Dear Anonymous and Wonderful Ensenadense (You'll know who you are),
I came home yesterday to an empty yard. Rio was nowhere to be seen. He didn't come to greet me; his cry-barking welcome was noticeably absent as I opened the door to the house and once inside, I looked around and noticed that something just wasn't right. I looked back outside and realized that Rio was gone. I frantically checked the yard thinking that he was hurt and was lying somewhere amongst the weeds and wild shurbs, hidden from view. I called his name only to be answered by the meowing of the cats, wanting to be let inside to have dinner and to snuggle up in their favorite spots to snooze in the afternoon sun.
I checked the perimeter of the yard looking for holes that would confirm my worst fears—that Rio was not in the safety of our yard and was God knows where with God knows who and in God knows what condition. The yard was secure. Someone had opened our gate while I was gone and in doing so, Rio had wandered away. The sinking feeling in my stomach threatened to become an all-encompassing pit, ready to consume my ability to think, to reason, to come up with a plan. I checked the corners of our street hoping that I would see Rio sniffing in familiar spots and found nothing.
I knew I could cover more ground in the car and so I speed away hoping to see some sign, some indication of what had happened to Rio or of where he might be. In the back of my mind, I was prepparing myself to accept that the chances of finding Rio were slim to none. He was gone and the best that I could hope for was the someone had decided to keep him and look after him, but the thought of someone else doing so made me sick to my stomach and the all-emcompassing pit threatened to get out of control.
I focused my thoughts on tracing the the familiar routes that we walk. Maybe Rio had headed to the local market; he knew how to get there, but the parking lot was empty when I drove by. I drove in circles, backtracking and expanding my grid, doubling back, hoping that I had missed him walking on the streets. I eventually made my way to my Dad's house thinking that it was highly unlikely that Rio could get there on his own but wanting to check all the same. I hoped that my Dad had come home from work and that he could offer some comfort, some reassurance that Rio would be found.
I pulled into the driveway and as I stepped up to the gate, I heard the familiar tinkling of Rio's dog tags. His curly gray face came trotting up the drive to greet me and I almost didn't believe my eyes. I opened the gate and scooped him up and held him close. Relief and stress slowly eased out of me and I was able to breathe once again. Rio was alive and unhurt and back in my arms. I cried like I haven't cried in a long time as Rio squirmed to lick my face.
The gate to my Dad's place had been closed and no one was home. Someone, some wonderful and kind Ensenadense, you know who you are, had found Rio and taken him to the address on his collar. I am so thankful that you were kind enough to take time out of your day to help a lost dog find his way home. Rio is much loved and I am forever in your debt. Thank you for what you have done for me and for my dog. I can only hope to follow your lead and to do the same for someone else someday.
Thank you again,
Andrea
After a long day, Rio is safely back at home where he belongs.
