Lost and Found

Today the sun came out for the first time in a bunch of days. The weather was warmer than it has been, too, but it was still in the 40's. It seemed like everyone was outside. I passed odd-shaped sand-covered chunks of snow under the shrubs on Clinton Street as I walked with Lily to the library. They looked like styrofoam props made to resemble boulders. Lots of people were out walking. I saw people with their dogs, babies being wheeled in strollers, kids playing tag. I walked Lily to the reservoir, and we stopped at the park and played in the fenced-in baseball field on the way home. I threw a stick for her and she was prancing and running. She geared up to a high speed and then ran through the gigantic puddle which today was a duck pond with two ducks swimming in it. Lily splashed right through the water and the ducks flew up and away.

When we exited the park I saw a small young female boxer with a purple collar running loose. The dog was sweet and approached to meet Lily. The dogs ran in circles, spinning around me as I held Lily's leash, spinning like a top to keep from getting tangled. I got dizzy! The boxer then ran off, going from yard to yard and coming back to see us as we walked along the empty street. I called the dog over and looked at her tags to see if there was an address, but the dog slipped out of her collar. I tied up Lily and called the dog to me and she came back. I slipped her purple collar back on, held on tight, and examined the tags. I saw she had a Blackstone dog license tag and a rabies vaccination tag from the nearby veterinary hospital, but no address or phone number. Not knowing what to do, I let the boxer go. As cars approached the intersection, I motioned to the drivers to watch out for the dog. It was running around all the little side streets. I was afraid it would get hit by a car, so I called the dog to me again and held her by the collar. I brought the dog over to the next corner where a few mechanics were working on cars in a driveway back from the road. They were friendly, so I asked them if they had a piece of rope because this dog was loose and I didn't want it to get hit by a car. They hunted around and found me a piece, apologizing for it being greasy. I thanked them and made a leash for the boxer. She slipped out of her collar again and I called her back, fastening her collar once more. I was thinking that I'd bring the boxer home and start making phone calls.

We started to walk back out to the street and I saw an adult at the corner draping his jacket over the shoulders of a very small boy about three years old. "This is a missing boy," the adult yelled to me, apparently meaning that the boy was wandering alone. Then I heard another person ask whether anyone had a phone. I said these guys do, motioning to the mechanics. Do you know of anyone missing a child? the adults asked me. No, but I found a lost dog, I told them. The man who gave me the rope said the boy lives here, pointing to the big multifamily house on the same property. Just then a very young woman came out of the house and said to the men, have you seen the baby? He's here, I said. One mystery solved. I continued on my way home.

I said hello to a woman walking her dog, asking her if she recognized the lost puppy. I recognized her dog from the neighborhood. When she came over Lily ran to her husky and they sniffed each other. I explained how I found the boxer. She's got tags, I said. The woman had a cell phone with her and volunteered to call the police. While she spoke, the husky was whimpering over Lily. It was nearly impossible for me to hold both dogs and keep the puppy from squirming out of her collar. It was crazy. The lady explained to the police that I had found a loose dog, and described which intersection we were at. The police said they'd send someone over. The woman apologized for having to head home, but she had to leave.

Back where the mechanics were there had been a big black couch on the edge of the yard, presumably put out for the trash. I went back to sit and wait for the police. Lily sat on the sidewalk, and the puppy as well as the mechanic joined me on the comfortable couch. The dog officer finally showed up about an hour later. I thanked the man who had been so kind to wait with me, holding the puppy and playing with her the whole time. The dog officer picked the dog up, tightened its collar, and promised to find its owner. It was getting dark as Lily and I walked home. What an adventure. I had wondered if I'd have anything to write about today.