My Lil Guy is quite adventurous. He likes to check out the grand world around him. He sniffs & runs & barks & chases his siblings all around the spacious (to his small size) backyard. He also likes to go on car rides. When he hears the keys being moved, people gathering things to leave the house, he's right there at the door BEGGING to go out. I mean, BEGGING as if it's his lifeline & he must leave through that door -- to the other world only found by exiting via the 'big people hole'. We don't fall for that cute, furry little face; we know he's just trying to get his way.
With the snow covering the ground (& him), he wasn't as inclined to go out & about -- through either front or back door. One day we happened to be outside digging the driveway out from under its white blanket and we let Lil Guy out with us. After all, he couldn't get too far. He had a ball boucing in the footprints we'd made; hopping through the snow mounds like a teeny little gazette - everso graceful with the flakes of snow sticking to his nose.
After a while he tired of the constraints the snow was causing on his adventurous nature and wanted to go inside. Or was it b/c we were tired of making sure he didn't make a quick dash into the neighbor's yard???
A few days later I was going to get something out of my car & he was waiting by the door. Well, i guess I wasn't fast enough --- he slipped right by & out the door. No problem, I thought. There's still snow everywhere out there! It's freezing! And it's dark too! Where's would he really go?
After a while he tired of the constraints the snow was causing on his adventurous nature and wanted to go inside. Or was it b/c we were tired of making sure he didn't make a quick dash into the neighbor's yard???
A few days later I was going to get something out of my car & he was waiting by the door. Well, i guess I wasn't fast enough --- he slipped right by & out the door. No problem, I thought. There's still snow everywhere out there! It's freezing! And it's dark too! Where's would he really go?
Well... perhaps I should have asked "where wouldn't he go?"!!! As I slowly made my way down the slick steps, he'd made his way down the street! I walked down the driveway, calling his name. He was nowhere to be found. It became apparent that he wasn't going to come to me with a simple calling of the name.
I came to a crossroads.
No, he wasn't there waiting for me.
Crossroads = do I go in & get a flashlight or try to find him in the dark?
Hmph. Neither.
I'll call Cop'er. So what if he wasn't there & 10 miles from the house working an off-duty job. I pull out my cell & call him up... "O RAN AWAY & I CAN'T FIND HIM!!!!!!!!!!"
Cop'er: What? Are you serious?
Me: YES!!!!!
Cop'er: Why did you let him out?
Me: I DIDN'T! HE SNUCK PAST ME!
Cop'er: Well, just call his name.
Me: HE WON'T COME!!! HE'S GONE! THERE'S NOTHING BUT DARKNESS & HUGE PILES OF SNOW!
Cop'er: What do you want me to do about it?
Me: I DON'T KNOW!
Cop'er: You shouldn't have let him out...
Me: [click] *thinking -- I don't have time for the blame game--my pup is lost in the big city!*
Back at the crossroads (still no pup). Flashlight or walking through the dark, snowy streets of my 'hood. Ok, I'm going in for the flashlight. Maybe a coat too. Possibly some gloves & a scarf (I said it was cold!).
Back out with the flashlight... down the driveway. Uh oh. Another crossroads - go left, go right. Think like the Lil Guy. Which way would he go?
I picked right. Walking down the street with my flashlight, which, by the way, isn't lighting much!
"ORION!!!!"
Me: [click] *thinking -- I don't have time for the blame game--my pup is lost in the big city!*
Back at the crossroads (still no pup). Flashlight or walking through the dark, snowy streets of my 'hood. Ok, I'm going in for the flashlight. Maybe a coat too. Possibly some gloves & a scarf (I said it was cold!).
Back out with the flashlight... down the driveway. Uh oh. Another crossroads - go left, go right. Think like the Lil Guy. Which way would he go?
I picked right. Walking down the street with my flashlight, which, by the way, isn't lighting much!
"ORION!!!!"
"WHERE'S MAMA'S BABY????"
"OOOOOOO!"
"COME 'ERE, O!!!!"
Nothing. No little tags jingling. No sounds of small paws digging out of the snow (I had visions of him falling into one of those deep piles of snow on the side of the road. He might have frozen instantly!).
Ok. I can't find him. My mind starts wondering what to do next. Calm down. Just go inside & find a good picture of him & we'll make some 'Lost Lil Guy' flyers and post them up around the neighborhood.
I wonder how much Cop'er would let me put for the reward. How much is our 'child's' return worth to him?
Perhaps I should say 'how much is your wife's happiness worth to you?'... I think that's a more effective (& realistic!) way to word it!
Then I start to really think about it and come to the conclusion that no one is going to find that cutey pie & give him back willingly. I might have to get Cop'er to bring the law down on them!
As I am plotting how to retrieve my pup from his new home, I turn the corner of the next street moving the [very wimpy] flashlight beam into the darkness that swallowed Lil Guy up.
"ORION!!!!"
