Think about losing your job and having your lights turned off.  Now think about being locked out of your home by the mortgage company.  Then the repo guy comes for your car.  No cell phone.  No computer. Not even a change of clothes.  You sit on a street until you are run out of the neighborhood because now you’re a vagrant – no longer wanted. 

You walk and walk until dark falls.  You hover under a bridge for shelter from the rain and find a beat up cardboard box you crawl into for the night.  Everything is gone. E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G.  Days turn into weeks.  You beg on the corner for loose change while people drive by yelling, “Get a job!”  You have nothing.

Then one day she comes loping down the street.  She’s dirty, thirsty, and has a wary look in her eye.  She draws near and you offer this four-legged visitor some water, keeping your distance.  She laps the water quickly, looks up and for the briefest of moments, she wags her tail.  You extend your hand.  She slowly crawls to you.  And now you have someone else to focus on.  Someone who is as beat up as  you.  Someone homeless like you.  Someone without anything in the world – except now she has you and you have her.

You bond.  She follows you.  You share your food from the dumpster.  She sleeps next to you at night, keeping you warm.  Where you go, she patiently follows.  You talk to her, tell her it will get better…someday. She becomes your world.

Then someday it does get better.  You hear about an open shelter.  You head that way hoping to be first in line. You reach the building and there, in bold letters, is a sign that says, “No Pets”.  You look at your companion. You turn and walk away to find a new bridge and a new box. Continue reading →