This past Wednesday it was extremely hot here.  Temperatures pushing triple digits, and humidity pushing the heat index above 110 degrees.

Mom and I were preparing for all of the things we had to do for the 4th.  Because several lake front residents shoot off fireworks every year, we always have everyone in the family show up here.  My family is nothing if not freeloaders.

Anywhooooo….So between that and the heat, we decided not to cook that night once we were done.  I would go and pick something up and bring it back.

So I jumped into Dave, turned the A/C as high as it would go, and took off to go find food.

I had driven about a mile and then I rounded a blind curve…..aaaaaaaand almost ran over a dog.  She was lying in the middle of the road.  I hit the brakes and pulled off to the side of the road and got out of the truck.  When I did, she got up and immediately ran to me.  She was panting heavily.  Lying on hot pavement will do that I guess.  And after looking her over I determined she was in decent health overall, but also thin and dehydrated.  And obviously overheated.   I figured she was lost and I certainly didn’t want to leave her in the middle of the road to get mashed.  So I opened the door to the truck and she didn’t hesitate….she jumped herself in pronto.

Once she was out of the roadway and in the truck I checked her tags.  Her rabies tag and county license were current.  But it was too late in the day to try and trace them, and of course the county offices would be closed the next day on the 4th, so I figured I had me a dog for at least a couple of days.  I was hoping she’d have a tag with an address, but no go on the address part.  But she did also have another tag on her collar with her name and two phone numbers.  Her name is “Midnite”.  Yes she is black.  Nawt Raycess.

This is her….

So I hung a U-turn and headed back home.  Got some water in her and then she lied down on the cool tile in the utility room and went to sleep.  Then I started making phone calls.  The first number had been disconnected, the second went to a voice mailbox.  I left a message explaining I have your dog.  I waited about an hour but didn’t get a return call.  And I am now more hungry than I was before, and the dog looks like she hasn’t eaten in days.  So I called her name and she jumped right up.  I opened the truck door and once again she popped herself right in and lied down in the back seat.

Anywhoooooo…..

We went and I bought three cheeseburgers.  She had two.  And then about a third of mine.  And also half of my fries.  Dog was hungry.

On my way home, it occurred to me that someone on our main road, nearby where I found her, might recognize her and know where she belongs.  There aren’t many houses on that road, so I decided to go door to door.  But because of the holiday I suppose, most folks were not at home.  But I checked with the few who were at home, many of whom I’ve never met before so this could possibly get interesting when I pull into their driveways unannounced.  Fortunately, they were very nice for the most part, but none knew where she belonged.

Now when I say “they were very nice for the most part”?  Well I guess you could say I had an “altercation” of sorts at the last house I stopped at.

I had never actually met this guy before, but I knew his reputation in the neighborhood.  It’s not good.  But I saw him pulling into his driveway in my rearview, so I hung another U-turn and doubled back.  I pulled up next to his driveway and waited for him to get out of his car.  When he did I flagged him down, briefly explained the situation, and asked if he knew the dog or might know anyone who might?  At which point he proceeded to tell me how stupid I was for picking up the dog and that if I had just left her alone and not broken her “scent trail” she would have found her way home.

I tried to explain to him that she was overheated, confused, dehydrated and lying in the middle of the road.  She was going to get hit.

No, he says, you broke her “scent trail”.  You shouldn’t have done that.  That was stupid.

Sir, I’m just trying to do a nice thing and get this dog home.  She wasn’t moving, just in the road.  If you don’t know her, that’s fine.

I explain to him that I’m a veterinarian, and the dog was in peril, I’m just trying to find who she belongs to, have a nice night.  He says he doesn’t care if I’m a veterinarian…..aaaaaaaand  calls me stupid again for trying to help this dog.

Now I’m getting pissed.  So I tell him if he would stop and listen, he might actually understand.  And if calls me stupid again he’s going to regret it for the rest of his short life.

The shocked look on his face was totally worth it, LOL.  But then his look changed and he got pissed.  He dared me to get out my truck and say that to his face.  I mean literally dared me as in, “I dare you to get out of your truck and say that to my face”.

And of course, being the happy and reasonable human being I’ve been lately (LOL)  I pulled off to the other side of the road (ie, not on HIS property, I’m not that stupid) and hit my hazards, and got out of the truck.  As I rounded the back of it and started crossing the road toward him he started backpedaling really damned fast up his driveway.  I stopped at the white line of the road and stood there for a moment but I was not about to cross onto his property.

“I’m trying to do a nice thing”, I tell him.  “I’m trying to get this dog back where she belongs.  And you’re going to say that to me?  All I asked you was do you know the dog.  I didn’t ask for anything else.  “Yes” or “no” fucking question.  You’ve now called me stupid three times about something you have no clue about.  So, you dared me to get out of my truck, here I am.  Come over here to this white line on the road, and call me stupid one more fucking time”.  He continued backpedaling.

“Yeah, that’s what I thought.  And clean up your fucking yard, it looks like a white trash fire sale”.

(which it does)

But I about-faced and headed back to my truck at that point.  He said something else as I was getting back in the truck, but I didn’t hear it.  And I figured I should get out of there before it ended badly.

So I hang another U-turn and head back home.  And when I get home, the dog and I head inside to the A/C.  Doggo is now very happy, has a full belly, and acts like she has lived here for years.  She goes and lies down on the cool tile again, etc. etc.  But Mom sees the look on my face.

She asks me “Oh Shit, what did you do?”  And I immediately started laughing.  “You’re going to be mad at me” I say.  And I told her what had happened.

Her response?  “Oh, fuck that guy”.  Which of course made me laugh even more.

Anywhooooooo…..

Turns out the dog’s owners were out of town.  Apparently the kid they hired to get the mail and take care of the dog, accidentally left a door open and she got out.  They got the message I left when they got home, and we got her home this morning.

Now, before anyone says anything in the comments, I DO know how ill-advised it was for me to get out of my truck and confront this guy.  It could have escalated and gone sideways in any number of ways.  So don’t do what I did.  Please.

But I do still have to giggle a little at Mom’s reaction.

–

Sports Which Will Dog You Out 2Nite

MLB

• NYY @ Tampa Bay – 7:00pm EDT – TV:  MLBN (regional split)
• Boston @ Detroit – 7:00pm EDT – TV: MLBN (regional split)

NBA Summer League

• LAL vs Chicago (from Las Vegas) – 7:30pm EDT – TV: ESPN

NFL

• A Football Life (Pat Tillman) – 8:00pm EDT – TV: NFLN

WNBA

• Indiana @ Dallas – 8:00pm EDT – TV:  CBSSN

Wimbledon

• All night but I dunno who’s playing when – TV:  TNNS

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiaF4kuxJco

–

Woof

I’ve done this theme once before, but what the hell?

It’s Sexy girls with dogs.

Enjoy…

That is one happy looking dog.  Can’t say I blame him.

Yep.  Definitely need to go to the shelter next week and adopt.

To be clear, I meant the animal  shelter.

Have a nice weekend everyone.

Love ya’s

–