Lost and Found

What a day. I got up at around 5:30 this morning and was distracted. I pulled the dog gate on the front porch and went back in the house to do something. Who knows what. Thomas slipped through the gate. Now, he is not a wanderer, but he will go with anyone who will scratch his wee head. I called for him, waited, then an hour had passed and I went around the neighborhood and looked high and low. His tags are on his collar. But alas, the one with our phone number had worn a bit.

I spent the day worried, went to the animal shelter. Checked messages every half hour or so. I went back to work after picking up Ellison, came home at 6 or so. Talked to Animal Control again. He had been gone for 10 hours! Nothing. I sat at my desk and put my head down. Kim came and set her hand on my back and I cried.

Ellie, while trying to be helpful, by telling me she hoped that Thomas hadn't been hit by a car, didn't really make me feel better. She told me all the people she had told to look out for him. Jacque’s dad, the standard poodle Thomas likes to hump, Driscole and his cousin...

I asked a friend to take Ellie so I could spend the evening walking around the neighborhood looking for the pooch before I lost my temper with Ellie. I wanted to do something, though it felt hopeless at this late hour.

Then, at 6:30 or so, the Animal Control called. Someone this morning had brought him to the vet. They had tried our phone number, though I guess they read it wrong on the worn tag. A new one was purchased today. The 2 block and 45 dollar taxi ride with Seattle’s Finest, brought a very, very happy pooch home to a very, very happy mother.

Ellie asked, “Can you, me and Thomas all sleep in the same bed tonight?”