The Best Gift Was Free
The feeling I’d made a difference was priceless.
Bruce Coulter wants to know the best gift I’ve ever given.
No-kill shelters often have ‘specials’ close to the holidays, and the shelter where I volunteered was no different. During a special, it’s all hands on deck with lines out the door. I was a host, greeting people and directing them to the dogs or cats.
It was two o’clock when an elderly gentleman came through the doors, looking somewhat confused at all the commotion. I approached him and asked if he’d come to adopt a dog.
“Well, I’m just gonna take a look,” he said. “I’m not sure what I’ll end up doing. My Martha’s been gone, well, mebbe a little over a year, and I might like me some company.”
“That’s a great idea,” I said. “Let me show you where the dogs are. Did you want a big dog, small one, maybe something in between?
“I don’t have much of a plan, not big-big, though.”
“Well, why don’t you head down this hallway? You’ll find the smaller dogs in the purple room. We’ve got more on the right in the yellow room, but they tend to be larger. Enjoy!”
A half-hour later I saw him walking toward the door, looking disappointed, no dog in tow, nor had I seen him spend any time with an adoption…
