Ten heart attacks later...

Nellie and I were finishing a lovely, and for me, rather brisk walk about town, when suddenly, three dogs on retractable leashes (accidents waiting to happen) went for Nellie. The woman holding the leashes was maybe 5 feet tall and weighed about as much as a puff of wind. Two of her dogs were small, but the third was probably a Rottweiler/Buffalo mix (that dog is massively built). The poor woman got tangled immediately by all the dogs running rings around her and at the time I was more worried about her falling over (she's no spring chicken) than anything else. Turns out that wasn't the worry.

Nellie somehow slipped out of her martingale collar, which is supposed to be slip proof (well NOW we know better), and ran like the hounds of hell were after her. I'll give her props: she did look back twice when I called out to her. Looking back and coming back are two different things though, and she just kept going lickety-split. Once I was able to untangle myself from the woman and her dogs, I went faster than I've gone since 8th grade track team. Ah, track team. The slowest one of the bunch - but I digress. 

There I am, stumping down the street with my cane and a pounding heart after Nellie. I pass a man walking his dog. "Did you see a dog run past you?" A "yes" followed by "Did you notice where she went?" Another "yes" and an arm pointing out her trajectory. He could tell I wasn't in it for the conversation, I just needed to follow the contrail Nellie was leaving behind her supersonic exit.

I'm fumbling for the phone to call long-suffering partner and tell him to get in the car and start scouring the neighborhood. But as I hung up, I had a fleeting thought that she might be headed home. That was the made-for-TV happy ending I had in my mind. Two more blocks to go before home. Partner passes in the car only to yell he hasn't seen her. "Keep looking," I yell back. Last block to home and pass a woman who looks a little spooked. Again I asked if she's seen a loose dog and again a yes. But the answer for the location was a bit frightening. Up near killer road. Heart pounding even harder, I push my legs to work faster...and faster. 

Home. Walking up to the front porch prepared to throw myself in the car to go searching. And who should be standing at the top of the stairs? Happy TV movie ending. Yes. Nellie - wagging her tail for all it was worth and looking quite satisfied that she knew where home was and made it in one piece. And me crying in relief that she not only knew where to go to be safe, but she chose, after only 3 weeks with us, to get there and wait until someone showed up. 

Guess who is going to be in her harness for walkies from now on!

After that heart-pounding morning, let's end on a Zen note of peace and beauty with two flowers. One is shaped like a butterfly and one like a cone. Both fabulous.