Early Sunday mornings I load Ben and Maggie, my two young border collies, into the car, stop for a cup of coffee and sip it on the drive to the city for our weekly walk through the deserted downtown streets.
The two smart dogs are fascinated with all the different sights and smells in the city. They look carefully at everything, adding it all to their store of knowledge (they are becoming city dogs as well as mountain dogs).
We walked up several steps of stairs to an upscale outdoor shopping area, checked out the flowers in the park, went through the century old pavillion circled by giant concrete pillars.
Ben and Maggie and I walked around the edge of a building and happened upon a red-haired security guard sitting on a stool basking in the 7am August sunshine. The dogs were quiet and we startled her, which wasn't hard to do since she had her eyes closed.
She was thrilled to have some canine visitors. Maggie liked the guard lady at the first sound of her voice, and pulled hard to go over and get a tummy rub from the nice lady. Ben who is fearful of most strangers was petrified when the guard reached over to touch Maggie. Fortunately Ben endured his fright with out letting go with a terrifying growl like he sometimes does. (I am trying to cure him of his aggressive fear. Placing my hand on his shoulder when he meets strangers usually calms him).
The security guard told me she had a dog for eighteen years, until last year. She said her old dog came down from heaven one night and slapped her on the side of the face and said 'this little dog needs you', which induced her to adopt a new dog that had been mistreated - even burned with cigarettes. She told us how much she loved her new companion and was so happy to see Ben and Maggie today.
An early morning walk is just right for the pace I like to live. Ben and Maggie got real excited at the squirrels that live in the old oaks in front of the capitol. We got to enjoy the incredible late summer flower gardens in front of the city and county building, and met a sleepy security guard with a big heart.
I read an article not too long ago about good people who are like angels in our everyday lives, and on the way back to my car I was wondering if I had just come across one.
Life starts the fire. Love fans the flame.
. . . Kate Wolf
18/17/01; Est. 7/5/95
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In Mountain and Meadow - Life
August 12 ~2001