The Prodigal Return

As many of you know, and those who don't, our dogs, Amon and Spartan, got out and went on an adventure. Actually, after much work in fortifying our fence, and over $100 later, they simply moved what we had done, and dug under anyways. I may have mentioned that the cost of a chain v. the cost of pouring concrete, but we got the concrete instead. And out they went. Anyways, they got out on either Sunday night or Monday morning before 8:30. Either way, Amon was rescued the following Wednesday. Still no sign of Spartan, though we did continue to search for him.

So you can imagine my surprise, when, over a month later, I get a call at 9pm saying that this family has our dog. Actually, they have had him the whole time, and as luck would have it, just found his collar.

Ahem. It gets better.

So while talking to this guy on the phone, getting directions to his house, he asks me to please come up the ally, and that his white truck with a camper and a flat tire will be parked out there. Oh, and while I was out, could I please pick him up a 6-pack of soda. Coke or Pepsi would work.

...uh...wait...did you just ask me to buy you soda? At least he wasn't too particular, I suppose. He did explain that his previously mentioned truck did have a flat, and he had just run out of Coke... cocaine?

Right. So. I am supposed to stop at a store, buy him some snacks, then try to find his house from the ALLY at 10pm at night, where we would make the coke/dog trade off. Ok, then. Spartan was actually at a house a block up from where Amon was found, which is not at all surprising, as I couldn't see them splitting up. So, I got in my car, drove over there, stopping at a Mavrick and buying a liter of Coke, just in case the guy really won't fork over my dog without it.

I get to the street, which is in a SUPER shady part of town, and realize...there are allys on both sides. So I drive up one...no white truck with camper and flat. Drive up the other one, and there it is! There is a girl waiting by the truck with Spartan. I called and he ran right over (thank goodness), and I said, "Here's your Coke...?" The girl apologized for that and said that her mom wanted to talk to me before I take the dog. Then she leads me through a dark backyard, all the while, I am imagining that I am about to be mugged.

The mom just wanted to let me know what a good dog he is (I know) and how sad they are that he is leaving (too bad) and that the boys have become so attached to him. She the proceeded to have the two little boys say good bye, which is making me feel bad, but, uh, he is still my dog. I have a theory that one of the boys purposefully took off his collar so they could keep him and then decided to put it back on. At least, that is how the mom made it sound. So the boys are crying, I am standing in mud...and yeah. Awkward. I said something to the effect of, "Well, thanks for taking care of him...we appreciate it" and left. Spartan, being the good dog that his is, followed right along, jumped in the car, and we got out of there.

Shady. That's all I am sayin.