Plan D: Divine Integrity Rescue
The Rescue of Team Boss
Boss had become my friend over a few weeks. The bringing of sandwiches, and other staples for living to his temporary abode under the bridge by the speedway cemented our relationship.
Boss was always happy to see me. He wasn’t afraid to let me know. Paw prints and dog fur around my summer tan legs and shorts was Bosses love language and I was happy to oblige.
The relationship with his owner Dave was a bit more problematic. Dave was a tall gaunt man. Recent life had not been easy on Dave and he wore it like a badge of bravado. He had somehow managed to commandeer one of the prime real estate of the homeless. Having accomplished this just after arriving in Flagstaff, he was allowed some level of bragging. Plus I was around, I had to count for something I figured.
Dave was not as gracious in his response to me just dropping by the bridge.
There’s a lot more to hide when you have little to show. Dave was a master of illusion so I never really knew the depth of his issues but clues were dropped. Enough things similar to having a bond, mental illness, problematic parenting, and addictions; yet just enough questions that I never fully let my guard down around Dave.
Early morning I awoke to a loud banging on my door. Cop knock was my first thought. I got out of bed and walked to my door.
“ Who is it ?” , I asked.
“Dave”, he replied.
“Oh f*** man hold on.”
I never opened my door so fast to shoot two individual bodies into my house .
“Come on back here", I directed him and Boss toward my bedroom. I hoped maybe some of this horrid wretching he had been loudly doing outside would be muffled inside.
“ What is going on?”, I demanded
“I’m sick sometimes the shower helps", he replies.
Whatever I think . I’m already in a heap of trouble.
“ you know where it is. I only have the two towels. I’m staying in my room with Boss and please try to keep it down okay ?. I finally hear the fumbling with knobs and the water start.
Oh my God what the f*** is going on here. My mind is racing. Is this a trick or a trap? what am I thinking? A man I barely know in my shower and his dog in my bed fast asleep. I knew I could do something for both of them. With Dave still groaning loudly in the shower I changed out of pajamas into shorts and a t-shirt threw on tennis shoes and laid back down on the bed with Boss covering us both with my blanket.
“How long for your hot water to come back?”, he yelled
That is what jolted me awake. I took a quick account of my surroundings and calmed down some.
“What I’ve never run it out. I’ve only been here a month myself so I don’t know".
“It wouldn’t be long enough anyway", he complained. “Sometimes the shower works to take the sickness away.”
I had put up a blanket between the two rooms at some point before my ninja nap.
“This is the weirdest shower you have here.”
I heard him over clumsily lift one leg over the edge of the tub
“ Hold on to the door", I instructed him.
“All right you watching me", he implored.
“Oh hell no", I said squeezing my ass shut even harder . Its just a tall tub and a short room. So anyway what now Dave ? I ask
“Hospital”, he says .
Now I’m awake.
“ That’s far from here. A long walk I don’t know even what time it is are the buses even running yet?
“No, I need an ambulance", Dave interjects.
“Oh s*** not here", I forcefully reply. “I’m probably toast already they can meet you at family food center. I’ll walk with you".
I turn to look and he’s already dressed and walking out the door with Boss.
“Dude geez hang on".
I fumbled for my keys in the cabinet above the stove rush out, close and lock my door.
It’s still dark outside and for June it’s chilly . I think to put some pants on but hear the familiar wretching coming from the front of the property.
Oh no if Boss starts barking this is over for me. I dashed through my gate and forcefully push Dave up the sidewalk and point him towards the right direction
“you want me to call or"
“911 what’s your emergency
“ I need an ambulance “
“okay sir where are you?”
“Near Family food center off of 4th".
I’m running behind him trying to catch the leash if he should drop it. He shortcuts to the alley that runs parallel to North Street. He bends over in the tall weeds and starts vomiting again. I keep on walking towards the family food center. Dave passes me.
“it’s something second street “
I glance at him and realize he is ghostly pale. I pick up my pace behind him I hear him explain a number then the horrific sound of dry heaves . I see him sitting on the low wall around the tree in the parking lot. He’s now dripping with sweat cupping the phone to his face. He answers personal questions.
