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Sunday, Feb. 23, 2003-4:29 a.m.
"I'm home!"
Axel's Diary, Sunday morning, Feb 23rd, 2003: Dad woke up with some nightmares a little while ago, so he's getting to type an entry for me, now that I am home! (don't worry, he says he will go right back to sleep, but it's nice and quiet at this hour, to type for me...) I just got home yesterday!! You wouldn't believe the strange thing that happened to me- let me tell you: Dad was very snuggly with me on a thursday, and he acted kind of strange (all sniffly) when he had to say goodbye to me to leave for a doctor's appointment. I hate when he goes out alone, but Pa went with him, and they took a taxicab in the early early hours of the morning. ...the thing is, Pa came home a few hours later, but Dad didn't!! I was very unhappy, and kept searching the house for him. Pa was kind of nervous and upset, and he said Dad was 'in the hospital' and 'having surgery' but I don't know what those things are. I just snuggled Pa a lot, while he waited for the doctor to call him and say Dad was OK or not, and if he could come visit yet! (I didn't get to go visit, and I was cranky about that too, but Pa said that Dad was too sick for me to be with yet...) Then Friday came, and Dad STILL wasn't home! This is very unlike Dad, so I was a little nervous. ...then a friend of Pa's came to see us, which is rare but I know her... except THIS never happened before!! She had a CAR... a big station wagon, and Pa took me outside (and he brought some of my toys, and a blanket, and my Kong and a jar of peanut butter!!) and he put me in the back!! I was very excited, I kept trying to climb over the back seat to get in with Pa, but he had tied my leash so I couldn't sneak up there. I didn't know WHAT to do! I was just all wiggly and bouncy and nervous... and we drove and drove... I don't remember what I was thinking, but it probably wasn't good. Can you imagine? I have only been in a CAR a few times in my life, and one of them was when Dad took me from the shelter all the way back home here to Seattle... and now I was in one again? I didn't know what to think! After a long long drive, we came to a little road, and a BIG farm! There were sheep, and black and white dogs were chasing the sheep, only their owners were standing right there, telling them it was OK!! I was so excited, I didn't know what to DO! There were so many dogs on this farm!! dozens and dozens!! The humans went inside for a little bit, and when they came back, this woman came with them. I was OK, untill Pa opened the back, and SHE reached in to grab me and take me away!! I BARKED and growled!! (You're not taking ME away from my people! Dad isn't even home yet!!!) I was so scared. ...Pa took me out instead, and apologized, and he explained that I had never been 'boarded' before. She was very sympathetic to that, (even though I don't know what it means) and I liked her FINE once she realized she was not going to be taking me away from my human that way! hrmf. ...I got inside, and I realized where I had seen other places like this before... it was like the old shelter was!! I was so upset, I started to crouch down and look very sad and submissive to Pa. I wanted him to know that whatever I did, I didn't MEAN it... I would never do ANYTHING that made them throw me away to a new shelter!! I was so sad, I behaved quite well while they chose a kennel and run to put me in, and put all my toys and a clean blanket and dish of water in it... then the worst thing happened EVER. Pa was saying 'goodbye' and promising that phrase 'I'll be back' (he says that when he goes out of the house! why was he saying it now??) and he was sniffly and upset already... and the lady said I could not wear my neckerchief in the run, in case it got tangled on the wire... then Pa reached out, and he took off my scarf!!! He was so upset, and I just wilted. I laid down, and I watched him with BIG sad eyes... and that made him more sniffly, and he LEFT!!! It was the most horrible time I have had in so long!! I was so unhappy!! I didn't know what I did to deserve having my scarf AND collar and harness taken away, or to be left in a shelter.... but there were other dogs there, and so I laid down and waited. Maybe 'i'll be back' meant he was going shopping or something, like it does at home. Maybe he WOULD be back. Of course, by feeding time, I think I had it all figured out. There was a man at the kennel, he came and took care of me EVERY day. And I was making friends with the dogs on either side of my run, and across the hall both inside and out! I even played with some of them!! I had such fun, racing back and forth with them like I used to with 'Kota! (I miss Kota!) The wonderful man was my friend, and he came every day to give me my peanut butter! I was very happy. I had my Kong, and my peanut butter, and so maybe this was not punishment, you know? I