WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO GAGE?

[1]

WAIT…WAIT

It happened so quickly. We were doing one of my favorite things, our early morning walk, Master, with his ever present latte, and I, having already enjoyed my ‘puppachino’ (a small cup of steam milk foam) at the coffee shop.

I’m glad so many of you asked. I know Master has told you of his traumatic and painful accident, but wait…wait…there were TWO of us. I lived through it all with him as it happened! His story isn’t all about him. I was there. It was the most awful thing ever to happen to me. Something I shall never forget!

We are in a big park near our home, one of my favorite “go to” places. We start down a series of cement steps toward the city street below when his foot slips, his ankle twists, and I feel him lunge forward.

I think, No, wait, this isn’t right! This can’t be happening. He is flying through the air, bouncing hard, then sliding headfirst down the steps. I run with him as he continues to twist and slide. And suddenly we’re at the bottom and Master comes to a stop with an agonizing cry—like I’ve never heard before. Then I hear him calling out over and over, “Oh, Jesus, help us!”

I am still on leash, frozen to the spot, staring at him. What am I supposed to do? I recognize the name, but I never knew who he was before this. Just a name. It’s the same name Master talks to when I sit and he lays his hand on me and blesses my breakfasts and dinners.

We are here for what seems like forever, Master groaning in pain. And then I see him, stepping through the early morning mist. He stops, leans down and asks, “Are you okay, mister?” Can you believe it? This man even knows Master’s name! And I know right away who he is. It’s Jesus come to help us, just like Master asked. And the coolest thing ever, he has a dog with him!  

Two more men stop to help, one puts his coat under Master’s head, like a pillow. Soon a big truck comes and strangers scoop up Master and put him inside. A scary siren, some flashing lights, and he’s gone. Gone where? And I’m left alone with Jesus and his dog.

HOME WITH JESUS

He takes me to his home, and after awhile, Jesus goes to work. Now I’m alone with his wife, Jessica, and their dog, Teddy. I keep asking her about Master. Where is he? I try to tell Jesus’ wife that I need to be with him, not here. I bark, but nothing. She walks me, tries to comfort me. I keep getting louder.

Soon the neighbors are complaining to Wesley, the building maintenance man, who comes to see what is the problem. He offers to take me, so I go with him the rest of the day, walking around and helping him fix things. Late in the afternoon, Mark shows up. He’s family, one of my very best people. I’m so relieved, I almost break my tail, wagging. I say goodbye to the nice people and go to Mark and Michele’s (my home away from home).

REUNION

The next day, Michele, (this is Master’s daughter and my very best person), takes me to see Master. He’s in a bed in a strange room with strange smells, looking pale with his arm in a cast and sling. I’m not sure what I expected, but it isn’t this. I take one look at Master, turn around and crawl up onto a chair and don’t get down until we leave.

For the next few days, its hard to see him like this. Was it my fault? I think I failed Master somehow. This should not have happened. Then we start getting better together. It’s almost feeling like normal, when Master goes back to the big place with the room where more strangers are making him better, they say.

The next day we bring Master home again. More days go by. Master’s emotions are all over the place, like he says, from “total despair to blow dry,” when Michele washes and dries his hair. We start playing again, but much slower now and more carefully. And more nice strangers, carrying big interesting bags, filled with toys they use to strap on his arm or stick in Master’s mouth to make him feel better.

We talk to Jesus again before every meal. And now I know who he is. He’s the HELPER who comes when people cry out, “Jesus, help us!” And he has a dog[2]. 

A DOG’S PURPOSE

I’ve learned a lot about being a ESA/RWR[3] therapy dog in all of this. But there’s so much more to learn out here in the real world.

Late one afternoon Master is sitting on the floor near the fireplace, his back against a chair. Michele is nearby. They are quiet. I’ve never seen Master so sad before. He looks beaten. I don’t know what to do or how to help. So I come and sit in front of him. Our eyes meet for a long silent moment. Then I lay down on the floor between his legs and put my head on his lap. I am as close to him now as I can possibly be. And we are together this way for a very long time. 

[1] To read the true story prequel to this blog, go to https://wardtanneberg.com/2019/01/14/you-cant-stop/

[2] It turns out GAGE’s “Jesus” is really Jensen Vessels, who with his wife, Jessica, live on the opposite side of Bellevue’s Downtown Park. Early morning, December 21, 2018, he was GAGE’s and my “Good Samaritan.”

[3] GAGE is a trained 18-month-old Emotional Support Animal (ESA) / Reading with Rover (RWR) Therapy dog.