“Tonight I’ll dream while I’m in bed when silly thoughts go through my head about the bugs and alphabet and when I wake tomorrow I’ll bet that you and I will walk together again. I can tell that we are gonna be friends. Yes I can tell that we are gonna be friends.” ~The White Stripes, We’re Going To Be Friends
I haven’t been lucky enough in life yet to have my own kids. We’ve already established my marriage didn’t work out, so it probably won’t be a big surprise when I reveal the following…
To date I have experienced love at first sight only once in my life. I was shopping with my ex at a store that primarily sells farming and camping equipment. It was a long drive to said store, so he asked if I would come with to keep him company. I said yes because I’m an awesome girlfriend (we were still just dating). Within minutes of being at the store I was bored to tears. When I get bored, I get tired. When I get tired, I can’t stop yawning to the point where it almost seems sarcastic. In order to not make him feel like I was trying to rush his shopping spree, I decided to take a walk down some different aisles alone while he continued looking for whatever the hell he was looking for. I didn’t know my life was seconds away from changing.
At the end of my aisle there was a break before the next long set of aisles started. I looked left. The middle of the store was full of animals. So many shelter animals looking for a home. I didn’t see my face, but I imagined it lit the fuck up as fate pulled me towards my version of heaven. I didn’t know who to pet first! There was lots of barking, lots of playing, lots of excitement…and then my eye caught a chunky ball of white and tan-spotted silence over in the corner. Just sitting. Watching and waiting. I walked over, stuck out my hands and as her head fell heavy into them my heart exploded. She found me. I was done.
“Walk away.” It was my ex. He apparently saw where I was headed when I took leave and followed me. “I can’t.” (That was me.) “I love her.” (Still me.) I meant it. I felt it. She was scarred from abuse on top her head and neck. I noticed a small bite taken out of one of her ears towards the back when I was petting them. Little slashes were where fur should have been on her front legs. It was clear she recently had puppies. They dressed her in a yellow vest that read Adopt Me, except the “o” was a heart. She was two and half years old, they think. She was perfect. That was a Saturday. I wasn’t looking for a dog that Saturday. The right thing to do was walk away. So, naturally…
On Monday, I found myself driving out to Elgin, IL to get her. She sat on my lap the entire way home with the famous “Pit smile” on her face. I think we both felt free that afternoon. Isn’t that how you’re supposed to feel when you love someone?
