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All Rights Reserved
As Published in the Field Spaniel News
The heat index was well over one hundred degrees as she sped by in air-conditioned comfort. She drove down this road on a daily basis, running errands and traveling back and forth to work. Almost afraid to look, she again glanced out the window and saw that he was still there.Like the thousands of others that had driven by during the past three days, her gaze quickly returned to the traffic. She thought, "Perhaps later," she was after all, quite busy today.
The panhandler with the sign watched her as she drove by. As she crossed the intersection he dropped his eyes back towards the ground. With a shrug, he again tried to move most of his body into the small amount of shade offered by the metal pole and street sign anchored in the esplanade. He thought that life on the streets had not really been all that bad until a few days ago. Sure, he had to raid garbage cans for food or steal what he could from the houses in the neighborhood, but he was free. He smiled, as he thought back a couple of days, when he found a cool place to spend the afternoon, until he remembered laying in the wet paint …
His daydream crashed back into reality as he heard the brakes and honking horns. "She'd come back!!!" As he looked, she stepped from the car and knelt on the ground next to him. But he was wrong, it was not the lady that had taped the sign to the pole and left him three days ago. This one was different. She had a soothing voice and promised food and drink if he would only get into her car. As she untied the rope that held him to the metal pole and tore down the crude hand-lettered sign above him, he wagged his tail, perhaps for the first time in days. Cool air blew into his face as she effortlessly drove through traffic while carrying on a one-sided conversation with him. He was happy to be out of the sun and the heat. And the promise of food and water was a real bonus.
Soon they arrived at her home and he was introduced to her children and dogs. The food and water were delivered, as promised and after his first real meal in days, he played with the kids and dogs and then settled down for a long nap. He remembered dreaming of lying on a cool floor in a nice air-conditioned house, with someone next to him. When he awoke, she was there, resting her hand on his head. He learned that her name was Alisha. As they sat on the floor together, she made more signs and talked on the phone, searching for the one that tied him to the pole or even for his original owners.
Alisha put up signs and canvassed the neighborhood. After a few days she found a lady named Marie who said he could come and live with her for a while. Marie had a network of friends and had helped many others like him find new homes. When Marie arrived, he was happy to see someone new. He wagged and wiggled and struggled as they attempted to hold him to take photographs.
Later he left with Marie and they visited a nice veterinarian. He was poked and prodded and stuck with needles, but was given a cookie for being a good boy through it all! The Marie named him Monty and left him at a noisy boarding kennel. There were lots of barking dogs and he was sometimes scared, but he curled up into a ball and kept to himself. Marie had promised to return and he knew she would come back for him.
Marie called people and sent e-mail across the country. Soon she contacted a breeder in another town who had helped her before. She sent his photos and soon, the ball really started rolling. The breeder sent e-mails, made phone calls and even developed a web page to show the photos. Within hours, it was determined that he might be a fairly rare breed, a Field Spaniel. His coat color, size and distinguishing "roman" nose were the giveaway.
The breeder drove many miles to meet with Marie. When he arrived, he had another Field Spaniel with him. The two fields met nose-to-nose and both wagged their tails. Monty's tail was full-length and flowing while Race's tail was short and cropped. Monty remembered thinking how important he must be to have a long tail. The breeder led him to a waiting van. In it was a scary crate that they wanted him to get into. He planted his feet and tried to resist, but the breeder had cookies for him and Race said it would be okay. He jumped into the crate and they traveled for a long time while the breeder talked softly to him and occasionally slid cookies to him through the wire crate. He thought, "it really was not so bad", and then he fell asleep. When they arrived, many other dogs greeted him. He was carried from the van to another crate in the kitchen. Quickly a lady appeared with a bowl of food!!! After dinner and a brief nap, he was placed on a table and they started brushing and cutting off his hair. The paint he had laid in, the mats in his ears and feathers, even a little tar and asphalt stuck onto his belly coat were quickly removed.
The breeders and members of the National Breed club worked late into the night and early the next morning it was decided that he would go to live in a new home in a far away place. Ironically, having been found in Montgomery County in one state it seemed only fitting that he would be going to live in Montgomery County in another.
His new owners were long-time Field Spaniel owners who had recently lost their dog to an incurable disease. He would be going to a home. As far as he could remember, it would be his first. There would be a family, a large yard and even more, a fourteen-year-old son to play with. For the first time in his life, he would both have and be a friend!
The breeder put him into the van for another ride. During the trip he kept insisting that he was sorry to see him go, and slipping cookies to him. At the airport he received a hug from the breeder and a waggle of his tail from Race and was taken to the plane.
As they loaded him into the plane, he could see the breeder standing near the tarmac, with a tear in his eye. The plane ride was dark, noisy and kind of scary, but the vibrations of the plane put him quickly to sleep. When he awoke, he was quickly whisked to a waiting area where his new family met him. It was love at first sight. As they strutted out of the airport, Monty thought, "This is going to be a great adventure, thanks everyone for making it possible!"
© 2003-1996 - Ed Presnall - All Rights Reserved