I'll Be Home For Christmas
I was
lost, dirty and hungry, wandering the streets of Richmond in August
of 2008. In my travels, I happened upon a convenient store and
thought I'd hit the dumpster to see if there was anything worth
scavenging. Jackpot! A half-eaten burger, wrapped back up and still
slightly warm. As I gently unwrapped the burger, I noticed a group of
people staring at me, so I wolfed the burger down. I wasn't gonna let
anyone take my find, no way, no how. It's been hard enough fighting
off the stray dogs that try to take any food I come across. Well, I
sneaked a look back at the folks that had stared, and one man was
slowly coming toward me with his hand held out. In his hand was
another burger. I could smell it-oh, man. As he neared, I realized
that he was offering the burger to me.
Now,
I can take care of myself. Don't get any ideas that I can't. Yeah, I
hadn't had a chance at bath in a while. Yeah, my hair was greasy and
snarled. Yeah, I was a little…well, honestly MORE than a little
rank, but I didn't need any handouts. I could take care of myself.
I
took the hamburger.
While
I was eating, the man spoke to me in a gentle voice, like I was
afraid of him-HA. I fear no one. I've lived on the streets and taken
care of myself for a couple of months now. I can handle myself in any
situation.
Well,
this guy, he started describing a place where I could go where, if I
wanted, I could maybe get a bath, three squares and a place to sleep.
Like I said, I can handle myself, but lately it's been getting harder
to eat because I have a few rotten teeth, and some big dogs have
chased me away from the best dumpsters. I thought I'd give it a
chance. If I didn't like it, I could always leave. No fences or doors
were going to stop me if I wanted out.
I
ended up at the City shelter, where I got cleaned up and fed. Not too
bad a deal, actually. Better yet, I met somebody. No, no, not like
that-she's a friend, get it? She took me home and put me up in her
own house-how many people would do that for somebody they don't know
anything about? I coulda run off with the silverware or something.
But I wouldn't do that, 'cause I can take care of myself just fine.
My friend made sure that I had enough to eat, a place to sleep and
all the hot water for baths that I could dream of. It's pretty good
to feel clean and fed after being dirty and hungry for awhile.
My
friend also helped me get to the doctor to get my teeth (and
everything else) looked at. When she found out the getting my bad
teeth pulled was expensive, well, something unusual happened.
It
seems that there are LOTS of people like my friend out there. Y'know,
people who help out. Now, I haven't had much experience with the
Internet, but she went and typed up my doctor's recommendation to a
bunch of her online friends, and they chipped in to take care of my
doctor bill-imagine that! People that didn't even know me!
After
awhile, my friend began to talk to me about getting on with my life,
and having a home of my own. Y'know, she can't help but one at a
time, so she couldn't help anyone else while she was helping me.
Well, I thought that was it-she was gonna throw me out, but that's
all right. I can take care of myself just fine.
Well,
that's not what she meant. She told me that I wasn't gonna have to
live on the street anymore, and that those Internet friends of hers
were looking for a place that I could live. Like, live there forever
and not have to eat out of dumpsters anymore. Well I reckon those
dumpster burgers weren't so bad, but I was getting kinda used to
being in a home, y'know? With regular meals and being clean and all,
I was feeling like a regular girl, and I was starting to want more
for myself, too.
Christmas
was coming, and that's when my friend said her Internet buddies had
found a home for me. In Connecticut, with a couple that saw my
picture and asked for me. Asked for ME! Imagine that…
Tomorrow
I get to take a road trip, and I will be leaving my friend forever.
She's packed up my favorite things to take with me, and she tells me
that I will be making lots of new friends at the end of my journey.
I'll be in my new home for Christmas. I never thought much of
Christmas before, but now I am getting a precious gift-new friends, a
new home and a new life. I'm never gonna have to take care of myself
or be all alone again. And maybe, just maybe…I can take care of my
new friends, too.
Brooke
Stray
German Shepherd Dog
Last
Hope Safe Haven Rescue
Christmas
2008
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