Nothing. No little tags jingling. No sounds of small paws digging out of the snow (I had visions of him falling into one of those deep piles of snow on the side of the road. He might have frozen instantly!).
Ok. I can't find him. My mind starts wondering what to do next. Calm down. Just go inside & find a good picture of him & we'll make some 'Lost Lil Guy' flyers and post them up around the neighborhood.
I wonder how much Cop'er would let me put for the reward. How much is our 'child's' return worth to him?
Perhaps I should say 'how much is your wife's happiness worth to you?'... I think that's a more effective (& realistic!) way to word it!
Then I start to really think about it and come to the conclusion that no one is going to find that cutey pie & give him back willingly. I might have to get Cop'er to bring the law down on them!
As I am plotting how to retrieve my pup from his new home, I turn the corner of the next street moving the [very wimpy] flashlight beam into the darkness that swallowed Lil Guy up.
"ORION!!!!"
"WHERE'S MAMA'S BABY????"
"OOOOOOO!"
"COME 'ERE, O!!!!"
WAIT.
What was that? I saw something move (yes, at this point, it could have totally been my imagination).
AHA! There he is!!!! He was actually walking up someone's driveway, sniffing along the way.
I crouch down to his level (sorta) & call him. He stops. Looks at me. Smiles (no lie). Starts running my way.
YEAH!!! Here he comes!!! Come on, boy!!!
There he goes. Right past me. What a tease.
Oh & looky there... a car coming too! Great. How are they going to see this Lil Guy amongst the huge snow piles??? I start flashing my light so they see me & the pup. The car slows. Lil Guy keeps on walking down the street like he's large & in charge. As the car turns down the street we were just on, I hear the driver yell out his window "My dog does that all the time!".
Great. Maybe that's where mine learned it! (Geez. Will this night ever end?)
Me, the dutiful mother, still following behind him with the hopes he's going to get tired & realize we are passing the house --- in the other direction now.
HiHo HiHo... still toolin' down the street, checking things out, just not slow enough to get caught.
OH!!!! FUN!!!! Another car coming TOWARD us. I'm flashing the light again. Walking in the middle of their lane. They stop. When I finally walk passed their car, they're laughing.
Nice! Hahaha to you too!
Lil Guy is still a good ways ahead of me. I don't know if I am going to be able to catch this little mongrel! Now he's walked up someone's driveway again - looking back over his shoulder to see how much distance he'd put between us.
He's at the sidewalk now... Great. What's next? Will he be going to the porch & ringing the doorbell? Sure, I'm sure they have some nice kibble & a warm bed for you!
And just when i think he's going to make another path to avoid slippery capture... he stops. Hmmmm... well, what do we have here?
A scent?
WAIT.
What was that? I saw something move (yes, at this point, it could have totally been my imagination).
AHA! There he is!!!! He was actually walking up someone's driveway, sniffing along the way.
I crouch down to his level (sorta) & call him. He stops. Looks at me. Smiles (no lie). Starts running my way.
YEAH!!! Here he comes!!! Come on, boy!!!
There he goes. Right past me. What a tease.
Oh & looky there... a car coming too! Great. How are they going to see this Lil Guy amongst the huge snow piles??? I start flashing my light so they see me & the pup. The car slows. Lil Guy keeps on walking down the street like he's large & in charge. As the car turns down the street we were just on, I hear the driver yell out his window "My dog does that all the time!".
Great. Maybe that's where mine learned it! (Geez. Will this night ever end?)
Me, the dutiful mother, still following behind him with the hopes he's going to get tired & realize we are passing the house --- in the other direction now.
HiHo HiHo... still toolin' down the street, checking things out, just not slow enough to get caught.
OH!!!! FUN!!!! Another car coming TOWARD us. I'm flashing the light again. Walking in the middle of their lane. They stop. When I finally walk passed their car, they're laughing.
Nice! Hahaha to you too!
Lil Guy is still a good ways ahead of me. I don't know if I am going to be able to catch this little mongrel! Now he's walked up someone's driveway again - looking back over his shoulder to see how much distance he'd put between us.
He's at the sidewalk now... Great. What's next? Will he be going to the porch & ringing the doorbell? Sure, I'm sure they have some nice kibble & a warm bed for you!
And just when i think he's going to make another path to avoid slippery capture... he stops. Hmmmm... well, what do we have here?
A scent?
A special treat?
A bigger dog? (Though I don't think this would have stopped him)
A cat?
Thank heavens! I nab the little devil & tell him he better not do that again. I don't know that he understood b/c as soon as we got home & closed the front door, he was there begging to go out again.
Since then I'd like to say he hasn't gotten out... he has. This time it was with Cop'er & he 'chased' (down very icy streets, but in the daylight) Lil Guy a few blocks down the road until a neighbor caught him. I think it's safe to say after that episode, Cop'er knew exactly what I felt like when I called to tell him O got out.
I watched from the window.
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