this to The Songwriter who’d been hiding behind a nearby house, a call was made, a reunion facilitated.  Such a joy to hear her worried owner call her name - “Maggie!” - and see her run to safety.  

When the next angry thunderstorm pounded our roof at midnight, I lay there listening to Edward and Apple breathing softly, safe and sound, and thought of big, tired-out Maggie, happy that she too was safe and sound.
But the white trousers were trashed.


29 comments:

  1. Dear Pamela,
    oh, I can cpmprehend your relief and gladness! What a happiness for Maggie, that you followed her.
    Hugs, Siret

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  2. How kind are you Pamela?! Loved your feel good story!
    And happy for Maggie who found her loving home again, and her owners.
    Your trousers will now remind you of this happy story :)

    Hope you and your family are doing well.I am one of your quieter readers and visit from time to time from Pakistan.
    I will always remember you as the kind blogger who I found by wonderful chance when you were starting, and you regularly commented encouragingly on my first attempts at blogging. :) Thank you for that!

    That blog (Lahore Design)didn't continue, but a few years later, you can now find me at my second blog, The Scent of Conversation.
    www.facebook.com/The.Scent.of.Conversation

    Best,
    Shana.

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  3. Love a big heart!

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  4. Great story... so glad it ended well.... save the white pants.

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  5. Bless you, Pamela! That's one safe dog tonight and one happy and lucky family. I'm so glad you cared enough to do this.

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  6. Pamela, it is indeed a sad sight to see a frightened and lonely animal on the side of the road. I discovered one myself the other day, I drove by the poor pup three times and tried to lure it into the car but it stayed put in the grass at the side of the road, then when I went to get it some food and came back the poor mite was gone. I hope it founds its way home.

    I am so happy that you were more successful than I. I would love to see a photo of this beautiful white outfit and pink scarf, I am sure that you look fabulous!

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  7. Great post, fantastic image:) Greetings

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  8. Beautiful story with a happy ending. You and The Songwriter are my heroes.

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  9. and white trousers never more gloriously trashed! bless you.

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  10. Well, my love, it's almost time to put away the white trousers anyway...and a greater purpose was served. This is a wonderful story, completely wonderful. Thank you for being you. xx's from hot Texas..

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  11. You are an angel Pamela - I hope if my darling Tess ever gets frightened and lost she meets someone like you.

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  12. Pamela, you and hubby are so good. I am so glad the story had a happy ending. I wonder if she was scared of thunder. My weenie, Emmy, has become frightened of thunder lately. That and doors slamming or wind jiggling them. Guess we all have our little tics.

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  13. Dear Pamela ~ yes, as others have said, your trousers gave the VERY BEST GIFT OF ALL and so did you and your wonderful Songwriter husband!!! Maggie is a Very lucky girl for folks like you in the world!!! May you think of those trousers itch the love that they and you gave that very day!!!
    Your blog is one of my very, very favorite ones ever!!!
    Barbara P.

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  14. Such a good deed! You must have had peace of mind that night as you listened to the rain pound your roof, that Maggie was safe and sound! I hope you are enjoying your summer!
    xx Sunday

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  15. As the mom of three rescue dogs this wonderful story brought tears to my eyes. Do unto others, indeed!

    How kind. Knowing that you saved a poor, lost dog is worth so much more than clean, white trousers!

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  16. Pamela,
    A small sacrifice for such a noble cause. I'm so happy you found her owner. What a sweet story.
    Karen

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  17. How I love happy endings. Your story brings tears of joy to my eyes. What a wonderful thing you did, to keep trying with Maggie. I am sure her owners will be forever thankful to you. Bonnie in WI

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  18. P.S. I love the way you turned your back and kept up a monologue and she eventually came over. Obviously, the tone of your voice allayed her fears, or maybe she was intrigued by your stories!

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  19. Arghhhh, my first long comment was deleted because I wasn't signed on. So, here goes again: we had a similar instance last week, apparently these thunderstorms send them running. We were on a walk with our dog when we saw a big yellow lab running loose and obviously lost. Our lovely Maddie caught his eye and he came over to check her out. I was able to grab his collar, called the number on the tag, but had to leave a message on the answering machine. Since Maddie minds perfectly without one, we took her leash and put it on him and decided to walk him home. When we couldn't find the house number, some folks in their yard kindly google mapped it for us. (We still don't have a smart phone.) It was across a major thoroughfare, so we took him home with us, offered him some water, and then put him in the car and drove to his house. No one was at home. When he shied away from walking up the driveway, we took off his invisible fence collar. We found his toy and a well-worn path indicating his favorite run, put the collar back on, bid him goodbye, and returned home. I left another message on the answering machine saying how we'd left him in the yard. I never heard back from the owners. I wondered if they might be out of town and left him under someone else's care, but who knows? There were close neighbors on either side and I haven't driven back by to check on him, but I have wondered about it.

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  20. This is my first comment since signing on + what a delightful tale(real life)+ beautiful ending. xxpeggybraswelldesign.com

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  21. Bless you and the Songwriter...two kind souls!

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  22. I would also sacrifice a pair of trousers for someone's beloved pet; I am so glad there was happy ending! Bless you for stopping!!

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  23. No hesitation of either party - both you and the Songwriter knew this dog needed help - and what a blessing to her and her family! Thank you for your active compassion.

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  24. Bless you, Pamela. There are many reasons I read your blog, this is yet another. xxoo

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  25. On the scale from 1 to 10, you and the Songwriter are a 20. Thank you for sharing this beautiful and heartwarming story.

    xo
    Amelia

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  26. What a wonderful story!
    Well done, Pamela. You are a real Samaritan. Poor Maggie, she must have been so frightened.
    So lucky for everyone involved tat all ended well.
    Hugs.

    ps Buster says he is glad that people are kind to animals!

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  27. Reading your blog warms my heart. This is true today more than any time before. You are an angel (the songwriter too!) The world is a slighty better place because of your kindness.

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  28. Thank heavens you were put at the right place, at the right time! Lucky Maggie! Bless you and the songwriter.

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I love to read your comments! Each and every one! Though I'm always reading your comments, I may not respond in the comment section. If you want to write me directly, you may do so at pamela@pamelaterry.net. Thank you for reading!