Tuesday 28 October 2008

Thank fuck for that.

I FEEL AWFUL! I just nearly killed my dog. Tess, the most lovely dog in the world that has been in my life since I was 7.

Mum and Dad have gone to visit the Grandparents for the day and left Tess with me. So I went to get my bike out of the shed to cycle into town, and called her to follow me so that she could pee before I left her. I didn't think she'd followed me out and so assumed she'd be ok because the parents had already let her out before they left.

So I shopped. I bought about half of the things on my list, and met Caroline on her lunch break to try on sunglasses. I love shopping on my own, but for things like sunglasses you really do need a second opinion.
It started raining, much to my dismay, as my jacket wasn't waterproof and I can't cycle whilst holding an umbrella. So I sheltered in Starbucks with a mint hot chocolate (discovering that, despite everywhere else being prematurely Christmass'd up, Starbucks are yet to release their scrummy Xmas drinks menu - boo). I eventually gave up waiting as the rain turned to hail, and decided to cycle regardless, hovering my bum above the wet seat with my scarf pulled up around my ears, head ducked low.

I got home feeling thoroughly sorry for myself. Soaked through. Suede gloves slightly ruined. Shivering. So I whipped all my wet clothes off and cranked up the central hearing. Then I wandered around the house in my knickers and t-shirt in search of my darling dog to enquire into whether or not she'd had a nice day... But she wasn't in her bed and didn't come when I called her. I searched every room - even upstairs, where she only goes when she's scared. Then panic set in as I thought maybe she could be outside... I ran into the garden, barefoot and scantilly clad, to discover her underneath the garden table, soaking wet and shivering! SHIT.

She'd been out there five hours. In the freezing cold. While it rained, hailed, and had just begun to snow. I scooped her up and ran inside with her.

Bizarrely, she seems fine. I set her down on the carpet and ran to get her a towel, but as I ran she ran with me, tail wagging and bouncing about?! All she wanted to do was bound about the place growling and wagging her bum; like an energetic puppy! I, on the other hand, just wanted to grab her and hug her warm again. She let me, but I think it was more for my comfort than her's!

So... thank fuck for that.
She's 14 and that's pretty old for a dog. When I couldn't find her I panicked I'd discover her dead somwhere and wondered how the hell I'd tell the parents... Poor Tess!!

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thank goodness for that! All's well that ends well :-)

ayemiy said...

erk. Then again, she's a dog. A bit of rain shouldn't do her much harm. Bet your heart was in your mouth looking for her - I feel sick when I can't find Mixie.

She's sooo cute. x

Anonymous said...

I am glad to read that she's alright, and I know exactly the feeling of guilt you feel when you realise that your little one may have been in discomfort because of something you did. I think it's so bad because your pet is much more dependent on you than, say, a friend might be.

I have two rats and I got home from a weekend away to find that they had no water in their bottle. I didn't know how long it had been empty - I'm pretty sure that there was water on the Friday when I went - but I felt awful that they might have been thirsty and lapping at the bottle desperately and getting no drink!

It makes me feel bad just thinking about it now!