began to notice the other dogs came and went, and THEIR parents brought them but still came to pick them up again! ...so I started to have a pretty good time, actually! It was very exciting for me, to have other dogs around, and never be taken out to 'work', only to spend time with the person taking care of me! I still missed Dad and Pa, but what can a dog do? He would be back, or he wouldn't... Do you know what? After two WHOLE weeks, The man came to get me out of my kennel run, and do you know who he had with him? Dad AND Pa!!! They looked quite happy to see me, and a little worried... even more worried when I greeted my new friend, and didn't act all that surprised to see them! They said I would either chomp them for leaving me, or be so happy I would explode! ...but I was just GLAD. I was relieved, and happy and when Dad put on my harness I danced! I stood up on my hind legs when he asked me to, so he could snuggle me close, while the man told Pa all about how I behaved while I was there! He said I could come back ANYTIME! I was very very happy. He even came out to say goodbye, and wave to me when I left! It was a very strange thing, that happened... Dad didn't look like he felt very good, and halfway home, he started to kind of wilt. I knew he was thirsty, so I gave him my alert, and I snuck the halti off my nose so I could reach over the seat back and lay my had on his shoulder, while I layed in the back... there was so much to see this time, now that I wasn't SCARED! Cars went by, and everyone looked into ours and SAW me... and Carmel (who drove us) brought me a fortune cookie!!! I love Carmel. She always brings fortune cookies for me and the parrot! I was very happy, and I felt quite responsible to be sure Dad wouldn't get sicker on the way home. Luckily, they drove to a place in town I know a little (it is very near my one of the big pet stores!), and a BIG restraunt. I was reluctant to leave Dad, or let him up, untill he said, "yeah, this looks like the Denny's we went to in Sacramento, doesn't it!" suddenly, I looked up, and it DID!!! I began wagging my whole body, and licking Dad a LOT!! I REMEMBERED!!!! (You might remember too, that Denny's was one of the places we ate at, when Dad first got me!) I all but drug Dad right to the door after Pa had gone in to make sure they had a table free (it was so very busy there!) ...oh, I was so good. I laid down under the table, and Dad gave me my 'bribery french fry' like he always does- just one, only after I am being very very good and the meal is already there. It's his promise to me that I am being good, and if I KEEP being good, I will get leftovers afterwards, outside!! I was so very good, Dad almost got sniffly when people talked to him about me! (There was some rude people too, but I ignore rude people, and so did Pa, Dad, and Carmel. Everyone else was SO nice, I wouldn't have cared anyway!) Afterwards, when we left to go home, Dad gave me french fries!! He let me do tricks for Carmel and the other people waiting for seats outside, and I was so very happy, I didn't know what to do. I was VERY good, and did everything I was asked, just so Dad would know that I didn't forget ANYTHING while I was gone!! The ride home was short, and when we got there, the Cat said hello to me. (Uhm, that always makes me nervous. I don't mind the cat, except once she jumped on my head... so now I am a little cat-shy. I hope SHE still likes me...) I sniffed around, and everything was JUST like I left it!! ...oh the whole night was so wonderful. We did everything exactly like we always do! I brought Dad my dinner dish, and he fed me, then I picked it up and gave it back so he could put it away... and I went all by myself to lay down in my crate and go to sleep when it was bedtime! There was lots of awww's and snuggles for me, and both Pa and Dad said over and over how they missed me! I was so very happy, all I did ALL night long was lay around and make happy sighs, and come get snuggles. Dad says I am a little more 'subdued' than before, but that is because I had such an exciting day, and I was TIRED! I was also being EXTRA good so that they would know I had come home to the 'pack' but I was not going to be bad or anything... I was perfect-perfect! I want everything to always be like this, so that if I ever get 'boarded' again, I will also come HOME again! (sigh) I love my house. I love my family. (even the cat, and the funny bird that keeps saying "Axel!" and "I'm home!" ...hey, no, *I* am home, silly bird, not YOU!) I think... I even love my LIFE. It's pretty cool. I'm going back to bed now, with my favorite toy, my 'llama'... it makes a fun honking sound when I push it's tummy, and that amuses me. It's also EXTRA soft and makes a good pillow. I hope my readers are happy tonight too... it's a good night to be alive! Axel, via his owner/handler, David
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