Sweet Pea

During my mother's extended stay in the hospital recently, I was put in charge of taking care of her animals.  At that time consisted of one dog and one cat.  Everyday before and after work I'd go to her house, which was just down the road from my home.

During the day I'd leave her dog, Scout, a medium sized, mostly white mutt dog, out in the fenced yard.  I use the word mutt as a term of endearment.  Scout is a friendly, rambunctious dog, who, when she was a tiny puppy, somehow made her way to my mother's house--from a neighbor's house more than a block away-- leaving her litter mates behind, hence the name Scout.

On this particular evening I noticed Scout acted more excited than usual to see me.  After the chores were done, I  closed the gate on the small fenced in area, and  turned to walk to my truck.  I stopped walking when  I saw her.  A very dirty, scroungy, long haired, medium sized dog.  It had rained a slow, constant drizzle during the previous couple of days, and this dog looked like she had been unable to find shelter from it.

The dog walked toward me from the direction of my mother's shed.  I stood still and watched her.  She looked pitiful and her large, expressive eyes were staring at me.  She stopped at my feet and then put her front paws up on my thighs.  Her eyes looked at me as if pleading with me to help her.   My heart melted.  She had a collar with a tag, identifying her as Sweet Pea and a phone number.  I went back inside my mother's house and called the number.  There was no answer so I left a message and my home phone number.

I took Sweet Pea home and gave her a quick bath.  Her gratitude was obvious.  After bouncing around the house and rubbing her still wet body down the front of my couch several times, she settled down on the couch and took a nap.  Not long after, I received a phone call from her happy owners.  I met them shortly thereafter,  only a few miles from my home. Sweet Pea nearly knocked me off my feet, as I held her and she saw her owners.

Her owner's informed me that Sweet Pea was a Miniature Schnauzer, who was in need of a haircut.  Also, that she had been missing for two days.  They were very thankful that I had called.  I'll never forget Sweet Pea, who I fell in love the second  I looked into her sweet, pleading eyes.