Sunday, March 2, 2008

Day 3 - I'm Bartacus

I may be calling this Pre-Dawn Ramblings, but today the sun is already glowing out my road-side windows.

Oh it's not that I haven't been awake and stirring for the last two hours, it's just that with a new dog there is a need to get into a regular A.M. routine that accommodates us.

This is day three of "The Siege Of Bart" as he does battle to fully win over my heart. (Actually he did that on day one but a long as he wants to keep giving kisses I'll keep accepting.)

Bart's history is a little sad. On a cold rain turning to ice February night, Bart was left tied out in front of a local business in Northampton. Eventually someone intervened on his behalf and called the dog officer. When she arrived Bart was cold, soaked and miserable, not to mention confused as to why the person he had devoted himself to had not come back.
The animal control officer (Nancy, a wonderful person) took Bart (not his name at the time) to the City's shelter, which happens to be her aunt's kennel.
Once there he was given care, taken to the vet (cost defrayed by the NSPCA) and then listed on the web-site. It was at this point that my wife and I became involved.

We had been the fortunate companions to Hailey Blue, a loving Lab-Retriever mix, for almost 16 years and ours was a sadder world last September when the time came to put our sweet-baby down.
Afterwards I did not think I'd be ready for a new dog at any near future point. But as time went by I found myself longing for a furry pal to great me when I got home and not criticize my "singing" while I went about making my next days lunch.

And it was about this time that Bart's face popped up on a local shelter web-site.
And as the song goes "...just one look, that's all it took".
Here was the sweetest looking fella with the saddest story.
My heart went out to him and I told my wife,(who had been not so secretively looking quite a while for another dog) that I thought Bart could be the one.
We arranged a visit and four days later we brought him to his new home.
He was as happy as an old sailor being treated at an open bar,
And he continues to be.
And while I can't help but wonder what his name may have been, or why someone would just leave such a good boy I only know that this could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

Oh yeah, he doesn't seem to appreciate my singing or guitar playing.
But I'm not deterred.

Well the sun grows long and I must be gone.

...Charlie Ray

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