It was early morning, the fourth of March 2016, when I chanced upon a dog curled up and sleeping on the road. Now, I know all the dogs in my neighborhood and this one was new. So I thought I’d go over and
check on him. I was going to cross the road when his eyes opened and he saw me.
He leapt up and jumped into my arms – it was like he knew I was the one – he had finally found me.
He smelled like a dead rat, was a bag of bones and was riddled with fleas.
I said, “Okay, come I’ll give you bath.” He followed.
But I have my own mutt at home and he barked his head off and tried to chase him. But this dog barked back. It was like as if he said, “No, she wants me. I’m coming in!”
I got him into the house and people said don’t pet it, I pet it. People said don’t feed it, I fed it. Someone says don’t bathe
it, if I have to bathe it, I will.
I asked for three days to find him a place.
The best part about this day was that after bath, I gave him food and water on my balcony.
He ate, he drank and then he laid down. He breathed a huge sigh of relief and slept. It melted my heart to see the look of relief on his face.
He was so happy, he wouldn’t stand still for a photo.
Three days later, no one was willing to take him. I hadn’t told my dad or my brother that there was a dog in the house. I would take him for walks and bring him back to my room unnoticed. My mom was afraid my dad might venture onto my balcony and get bitten. So I had to inform everyone.
I told my dad there’s a dog on the balcony. Let him be.
[What’s important in this story is that my dad was in a really bad place. He had just been through a series of
health problems – seizures, a heart attack, a stroke, a bypass surgery, cancer, surgery, chemo + A LOT of
medication. He was in a lot of pain and anger, and that resulted in him fighting with us all the time. And I had prayed that this ends and we get back to being a family again.]
When I mentioned a dog, he got so happy and said I want to see. He came to my balcony and the two of them met and it was love at first sight! My dad took him to his room and that was it. The two of them
became best friends – it’s a love like no other.
I named him Bailey but the dog would just snigger at the name and ignore me.
That night, I dreamt I was calling him Tommy. When I woke up, I just said the word ‘Tommy’, and this dog was on top of me licking my face!
So believe it or not, now his name is Tommy.
I can go away for ten days and get a warm greeting from Tommy.
But my dad goes away for ten minutes and gets a greeting like he hasn’t seen him in years! He brought my dad out of that unhappy negative space and just gave him the love and therapy he needed.
I truly believe this darling was sent to rescue us.