Ruby

I was on my way to work and I was approaching my turn off East Washington onto Few st. About a hundred yards up, something strange caught my eye. It looked like an animal rolling around in the street. Being the curious person that I am, I decided to go and rubberneck the thing in the street instead of going straight to work.

When I got close to the animal in the street, I could see it was a dog. The dog was rolling around on it's back, snarling and snapping at the air, barking, and carrying on intensely. It was pretty obvious that it had been hit by a car. East Washington is a really big street, it's divided with a median strip in the middle, and has 2 traffic lanes plus a parking lane on each side. Parked just before the dog rolling around was a City of Madison dump truck with 2 bozo's, smoking cigarettes, sitting in it. The dog was in the right hand lane. I stopped my pickup truck just about even with the city truck in the right hand lane to stop traffic, I didn't get run over while I checked out this injured dog. I could now see the dog's head was covered with blood.

I was just stepping out onto the street and the driver of the dump truck hailed me. He grinned and said that the cops were on their way to shoot the dog. I just glared back at him, and approached the dog. I was going to pick up that dog and take it to the vet. I didn't even think about it. What I did think about was getting bit in the face. I knew I was going to get bit in the face, there was no question in my mind, I was going to get bit in the face. I was just out of biting range of the dog when I hesitated. I turned my face to the side as far as it would go, looked away, bent over, slid my arms under the dog, and lifted her off the ground.

To my utter amazement, I did not get bit. The dog immediately stopped snarling and started to whimper. She was crying. I was still sure I was going to get bit. With my head turned as far away as possible from the creature in my arms, I carried her back to my pickup and put her on the passenger side of the seat. Up close, I could see that she had a big gash on the top of her head, but not too much else wrong with her. She'd probably been hit by that jerk in the city truck, the dump truck was high enough off the road to clip the dog's head without crushing the dog like a car or pickup would. Probably on purpose. And he was waiting for the cops. Taking an extra break, and smoking a few extra cigarettes. Life sure is cheap isn't it? I knew where I'd take her.

A couple of blocks from the cab company, is a vet's office. My own dog was one of Dr. Mike's patients, and I had an account there. I was glad to see that it was open early. I took one last look at the poor pup lying on my front seat, sobbing, and went into the vet's office. The vet tech asked if he could help me, and I said yes he could. I gave him my name, said I was a client, and that I had a really beautiful Irish Setter in my pickup truck that had been hit by a car. Put the dog on my tab, it has no collar. I'm late for work, I'll check back later in the day and see how the dog is doing, it's got a big gash on it's head.

Finally, since I was lucky, and did not get bit while I was picking the dog up off the street and putting it on my seat, and have not so far been bitten today, would it be possible for you to get the dog out of my pickup truck and bring it in? She's just lying there whimpering, but you do this for a living, and I already took my chance at getting bit. I'm late for work, and I'd prefer not to press my luck. Thanks.

When the vet tech brought in the dog, he took her past me, into the back. I never saw her again.

I'd been driving about 2 hours when J.D. said, "R.C., you're where do what?"

I came back with where I was and what I was doing. He told me I had to get empty, and call Roy on the phone when empty.

What did I do now? I haven't done anything today. I haven't done anything this week. Why am I in trouble? What a day, first that dog, and that will cost god only knows how much, and now I'm in trouble for something. Some days are just like that. So, I got empty, and called Roy.

Roy asked if I took a dog to the vet on the way to work. Yes, I did, why, did the dog die? Am I on the hook for thousands of dollars and the vet wants to talk to me right away? That dog didn't look like it was hurt that bad when I dropped it off. He kind of chuckled and said, no I wasn't in any trouble, and the owners of the dog were very grateful to have their dog back. They wanted to know if they owned me anything.

Oh..... I see. I was so relieved, I didn't know what to say. Roy told me that the dog was a patient at that vet's office, and her name was Ruby. The vet immediately recognised her and called the owner. The owner was frantic with grief, Ruby had slipped her collar that morning, and was off for a romp. The injury to the dog was limited to a big gash on the top of her head which took a few stitches, and the dog was already back home.

No, that lady doesn't owe me anything, I'm just glad the dog found her way back home. If it was my dog, I'd want somebody to do the same for me.