Oliver

Two years ago a puppy from the “lalies” found his way to our yard and hearts like the swallows which return each spring to build their nests on our windows. We were hosting our annual Ladies Conference. When the dogs in our community hear the rustle of breaking branches and smell swirls of smoke from the Mission’s kitchen their noses point involuntary east and their feet and droopy tails follow.  I saw the puppy happily slurping rice water from the drain next to the kitchen.  At dusk he was still there and whatever I did to help him out, did not work. He just sat sleepily, stomach bulging from a whole weekend’s food outside the gate and the moment I turned, he crawled back through the gap in the fence.  It was misty and cold and I took him inside.  Fleas were doing summersaults and triple flips on him.  I washed him and as I rubbed him with a towel, he fell asleep on my lap, a breathing little teddy bear posing as a dog.

We took him to the SPCA (his first drive on a very bumpy dirt road) and he threw up on us when we parked. They did not have space for him and we adopted him straight away.  His original name was “Jet” as he would leap in the air with spurts of energy.   In the afternoons he and Sparkles (our goofy Weimeraner) would run in circles with Oliver flopping unexpectedly against her after his Jet-moves. You could almost see laughter in his amber eyes.  I call him Oliver the Traveler as he loves to sneak out and visit the local people-especially our pre-school cook. Recently he has decided to stay with her on a more permanent base as he is allowed to sleep next to her bed at night.  She tried to coax him back home but he is quite a stubborn fellow and loves his dog-friends and adopted family.

Last night I dreamt of him running around and my heart ached when I woke up. This afternoon I heard a yelp in front of the kitchen.  It was Oliver sitting in front of his bowl. I smothered him with a hug till he drooled. He gobbled his food so I missed the tell-tale signs.  His energy was renewed and he disappeared around the corner back to his new mama who was still working in the kitchen at the end of the yard. I did not mind—as long as he comes back to say hello. When the mama brought me the keys she asked “Ubetyile?-Did he eat?” I just nodded happily and did not suspect anything. He trotted happily next to her and then I noticed—his ears were hanging. Mama Zile did not allow him to go back with her and then I realized that Oliver is ill.
As he was lying on his mat, I prayed for him because the vet is far and I won’t be able to take him to town till Monday…