Paws on the Street Part Twenty-One – It’s Not Nice to Fool Mother Nature or Chief Seeing Eye® Dog Blue
By: Patty L. Fletcher
February 2, 2022
Moon Phase Waxing Crescent – Happy Imbolc Season
It was an unusually warm Tuesday on the first day of February when I asked, “Alexa what’s the temperature in Kingsport Tennessee?” whilst my spine gave a satisfying crackle as I stretched in my desk chair and birds sang outside my window.
“It’s 57 degrees. Today, you can expect a high of 59 degrees and lows in the 30s.” my Echo replied.
Standing, I said, “OK Blue, let’s blow this pop stand. Time to get out and enjoy the day. The email and other electronic detritus will be here when it’s wet out.”
I must say, had I known how true my words rang, even I, who believe in only synchronicities would’ve been a bit amazed. For, unknown to me, there was a fierce storm brewing.
After pulling on a hoody overtop my T-shirt and slipping into my light-weight walking shoes, I picked up Blue’s harness and said, “OK. Blue, Harness Up!”
Blue, who had been resting obediently in his place, while I got ready bounced quick as a bunny to my side, sat and raised his head allowing me to slip the harness overtop him.
“Good boy!” I enthused. “Now, Stand and Rest.” With no hesitation, Blue stood and patiently waited as I settled and buckled the harness around him and slid my fingers through the backstrap checking to make sure it wasn’t too tight.
“Great job! You’re getting quite good at this.” I praised as I patted my pockets to make certain I had keys, phone, and pickup bag in place.
Stepping out the door and locking it behind us, I placed the key to my apartment back into my pocket and following Blue down the walk toward what I’ve dubbed the main drag, I felt a deep sense of pride and accomplishment. I’d been working with Blue for weeks on getting quickly into and out of his harness so we could move fluidly in any situation, and it looked as if our work was paying off.
Coming to the end of our walk and onto the main sidewalk and turning my body slightly to the right, I called, “OK Blue, Right! Right!” He turned and I felt a grand exhilaration as his pull increased and we began speeding uphill toward Blue’s favorite relief spots.
Feeling him weaving around car bumpers which overlapped the curbs onto the walk, large cracks in the sidewalk waiting to catch a toe and throw an unsuspecting walker to the ground and all the other little hazards along the way I sang out, “Great job! Hup! Hup!” And at my urging, Blue gave a mighty snort of pleasure and poured on the steam.
We arrived at the top of the hill with me slightly panting from the exertion of the climb and Blue indicated he wanted to stop and relieve. “OK big guy. Hang on a minute.” I laughed, while unbuckling his harness and slipping it off him and over my own head letting it fall down the front of my body as I made a long leash and began chanting, “OK Blue, Park Time. Go Pee.”
I stood on the edge of the sidewalk allowing him to circle round me, switching the leash from hand to hand as he searched for the perfect patch of grass.
After he’d relieved his kidneys and made sure to sniff about for any possible dead drop messages from other agency dogs who may have come before him the chief came again to my side and sat as I called, “OK Blue, Harness Up.”
Once again, he sat quietly as I placed the harness overtop his head. And then, to my surprised delight, before I could command him to stand and rest, he stood and held himself in place with perfect precision as I buckled the harness back around his muscular frame.
Standing I said, “Blue, that’s an excellent job. Good boy!”
When we’d made our circuit round the perimeter of the apartment complex a neighbor called, “Hello Patty and Blue. How are you today?”
Stopping in front of where she sat enjoying the warm sun I said, “Blue, Sit. Good boy. Rest. Hi, we’re doing great. How are you?”
We began talking and after a bit another neighbor walked up and joined the conversation. I stood quietly listening, gathering neighborhood information while the two chatted with one another and then, noting how politely Blue was sitting, I reached down to pet his head saying, “Just look at you, sitting so quietly while mommy visits. Good boy.”
Blue raised his head to receive the pets but made no move to stand.
“He is doing so much better than when you all first came here.” The neighbor who had called to us said, “He’s really coming into his own and though he seems to be muscling up and filling out a bit, you appear to have lost some weight.”
Smiling, I said, “Thank you. I’ve been working hard with him over the last few months. I suppose all the walking around here and out town when I go to the store or over to the Senior Center is paying off for my body too.”
“Whatever it is, you all look great together.”
Deciding I’d best get Blue moving before he began getting fidgety, I said, “Well, let’s get on our way. I’ve already put him through his paces, and I don’t want him to totally lose his momentum before we get back to the house.”
“I saw you a minute ago. The neighbor who had called to us said, “at first I thought you all were lost. Then, I saw Blue turn his head back toward your apartment and you followed his direction, turned and crossed over to your side of the walk.”
Turning back toward her I said, “Yes, I am getting him to take a bit more initiative so I pretended I was confused and motioned for him to ‘Go home, go inside’ while I was on this side of the complex to see if he would disobey and correct me.”
The man who had walked up said, “Well, he sure did an excellent job at that.”
“I’m glad.” I said with a sigh of relief, “I suffer from spatial disorientation, which at times can mess up my sense of direction, so if I get turned around somewhere, my hope is that he will indicate the correct way to go.”
Moments later, as Blue and I sped away back toward our side of the world, I said, “Blue you’re making your momma immensely proud. Good boy!”
When we’d gotten back to our building, I felt the day was entirely too nice to waste, so I settled into the swing in our courtyard, with Blue sitting happily at my feet. We were digging the day and neither of us were in any hurry to head back inside.
Now, here I sit, on Groundhog’s Day, reading the news, only to discover another blast of wintery weather is on its way. Reaching over to give my dog a pat as I read about rain, ice and snow quickly moving into the region I said, “I reckon the Groundhog, nor I can fool Mother Nature or Chief Seeing Eye® Dog Blue.”
About Patty L. Fletcher
Patty L. Fletcher lives in Kingsport Tennessee where she works full time as a Writer with the goal of bridging the great chasm which separates the disAbled from the non-disAbled. She is Also a Social Media Marketing Assistant.
To learn more visit: https://pattysworlds.com/
Latest Release…
Pathway to Freedom Broken and Healed:
Book One How a Seeing Eye Dog Retrieved My Life
(Second Edition)
In the first book of her memoir trilogy, Pathway to Freedom Broken and Healed: Book One How a Seeing Eye Dog Retrieved My Life, Patty Fletcher shares how choosing to attend The Seeing Eye guide dog school in Morristown, New Jersey, helped her to gain complete independence. But this decision would reveal glimpses into worlds she had never before known existed.
Once home from The Seeing Eye, Patty soon begins to realize that all is not right in her own world.
Watch your step as you journey down the winding path with Patty and Campbell, for there are many obstacles along the way. Through triumphs and tribulations, through tears and fears, that forever guide remains at her side. King Campbell works tirelessly to keep Patty safe from harm.
To find Patty’s books in screen reader accessible formats visit: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/PattyFletcher
Also find them at: https://www.amazon.com/Patty-L.-Fletcher/e/B00Q9I7RWG
Thank you for reading.
May Harmony find You and Blessid may You Be.
PS. If you read my books, please review when you’re through and if you like, send your review to me at: patty.volunteer1@gmail.com as well.