It was such a beautiful afternoon yesterday that I made a phone call to my mom. I thought that maybe she'd like to go for a walk. My step-dad answered and said she was out pruning roses.

Late last week my folks sold their truck. They'd had it for years and they were looking to buy a bigger, more powerful truck. I jokingly asked my step-dad if they had bought a new truck yet? He quickly replied that they had, that morning. He sounded excited and I told him we'd be over a little later so we could get a good look at it before sundown.

It is a handsome, big truck and my folks were very proud to show it off. They asked my husband and me if we wanted to take a short ride in it and of course we did.

As we were admiring the smooth ride we drove past a house. In the yard was a black, furry dog. He had a loose fitting sweater on and looked like he was lost and hunting for his human family. He wandered from the yard to the curb and back. He seemed to be confused and worried. I said a prayer that the Lord would keep him safe from harm. The house is in a bad part of town, on a very busy street and the dog seemed oblivious of the onrushing vehicles.

Later that evening we said our good-byes and as we left my folks' place my husband decided he wanted to have dinner at a Mexican food restaurant we like. The restaurant is out of the way from our homeward route and the drive took us down the street where I had seen the black dog.

It was dark with a full moon hanging high in the night sky. As I neared the house I noticed a black object in the middle of the road. I slowed down and discovered it was the same dog. He got up slowly and went back to that house. I frantically sent up some more prayers. I turned down another street feeling a rising panic for the dog. I was so disturbed after I passed the house that I told my husband I had to go back.

When I drove back the dog was out in traffic and almost got hit twice as two cars passed right next to him (I'm guessing "him" as it was too dark to tell.) I thought sure he'd get hit. A scream rose in my throat.

I quickly turned onto a side road, doubled-back and drove to the house. The street is narrow and parking on it is not allowed so I parked in the driveway. No one was home. A floodlight came on and the gate to the backyard was open . . .

Sighting the dog down the road a piece we whistled and called to him. When I pulled into the driveway I think the dog believed we were his family. He perked up and trotted our way. My husband bent down and called the dog. When he realized my husband was not his family the dog stopped. I feared he would run into the street. I asked my husband to stand up and come over to the house.

The dog, a Chow mix, followed us and we walked into the backyard, all the time calling, talking, and whistling. He followed us to the back. YEAH!!! The thought occurred to me that the neighbors might have called the police to complain about two crazy people doing something at their next door neighbor??™s house. I did a mental shrug??”my focus was on getting the poor dog out of the street and safe.

We tried to shut the gate, but it wouldn't click shut. My husband looked and discovered a slide-latch on the inside of the gate, but it was too low for us to reach over the gate to bolt it. We looked around for something to keep the gate shut and found large, heavy concrete blocks stacked up beside the carport. We took two of those and placed them in front of the gate. My husband suggested leaving a note. He wrote one and I put it on the door.

After dinner I drove back by the house, hoping to find someone home. There was an SUV in the driveway and a light on in the house. I went to the front door and knocked. A young man greeted me. I asked if it was his dog. He said it was. He then smiled and thanked us for getting him secured and safe in their backyard.

I was all but crying when I returned to my car. For every deceased animal I have seen on the roadside, I have said a prayer for its spirit, and for those it left behind who may have been dependent on him or her. And every time I see a loose or lost dog I say a prayer. Many times I have gone back and did what I could to see the dog to safety or back to its home. But I have never had the success we had last night! I made a difference!!

Had my husband not wanted to eat at that particular restaurant I wouldn't have driven down the street and seen the dog in peril. That was no coincidence. God had given me a gift in allowing me to help Him make a difference in one dog??™s life.

I can??™t stop smiling??¦  

Copyright ?© 2005 by Kathy Anne Harris
kathyanneharris@spirit-soul.com

~*~

I live in central, sunny California, where I share my life with my husband and our furry family. I work full time for a living, and I write in order to live fully. My works have been featured in 2TheHeart, StoryTime Tapestry, Starfish, Driftwood, CatTails, Petwarmers, Heartwarmers, Insight of the Day, Warm Fuzzy Stories, Gwen's Place Newsletter, Sir Froggie's Positive News Network, and Eternal Ink. I am also a weekly columnist for the publication "Frank Talk" which is distributed in three counties in Michigan, USA. I have four published novels, 3 fiction and 1 non-fiction, which can be orderd from Amazon.com and Barnes&Noble.com