I meet lots of neat dogs in my adventures.  I have decided to add a new series to the blog to introduce these dogs – a way to recognize the variety of personalities and lessons that dogs gift to us.

Just the other day, I met the first dog I want to tell you about. I didn’t get a picture of him.  I was only with him for a half hour or so … and yet, I connected to him and love the little fellow.

One morning a week, I have to leave the house at the scratch of 8:30 to get to my first job at 9:30.  I am always late.  Fortunately the customer is very understanding.  So off I went, rushing as usual.  Half way there, a big, beautiful yellow butterfly crashed into my windshield and somehow got caught in the windshield wiper.  This was very upsetting and I finally found a safe place to pull off the road and try to disengage it.  By then, he was well on his way to heaven and I was feeling like a murderer.

Accepting that I was going to be 10 minutes late, I barreled along the country road when, to my horror, there was a little dog walking along the side of this very busy pass-through road – right on the shoulder, marching forward with a bit of confusion and panic on his face. I can’t stop – what if I scare him and he runs into the traffic?  I can’t leave him.  I had to stop.

I pulled into a drive and realized he had crossed the street and was marching on, away from me.  Cars were slowing down for him, but he was tweedy brown and blended into the still-brown grass by the roadside.  Oh mercy, there was a huge black truck … please show down.  I backed out and headed up the road to another drive.

My heart was pounding.  I was so late to work now.  I can’t leave him.  He didn’t have a prayer on that road.  But turned out, he had me.  I called him.  I whistled for him.  “Please doggie, please come to me.”  And he did!  He hopped right in the car and started a thorough examination of his new environment.

I realized he was a Border Terrier. Thankfully he had a collar with a name tag … and a phone number.  Shakily I called the number.  “Hi, I think I have your dog.”  “OMG, my husband was supposed to put the dogs up.  Here is my address – will you take him home?  I’ll call my husband and ask him to go home.”  By then, Bodie was well settled in my car –  happy as could be with his new digs.

I called my customer to explain that I was still on my way, then went in search of Bodie’s home.  Turns out some folks were working in the yard and the one guy said I was the third person to bring the dog back!  With no husband in sight, and no way to confine the dog, the guy agreed to hold Bodie, and a more senior Border Terrier, that had the sense to stay home, in his truck till the owner showed up.

When I went to get the dog out, he was not faintly interested in leaving me.   It took some engineering and the help of the construction guy to get him out.  Bodie seemed happy enough once he was ensconced in a new truck with his other doggie buddy.

I called the owner one last time to tell her what was what, but I had to leave a message.  I never heard another peep from her.  I really thought she would have the courtesy to call … but courtesy isn’t a big thing these days, I guess.

I finally made it to the job I was headed to, 30 minutes late … and I have been thinking about that sweet boy ever since.  For some reason, Henry is the name that comes to me when I think of him.  I wonder if he clung to my car for a reason.  I hope his people treasure him.

I’ve known a few Border Terrier’s through the years.  Most of them have belonged to people that seem to ignore them… and yet they thrive.  They are tough, cheerful, sturdy and ridiculously cute.  I hope that Bodie is safe and sound.  I will remember him – probably by the name of Henry – but I hope I never see him on that road again.