This was the longest of longshots. Five years ago, for my first 57 years, I was petrified of dogs. Spooked out of my mind. Every creature in my eyes like a pit bull ready to attack. Maybe it was spillover from the Dobermans that were raised in the house next door to us our growing up on Long Island. Maybe it was because my only childhood pet, a parakeet named Sammy, met an untimely circa 1962 demise in a cage next to the old wall air-conditioning units. One day my mother was warm. A few hours later we had to scrape the ice off Sammy before putting him in the obligatory shoe box for burial. Neither thirty five years in the greyhound racing business, spending almost all of my time in the front office and not the kennel area, nor constant negotiating by my sons Jason and Scott was enough to get me to warm up to dogs. Then something happened in the winter of 2009. Im still not sure of what it was. Perhaps it was an Andi trade-off for me going to baseball camp, though I think she would have green-carded me anyway. I consented to adopting a dog. Must have been temporary insanity because when it was time to pull the trigger I still couldnt do it. After a week of feeling like crap about going back on my word, I finally relented. Andi found a four month old, 30 pound, chow/retriever mix at the Greater Birmingham Humane Society (GBHS) with a shelter name of Yogi. My deal was I get to name him. My first choice- GoAway- was denied by the boss. My second choice- Asshole- was also rejected as she said we already have one of those in the house. My safety pick- Ibis- after alma mater University of Miamis mascot became the ticket. I told Andi he was hers; I wanted nothing to do with him. We hated each other at the outset. Im pretty sure Ibis got my vibe, or lack of one, that I really wasnt in favor of this. Plus he was really anti-social which actually became a big turn on for me. We have a saying in our house- Andis never met a stranger; Ive never met a neighbor. Ibis had great potential to subscribe to my way of thinking. Of course you know the rest of the story. This now five year old, 105 pound docile and incredibly well behaved (except if you are a squirrel or a FedEx driver) big boy has turned into my best friend, though admittingly the competition really wasnt that stiff. He follows me everywhere. If I leave home for a couple of days, Im guilt ridden. Remember the old Honeymooners episode when Ralph went to the humane society to return the dog that Alice adopted and he wound up walking out with five new ones? Thats easily could be me, every time I go to the shelter. Its heart wrenching. Potential adoptees across the country are waiting for your visit. If you have room at home, you wont be sorry. So Sunday morning my life and this story wrote another chapter as I was asked to work the phone bank for the GBHS annual telethon called Barking For Bucks. Anyone that has known me for a while knows just how improbable that scenario would have been only a half dozen years ago. On top of it I have been nominated for a seat on the GBHS Board. My long time friend and colleague Greg Farley, called this story Amazing....more improbable than Miracle on Ice. In our five years together Ibis has made me a better person. If youve known me for a while I know what youre thinking- thats impossible- but he has.~ The goal this weekend was to raise over $70,000 and it was surpassed. Medjet was a corporate sponsor and our staff earmarked some money to the cause as well. Thank you all. Ill sleep better tonight knowing not only I did my share today, but most importantly Ibis has a home, sleeping securely each night at the foot of our bed. I hate to think of what the alternative might have been for him and the thousands of others waiting right now in shelters. Thanks for being a part of our life, pal.
Posted on: Sun, 03 Aug 2014 21:41:06 +0000