To read Georgie’s story from the beginning, click here.
Georgie
My alarm sounds off…. waking me from a deep sleep…. First thought, “Who the hell set my alarm so early!” In another minute I remember…. my stomach does a flip-flop.
With my mapquest directions in hand, I’m off. The sun is shining brightly. It’s a cool morning. I get a little nervous when my exit comes up…. Crenshaw Blvd. I turn down the ramp. The street doesn’t look scary. My hands start to sweat. “What if I get shot while I’m down here? Did I tell Darrell exactly where the shelter was? “ I pull out my cell phone, positive that if I don’t call someone and tell them where I’m headed, I’ll wind up a Jane Doe at the LA county morgue. I think I watch too much Law and Order…. I dial Jill.
“Hey! You’ll never guess where I am…. I’m in South Central going to rescue a dog. He was found roaming the streets with graffiti spray painted all over him. Just wanted to let you know…. in case…you know, in case I get shot while I’m down here.” She laughs. We chat a minute and then I hang up…
I continue driving. All of a sudden panic strikes. I read the next street sign. “Shit! I’m lost!” Silently I curse my inherited sense of direction. My hands really start to sweat now…I’m LOST in South Central LA…. Gangland! Me in my shiny new PT Cruiser. Blonde hair, trunk full of dog treats and bones…. I keep my self together, long enough to read the directions again…
Ten minutes later, I pull up to the shelter. It’s not open yet and I ask the woman in front where I can park. She gives me a look…”Anywhere you want….” I imagine she mutters “idiot” under her breath. I pull up the long driveway to the top of the building. Should I wait in the car? Go to the front? Rande said I need to be there first. (Bad. Men) I jump out of my car and walk as fast as I can to the front door.
I don’t want to look like I’m being inpatient, so I read every lost dog notice on the bulletin board. I see a man across the street…he looks like he trying to break into the car. I look away. If he sees me he might shoot me. Then I’ll end up a Jane Doe at the LA County morge. Wait…didn’t I just…Finally, it’s eight and the door opens.
I don’t’ know what I was expecting…a huge crowd there to adopt abandoned dogs and cats. Turns out I was the only one there. The only one. I felt sad about that. I can hear the dogs…in the distance…barking non stop. ‘I’m the only one here…the only one.’ I get a lump in my throat.
A very nice man asks if he can help. I blurt out, “I’m here to bail out a dog, impound number (I consult my paper) A243938, white, pit bull, 1 year old, not neutered. This is the first time I’ve done this, I’m with Karma Rescue, He’s going to Animal Birth Control…Do I have to see where they keep the dogs?….” I don’t think I took a breath! He smiles, stands up and points at the door. “The dogs are this way….
“I DON’T want to go in there!”
He laughs, “I was just kidding. I would never make you go in there. Some sad sights there. Sad.“ For a moment he looks like he might cry and then his face breaks into a smile. His smile is huge and I feel a little silly for practically screaming in his face. He pulls up the dog on his computer and tells me to take a seat. Then he winks at me. ‘He’s a beauty!’ I smile.
I sit in the deserted lobby for what seems like forever. Finally the man comes back, and hands me a stack of paperwork. He is so nice. Really friendly. He introduces himself as Don. I suddenly feel like everything is going to be ok. Don hands me 2 photographs.
“I see you like the light pits. Here are 3 you might want to tell Rande about. These two are sisters. Beautiful, sweet and well trained. 2 yr olds. And this one got adopted then returned. Sad. He’s a puppy. People just don’t understand the work involved with a baby. Now he has a black mark against him…. A returned dog doesn’t adopt out very easily. “
My heart aches looking at the photos. I know we can’t take anymore. We hardly have the room for the ones we have saved. I take the papers and tell him I will give them to Rande.
As I sit and fill out the paperwork, the building starts to fill up. Not with adopters, but with employees. Everyone is so friendly. Everyone says hello to me or smiles. A man stops to ask if I found my dog. I tell him I’m rescuing the spray painted dog. To my amazement he asks which one. I can’t believe there is more than one. He tells me he has been looking for his dog since New Year’s Eve. She got scared and ran away. In his neighborhood they shoot guns in the air to bring in the New Year. His eyes are really sad. “She’s been with me for ten years,” he continues. “I don’t’ think she’ll be coming home. “ He sounded certain. I wanted to cry.
Finally everything is done and I’m the proud mama of a white, year old, unneutered pit bull terrier. With nothing left to do, I gather up my stuff, feeling really good. I went to a scary place and realized it wasn’t so scary. I saved a life. My stomach does a flip-flop. This time there is no fear, only excitement. I can’t wait to meet this little boy. Georgie. The first dog I rescued….
As I walk past Don’s desk, I smile. ‘Thank you so much Don! You really made it not so terrible.’
Don smiled his huge smile, ‘No problem, pretty lady. Come back anytime.’
Who knows, maybe I will.
…To Be Continued…
