3-27-13 RMB Chihuahua Bear

Dear Rita Mae Brown,

On my way home tonight I stopped to let a tiny white Chihuahua slowly cross the street in front of me and scoot down the road. I hoped he would run into his own yard and back where he belonged. He kept going up the street and looked to be limping.

In the past I tried catching stray dogs to help them find their way home and normally it is an exercise in, well just exercise. They run when I get out of the car and mock me “catch me if you can mere human!” I walk, they run, I trot after them. Eventually all I am left with is a long walk back to my car.

Since this tyke was tiny and limping, I thought I had a fair chance to catch him. I parked the car. Even a tiny dog can bite, so I took some time to chat with him and he came right up to me. I asked folks at the two houses he had been walking by if he was theirs or if they knew where he belonged. Nope.

Once up close I could see he is quite old with a faded collar. The limp must be from arthritis or an old injury. His leg is not hurting him, but he walks lopsided. I called the faded phone number, no answer. I left a message. I brought him home to my sister who immediately babied him, fed him and took him out to walk. The walk seemed a bit much, since he had just been roaming the streets five minutes prior, but whatever.

It has been over an hour now. I’ve called his phone number two more times, the last time to say that they can call at any hour and I will bring him home. I don’t want to leave him here with my sister having to juggle the cat and dog around with this tyke all day.

His name is “Bear” according to the tag and he does answer to it, so he is not impersonating Bear, it really is him, all one pound and four inches of him. Bear can practically fit in one hand, in two hands with some room to spare.  He snorts like he has a cold or trouble breathing and is smelly like he has an ear infection or a bad tooth. Although sis is into animals, she can’t have the dog and cat locked out of her room for the night. One guess where Bear is hanging out right now? Yep, he is retiring to my room for the night, lovely.

I gave him an old towel for a bed and he is on a leash so we don’t loose him under the furniture or behind the bed.  I don’t know why I am not happier about this. Seems like it makes up for all the times I chased dogs for the sheer joy of walking back to my car. Maybe I am just tired and cranky.

I started reading In Her Day today. Liked the “Note to the Feminist Reader” in the front and laughed at the “Note to the Nonfeminist Reader”, which was simply “What’s wrong with you?” You are a card Rita Mae Brown.

Time for smelly, snorty Bear and I to get some shut eye, night,                                                                   

Loraine & Bear