Sunday, April 25, 2004

My contribution to this world has been realized.

Went to Westhills shopping centre with my dad. He went to the bank, and asked if I would run over to the Superstore to pick up a few groceries, to save on time. Of course, it meant I got a ten dollar bonus, so I hightailed it over there. On the way, I bumped into a boy roughly my age, perhaps a bit younger, and he was walking a big, white, shaggy, curly-haired dog, who seemed really familiar. She was really friendly, and put her front paws on my shoulders and began licking my face. I laughed. The boy said "Down, girl," and I continued petting her. I asked the boy some questions.
"What breed is she?"
"I dunno. Got her from the humane society."
"I used to volunteer there!" I exclaimed. "What's her her name?"
"Raggamuffin."
My jaw nearly hit the earth. I hastily explained that I rescued that dog. When I was living at Queen's park, I would walk to the bus stop, and no matter how early or how cold it was, there was this big dirty dog chained up outside on a ground level balcony. It would walk timidly over and I would rub it to warm it up. There was never a light on inside, and there was never any food or water in the rusted metal bowls. The balcony was covered in trash. I would take the luncheon meat out of my sandwich and give it to the poor thing, who always ate it hungrily. One day, I couldn't take it anymore, untied the dog, and walked it down to the office, and asked who lived in building 1004 and informed the landlord to tell them I was taking the dog to the humane society, due to what seemed to be neglect. The landlord looked at me funny and said no one lived there. I was furious, at the idea that someone would abandon an animal like that. I called the humane society and told them I was bringing in an abandoned dog. Mom drove me. Because I used to work there, I cleaned her down, and put her in a kennel, and called her "Raggamuffin", because she reminded me of a street urchin my Nana would tell me stories about, and her name was Raggamuffin. I came to work after a weekend of absence, and was informed that she had been adopted. And to see her again, so clean, so happy, and in a rich neighbourhood, made me exceptionally happy.
So even though life can be a total bitch, I saved one poor dog from a frozen winter outside. I feel yay.

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