|
This is the tale of my life….
Things
started off on an ominous note. Born in the country to an unwed
mother, my litter mates and I were an unwelcome addition to our
rural family. Our mother’s owner decided to get rid of us by
taking us far away from our home and leaving us in the woods to
fend for ourselves. We were young and frightened and quickly
found ourselves hungry and totally alone in the big scary
world. As we stumbled through the night I lost track of my
brothers and sisters and found myself alone in the darkness. I
survived by eating anything I could find and hiding whenever
something bigger and meaner came my way. Life was hard in those
early days.
I found
a farmhouse (much nicer than the one I’d come from) and
found that if I stayed close the owners would leave food for
me. They seemed concerned for my well-being, but I didn’t feel
safe around humans. I lived off the handouts for a few months
and gradually the humans were able to coax me into their barn.
It was warm and dry and the cows and horses kept me company on
stormy nights.
One day
a lady named Kimberly came to visit me (she owned the ranch
where I was staying). She was very
kind and asked me if I wanted to go live in the city for
awhile. She had some friends who had just bought a house and
she thought I might really like going to live with them. I was
hesitant, but she loaded me into her truck and we headed off to
Dallas. The big city was quite a change. She lived in a big
open house with two other dogs. The other dogs were very nice
and welcomed me right away.
One day
Kimberly's friends, Andrew & Laura, came to visit. I was a little timid, but
decided to see what they were like. They were very gentle and
seemed very excited to meet me. I was the obvious topic of
conversation and it made me feel very self-conscious.
Apparently in my short stay I had proven to be a very smart and
gentle canine (an asset to anyone’s home). While discussing my
future it become apparent that everyone’s main concern seemed to
be the cat who had already taken up residence with the couple
and had 6 years seniority with them. From the stories being
told she was quite ferocious and the couple seemed afraid for my
life should I come to live with them. This didn’t sound good.
I’d had a run-in with a cat in the past and I knew them to be
credible adversaries; this one; however, sounded like a feline
of epic proportions.
The next
day we went to visit Andrew & Laura at their home. It was a good
size – not too big, not too small. The backyard was little but
the neighborhood was nice with lots of places to walk and play.
Just as I was beginning to feel at home, “the cat” made its
entrance. She was a big tabby and they called her “Rumba”. I
could tell she was a little upset that I was in her house, but she
tried to act like she didn’t even see me. I, in turn,
tried to act fearless and avoided direct eye contact.
Ultimately, we all
decided that I should stay for a week to see how things would
work out.
It was a
little scary at first. Rumba definitely resented my
presence but on the second day she called me aside, sat me down,
and laid down the rules. As long as I remembered my place,
didn't come near her litter box, stayed away from her food,
didn't attempt to engage her in "play", and promised
not to "talk back" or question her authority I could
stay. If at any time I ignored the rules, I was out.
If I wanted to continue living there I didn't really have much
choice, so I decided they were rules I could live with (after
all, it was her house).
The rest
is history... I now have
a wonderful family who loves me, a warm bed to sleep in, and I
never have to worry about where my next meal is coming
from! And, although she'll never admit, I think Rumba is
secretly happy that she decided to let me stay!
| 
