| My Saving Grace | |
| Copyright © Callista Carson 2003, all rights reserved |
It was September 21, 2001, and I was fourteen years old. It was rainy and nasty, and I was, as always, sitting inside my apartment reading and waiting for my best friend to show up so I'd have something to do. But, she brought a lot more with her then just her company that day.
She came knocking on my door, and when I opened it she was cooing and aww-ing over a stray she that followed her from her house to my house. Now, I've always had a soft spot for animals, and I love strays the most. So she took me down the steps, and there was this tiny, mud covered, sick little Shih Tzu. He was, as close as we could guess, about two or three months old.
He was a truly pitiful sight- he had almost no fur, only small patches off it, with opens welts and sores all over him, covered in all kinds of bugs, and so starved you could count every bone in his tiny little body. And even though he was so sick and weak he managed to wag his tail and come over to me, which broke my heart and sealed the deal as far as I was concerned.
I brought him up the deck, practically bawling at the pitiful little figure he created, and knew I had to have him. I'd never been able to have an inside dog before, because my mother and I had lived with our grandparents and my grandfather hated inside dogs. So I went inside, crying begging, and though I know mom hated to see me like she was going to try not to give in.
But then she went outside onto the deck, and there he was, wagging his tail weakly, hardly able to move, and mom said, "Callista Jolene, we'll keep him till he's better but no longer then, do you understand?"
It took a long time to nurse him back to health, he was in such a state. But from the very beginning I loved him more then anything. We named him Flea, because of all the bugs he had on him, and he became the center of my life. The time slot that mom had given me to keep him, two weeks to a month, soon turned into two months, then three months, and after that there was no way we could get ride of the tiny bundle of love that was my baby boy, Flea.
Now, I have always been a very sick person, and had just gotten over my first bout with mono when we got him. I was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and was taken out of school. I became depressed, and wanted to nothing but eat and sleep.
But Flea...I can't even describe it. He made me happy, and though it is probably a stupid thing to say, he is the only thing that kept me sane then. Had it not been for that dog, I am quite sure that I would not be here today.
I'm seventeen now, and Flea is still with us. He's spoiled rotten, and has never really grew out of his puppy phase. I love him with all my heart, and I know he loves me.
Writing this I cannot keep myself from crying, because I know that if it wasn't for him that I wouldn't have anything in my life. He might just be a dog to most people, but to me is a little angle inside a dog's body.
I look at it like this-I saved his life when he needed me the most, and now he saves my life every day.
About the Authour
While I don't belong to any organizations I have owned dogs since the day I was born. I grew up on a farm, and as an only child the only friends I had were my animals, which made me into a devoted dog lover.
