Martin Weiss

As a long-distance truck driver, I grew weary and sad at seeing at least one dead animal on the side of the road for each of the hundreds of thousands of miles I traveled. So when I saw a dog in the grassy median between the sides of the interstate, I decided on the spur of the moment to try to prevent another dead dog on the road. I didn't know whether it was a dog or a coyote, whether it would run away, attack, or accept my help. She was skinny and covered with ticks, trying to eat grasshoppers. But she was gentle and allowed me to use my belt as a leash, so I put her in my pickup and took her home. We picked ticks off her for days. She has become an instructive and devoted companion who watches over me day and night. All my dogs are shelter dogs or abandoned strays and all have something to teach me. The main thing I've learned is how I became a better person because I resolved to care for them no matter what. That spur-of-the-moment decision has enriched me beyond any expectations.
-Martin Weiss, Mexico, MO -Comment to NYT article What-If and What-Is: The Role of Speculation in Science