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Mr. Duncan's Second Chance
by Michele Simon
His Side
From behind the chain link gate one hot
humid day, I saw her prance across the cement floor like a
freshly groomed poodle in a show rink. I sensed her confident
air as she sashayed past me. Our eyes met briefly. I fell in
love with her at that instant! My abandoned life now had renewed
hope.
 For the next 3 weeks, I watched and waited for her return. I
tried with all my might to get away so I could go in search of
her. When others came by to look at me, I would get wild-eyed
and bark "No! Go Away! She's coming back for ME!"
I woke up one morning and felt the north breeze blowing. After
my morning jog, I decided to take a nap. I was jolted awake by
an aroma! I could smell her scent, but where was she?! I sat
with my head pressed against the gate and watched as people came
and went. All of a sudden, there she was! I could see her! She
turned down my row! I began to wag my tail. As she walked
towards me, she looked in each kennel. She stopped three gates
away, turned, and looked in. I knew I had to do something quick!
I barked at the top of my lungs and did several back flips. I
could hear the others around me whispering "He's making such a
fool of himself!" "She's too sophisticated for him!" "Ahhh be
quiet! Can't ya see the boys in love!"
I saw her stand and nod her head in my direction. I tried a
double flip, but landed on my hinds just as she approached my
kennel. I had somehow managed to get back on my feet, but I was
wagging my tail so hard. I almost knocked myself down again! She
stopped right in front of my kennel, turned to face me, smiled,
and said in her sweet southern voice "And who are you Mister?"
She reached down, unlatched the gate, and slipped a leash around
my neck. I came bounding out! "YEE HAAAAA!!!!!!!" I pulled her
outside where we ran, played, and finally slowed to a walk. She
sat down in the grass by her friend. I crawled into her lap, and
while they talked, I fell asleep with my head in her arms. It
was the best sleep I’d had in months. I never wanted her to
leave me.
Eventually, she had to bring me back to my kennel, but promised
to see me gain soon. I dropped my ears back and gave her my sad
eyes as she turned to leave.
As promised, she returned here and there over the next 5 weeks.
I continued my impressive lovesick stunts to attract her
attention. I became the topic of playtime gossip. She would walk
me, bath me, brush me, and clean my kennel. I knew I could not
let her get away from me. I loved her and wanted to spend the
rest of my life with her! It was now or never...
Her Side
I awoke much earlier than I intended to on
Saturday, September 9th. I couldn't help being overly excited
about that day’s event. I do volunteer work at the LA-SPCA.
Today we were having an off-site adoption day at the Jefferson
Feed Store. My love for animals, especially dogs, is one of the
reasons I enjoy helping such a wonderful organization. Although
volunteers help with many things, my favorites are helping with
the off-site adoptions, going to the shelter to walk, socialize,
and exercise the dogs, helping with the various fund raising
events throughout the year, and assisting with the educational
booths at other events. It is also an opportunity to learn new
things.
As I was leaving my house, I walked passed the hall mirror. I
cringed when I saw my hair! It looked like a freshly groomed
poodle. Oh the joys of living in the hot humid south!
I arrived at the shelter and walked up the entrance ramp into
the kennel area. As I was heading toward the bathing room, where
we bath all of the dogs going out to the adoption event, I
walked past an isolated kennel to the left of the adoption desk.
I glanced down, and in the dark cage, I saw the cutest Shepard
mix dog curled up on the floor. His beautiful big brown eyes
caught mine and followed me as I walked on. A memory I would
constantly play in my mind.
 About 3 weeks later, on the first beautiful sunny fall day, my
long-time friend Pam and I decided to go to the SPCA to exercise
and socialize the dogs. We started in the front row of kennels
and made our way around. We planned to walk them all.
When I got to the left second row, I stopped at kennel number
A-14 to take that dog out, when I heard a loud pleading excited
bark that I almost thought I heard say "No! Me! Over here! Me!"
I moved down to where I heard the barking. It was coming from
kennel A-18. I looked down and saw the cute dog with the big
beautiful brown eyes, I had seen almost 3 weeks ago! I said "And
who are you Mister?"
I read his information on the outside of his kennel. He was
found tied to the fence at the shelter on September 9, the
morning I first saw him. His shelter given name was "Arnie" (I
nicknamed him "the bean" because he looked like a Mexican
jumping bean in his kennel). I reached inside his kennel and
struggled to get the leash around his neck. He came bounding
out! He pulled me around the kennels and down the ramp. I walked
him for 45 minutes, yet his energy seemed to keep going! I
finally sat down by my friend, and much to my surprise, he
curled up in my lap, with his head resting on my arm, and fell
asleep while Pam and I talked. When I put him back in his
kennel, he gave me those sad eyes. I told him I'd be back.
For the next 5 weeks, every time I went to the shelter, he would
do every trick in his book to get my attention. I took him out
and either walked him, bathed him, brushed him, or just let him
sit in my lap.
One day, I was glancing at a local weekly news magazine, and I
saw his picture. He was the LA-SPCA'S" Pet of the Week". I cut
it out and put it on my refrigerator. I smiled every time I
looked at it! I felt so drawn to him! I figured he would be
adopted within days after his picture was in the paper. He was
too cute to pass up!
 On Saturday, October 27, I got to the shelter early to prepare
for our adoption day. At that time of the morning, the kennel
assistants are feeding the dogs, cleaning their kennels, and
walking them. I took a walk around to find "the bean", but did
not see him! My heart skipped a few beats. I hung my head down
as I thought rather sadly, “but he found a home!" I walked back
toward the entrance ram. I stopped and stood at the top. I
looked out and saw "the bean" pulling with all his might,
choking himself, and dragging the poor kennel assistant up the
ramp to get to me! A large smile spread across my face. When he
finally reached me, he jumped up, wrapped his paws around my
waist, pushed down, and licked my face. His tail was wagging so
hard, he almost fell over...
That was it!! Right then and there, I knew I had fallen in love
with him! I decided that it would be me who would take him home
and give him the good life he deserved to live. I filled out the
required paper work and brought my two eleven-year-old shelties
to the shelter to meet him. On November 1, 2006, I picked him up
from the shelter and brought him to his forever home. I renamed
him Duncan.
Epilogue
All things in life happen for a reason.
Twenty-five days after Duncan's homecoming "my little heart", an
11-year-old sheltie, Sebastian, suddenly became ill. A trip to
the vet the next day revealed bladder cancer. Despite aggressive
treatment, it was too far advanced. He died in my arms on
December 5, 2006.
 A few days after his death, I was working at my desk. Duncan
nudged my arm. I looked down at him and happened to notice,
nestled in all his brown and black fur that he had a little
white heart on his chest that I had not noticed before now!
Duncan will never take Sebastian's place, but he marched himself
into my heart at the right time when it was needed the most.
Although Duncan had only been with us a short time, he sensed
that we were grieving and gave us the time to go through it.
Bailey (Sebastian's inseparable twin brother) grieved deeply for
about 3 weeks, scaring me. He slowly came back around and has
found new friendship with Duncan.
Duncan has adapted well in his new home. He enjoys walking 3
miles with me and rearranging my landscaping. He is currently in
obedience classes where he is learning how to train me! Life
goes on......
Many Thanks to Scott Stuntz of
Muttshotz Photography for his expertise and patience in
getting the right "shots" for this story. I am deeply grateful
to have such wonderful photos that I'll treasure forever! Thank
You Scott!!!!
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