Dog Gone

Page 2 of 3

© 2001-2002 R.C. Barajas

(continued from page one)

ut if so... please, what about Argentina? The once proud Euro-centric country is teetering on the brink of collapse, its people holding their breath and dodging the rocks already shattering bakery windows. Bank accounts are frozen. Travel agencies are only accepting cash -- only a limited amount can be withdrawn at a time, not nearly enough for a plane ticket. Perhaps we are all connected now, yet this December, Christmas was cancelled in Buenos Aires, once considered the most wealthy, cosmopolitan city in Latin America. It is home of the Tango, for God sake -- how can they be slipping down the drain of economic and civil collapse?

And what about all the families in all the countries affected by the violence of 9/11? The ever widening ripples from ground zero, the sucking undertow still displacing the sand from under our feet. Global connection clearly has its dark side. But then, there was that moment of silence -- that truly Global moment of silence -- a week after the awful day. Scenes from ... everywhere, of people mourning the dead, showing support, sending the message of strength in numbers previously unimaginable. Global grief is a powerfully unifying force. Thank you, Osama. Didn't know we had it in us.

And what about those of us who feel so helpless in all this? Sure we can bolster the economy by buying new stuff, sending our money to the causes of our choice, reading the newspaper while shaking our heads over our dark roast, telling our kids how lucky they are, that they should stop complaining about this and that because look how many kids don't even have food on the table at Christmastime. We remind them that there are kids in their own school who don't have winter coats. And we fret about all the rest -- Argentina, Africa, Afghanistan, Annacostia...

Then we get a horrible wave of homesickness when we call our families who are far away, gathered together for the holidays. We hear the kids in the background shriek and giggle, and miss seeing them growing up...

And in the midst of all this, still the damn ad companies have the temerity to try to get me excited about a shiny new electric grill, guaranteed to drain away fat, and a load of products aiming to keep the dirt in my home at bay? I may be Home for the Holidays, but I sure as hell don't intend to spend my time cleaning up.

Boy, have they missed the boat.

They should have poured all their advertising dollars into gut-wrenching, guilt-inducing fund-raising campaigns. That, and ads for booze. And I don't mean Korbel; I'm talking about the real mind-numbing stuff, the cheap swill that can ease the pain for a week at a time between de-toxes. They could make a killing on that right about now. Maybe even start up the old cigarette commercials again -- I'd bet a lot of people are ready to give smoking another chance.

It must be obvious that this year will never be remembered by any of us as having contained the greatest holiday season. There's just too much back-story.

But to be honest, I have an additional problem coloring my feelings about these last few days. I am feeling guilty, saddened, and oddly bereft -- for a pair of puppies I never even met.

Until yesterday, we were in the market for a puppy. It seemed the perfect time. We paid almost $1,000 to finish fencing in the yard in preparation. We had decided to adopt a rescued animal, feeling it was important to teach the kids about the wonderful chance to give a needy animal a good home and lots of love. We looked around the local shelters with no immediate luck -- the dogs all too big, too old, or too... odd.

I started checking the websites of different ASPCA affiliates. Then, a few days ago, I read about 2 10-week-old female beagle-mix puppies at a hound rescue organization in a far-away, unattractively named place called Bivalve, MD. Sight unseen, I applied, as one couldn't even get much information until approved for adoption (the paperwork was more involved than taking out a mortgage). Next day, I got this response:

Dear Russell,
Your application has been approved for the most part. I apologize for taking so long. We have been swamped with applications. Either or both of the beagle mix pups are ready to go to their loving forever home...Do you have a vet in mind for their health maintenance?
CONGRATULATIONS!
In hopes of hearing from you,
Marth

There followed directions to the farmhouse. It would probably take us 4 hours.

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