I hear a siren in the distance and look over to where Dave is sitting. Shrouded by the tree I can see Boss’s leash loosely falling between his fingers. Boss is nowhere to be seen in the dark shadows falling between the building and the picnic table I was sitting on.
“I think that’s them" , I say.
“ yeah, here! , he tosses the leash towards me.
Do you think they’ll let me take him?
“Don’t know man I’ll make sure he’s safe though FMC isn’t a place for a dog.
The fire trucks arrive first and draw Dave out of the shadows. His gaunt features now glistened with dark rivelets falling under his eyes. I took the leash and waited for a cue that never came.
I looked to Dave who was being laid on his side on the gurney. The anticipated ambulance arrived as the next round of guttural emissions came from his wrecked body. I dodged to the side of the building. I took surveillance to see if anything was left. I saw nothing.
Boss and I started our walk back to my place. I fully expected an ambush upon return but nothing. I got us inside. I immediately proceeded to make a pot of coffee. Deep inside I knew this would be the calmest part of the day. 0610 the clock blazed red through the darkness of my books.
Oh my gosh what time did he get here My mind panicked at how early this whole thing happened.
I drank a pot of coffee and showered before the inevitable conversation happened. No need to hide anything as Boss answered the knock on my door with a low growl bark
“no boss go to sleep"
I closed the door that separated the front from the back of the trailer I slipped the lock on my front door and opened it to see my landlord standing there holding one forlorn piece of mail. A postcard from a months before activity prior to escaping the cult. A postcard of Joan of Arc.I bit back laughter at this untimely synchronicity during this important crossroads moment.
“I need to talk to you", he said.
“ yeah me too “, I replied.
So I stepped outside and listened to him explain his side of the situation which bottom line came down to bugs. He was much more concerned with the man than the dog which was where I stood as well.
I explained to him I planned to get a hold of my case manager at Catholic charities and see if we could get the dog some help. He agreed to let me take care of the dog problem. I promised the guy would not be allowed back in my trailer. I rushed back into my home to discover that boss had not eaten my house or phone while I had been outside discussing his future.
I went to Catholic charities and explained my plight to my case manager.
By this point Boss was completely out of control. Though only around 30 lb his will was as strong as his might. I was not prepared for Boss as he dragged and pulled me around for the better part of 2 hours while I waited for her to call animal control to have him picked up.
Finally the doggy paddy wagon rolled up. Ever happy to meet people boss made the exchange very easy. The officer led him to the back of the truck. With one large jump Boss landed in the trucks secure area. I gave the officer as much information as I had in order for Dave to reestablish ownership once the week-long medical hold for the dog was over. The officer gave me his card and put some instructions on the back of it regarding the hold that Boss was put on.
As I walked home from Catholic charities I checked the war wounds I had received from Boss. Scratches, cuts and bruises be speckled my legs.
On the short short walk home I reflected on the whole mess that was that morning. I decided that I would only help from afar and no more animals. Though I did feel a sense of pride in knowing I set Boss up for a week of no homelessness. I convinced myself what I had done was right. I called Dave’s phone and was startled when it rang in my bathroom.
“Oh well now he has to come back", I though to myself.
So I gathered up everything he had left soaking on the bathroom floor. I put it all outside on a chair close to my door. I put the card the animal control officer had left for him in a coffee cup he had left here on a prior visit. I went back inside locked the door and hid in the dark. I waited until I heard Dave come to knock on the door before I rolled over to sleep. “ Read the note please read the note", I tried to mind meld to him.
A few weeks later I was walking Route 66 when I heard a pitiful wail of a cry. I looked up to see Dave and Boss sitting by the rocks near China Yum. Dave had his hand over boss’s mouth. I hesitantly approached them.
“ Hey like I apologize, I stammered. None of it was supposed to go like that,”.
He looks stunned.
“ I accept your apology.” , he replied “Oh okay then good". I nervously laughed.
We talked for a minute or ten. We both had come to realize that neither of us was God. That everything had worked out just exactly the way that it was supposed to and that was All Right.
