Saved Dog Story AND...Photo Assignment #4 - Stairs, steps, ladders and pathways.

While out photographing stairs a couple of nights ago I heard a whimpering sound. The sound appeared to be coming from the lake near the Tee box of the 18th hole on the Pete Dye golf course here at my club.

There were ducks and coots in the dense reeds so I thought maybe there was some mating going on. I walked over with my tripod and camera hoping to get a good shot of the lovers. The closer I looked I realized the tiny black moving object was not a duck or coot after all but a drowning very tiny dog. My heart raced. I yelled hoping people in the houses nearby would hear me and come help. I yelled really loud. No one came out. The sun just went down behind the mountain. There were no golfers out playing. And I mention all this because in order for me to save the dog from drowning I had to descend into the weed/reed/choked lake down railroad ties that, once in the water, these ties were so high they'd prevent me from getting out on my own.

I kept looking around, trying to figure out if I should just jump in (I didn't know how long this dog would stay above water) or drive up over the hill to find a golfer.

I decided to run up the hill to see if anyone was at the driving range. I was in luck. I yelled to this golfer. He couldn't hear me. I yelled louder, "Do you have a ball retriever or something....a dog is drowning over there in the lake." I didn't wait for the answer. I ran back to the lake and slid down the railroad ties about 3 feet into the yucky water. Moving to get to the dog wasn't easy. The reeds were preventing me from easily moving my legs forward. The dog is whimpering. I am so afraid I'll get to him too late. I finally get close enough and lean forward grabbing the dog by the scruff of his neck, hoping he wouldn't bite me.

I get him in my arms and fall. I am wet up to my breasts. I'm cold and the dog is shivering. By now I look up and the golfer from the range is standing at the break in the fence where I slipped down into the water (and probably where the dog fell in). I reach up and put the dog on the grass. The golfer asks if I need help. Yea....aaaah! But before I take his hand, I thought I'd show him how strong and agile I am by putting both my hands on the top of the ties, rehearsing how I will jump up and push myself up high enough to kick one leg up god knows where. I jump. I fall back into the filthy lake because whatever growth there was under foot caught my foot and prevented the foot from moving even though I was trying to jump up. It was comical as I fell backwards getting wet up to my neck. The golfer says, "Are you alright?" (thank god i didn't think about the fact there might be things like snakes in this lake.)

Now I take the golfers hand and he gets me out of the lake. The dog has run away to a dirt hill where he is shivering and rolling in the dirt trying I guess to get the creepy cold water off himself.

I thank the man. I gather up my fanny pack I'd ripped off, I pick up the tripod I'd dropped on the grass and get in my golf cart to check out where the dog is going.

The dog is hiding way up high on a hill, under trees and close to a road. The road freaked me. Great, I'm thinking. I save the dog only to have the dog run over by a car. I can't leave this dog. The dog is sitting, staring at me, shivering and apparently in some kind of shock. So, I go to pick the dog up and it growls at me. Great. But I show him I'm not afraid (right) and with dog in my arms I get in my golf cart.(all wet with the smelly lake water. Poor Ray - it's his golf cart.)

I drive around to the front of the houses and go to the first door. A woman comes out. She doesn't know who the dog belongs to. She'd love to help me out but she is going out of town in the morning. She does run back in the house and gets the dog a towel I can put on him...he's really shivering now. Of course so am I by this time but I don't get a towel. No. Just the dog.

I continue walking from empty house to empty house. No luck. I go to the guard gate. The woman will not take the dog. I don't want the dog in my house. But I have run out of options because the one option the guard gate lady gave me was call the animal control people. I know what these people do with dogs. I was not going to call them.

So I drive back home, in the dark, both the dog and I are very cold and shivering. I get an idea as I approach my home. Our neighbors have dogs, love dogs. I ring their doorbell. They come to the door with drinks in hand. They have their couple friends there with them. All four people look at the dog, say how cute etc.....I say, "Please take the dog, I can't take him home." They do.

Long story trying to be short.....Fast forward... The next day the couple friend of my neighbor Pam fell in love with this dog. Showered it, sleep with it, took it to the vet to see if it had a chip in it to determine who the owner was, and bought and dressed the dog up in the outfit in the picture. I have the picture because my neighbor and his friend Pam came by to show me the dog in his new pink collar and pink sweater. Pam is now trying to convince her husband that she really wants to keep the dog.

But, even if that doesn't happen, Pam has someone who wants to take the dog.

Now isn't this is a nice story?

Well yes and NO! I have poison oak on the wrist and hand that was holding Mr. cute little dog and it itches like crazy.

I'm too tired to go back and read what I wrote. I hope I don't have too many mistakes.

Good night.