I'm coming clean! I lost my dog again. OH, the Shame~
She was only missing one agonizing hour this time. How could this happen you ask. . .
Well it was my birthday. Gerri invited me and four others to her house for a fancy dinner party. She owns two scrumptious cats; ragdolls! Oh, these cats are timid, especially around dogs :) ( I first saw the lady wheeling her cats around the neighborhood in a baby carriage with a clear vinyl window enclosure.) When she called to invite me she added hesitantly before saying good bye, "Oh, and you can bring Mirage~" hmmm. I thought that took a lot since her cats are indoor cats. We must be on out best behavior!
We arrived and immediately settle near the warm fire. it was a cold blustery night. I secured Mirage's leach to the leg of my ample satin wingback chair. After hors dourves and a glass of wine my friend Judy asked if we couldn't let Mirage off her leash. I was quick to answer, "No! I won't have her snooping around the house, spooking the kitties. And I can't keep my eye on her every minute." Judy accepted this easily. Yeah, I stuck to my 'guns' and was clear and firm.
During dinner, Mirage came to the table and I secured her just to my left on the table leg. The cats arrived and were most intrigued as to their guest, the nice black dog. Then Judy asked, "does she have to stay in that harness all night?"
Now, after more dinner I am less rigid. "not really." So the leash remains on and Mirage is tethered without her harness.
Dessert and champagne are served. Someone asks, "does Mirage need to go out?" I say no. . .and change my mind to probably!
They jump up to get her and ask if she needs her leash. Well, the answer id complicated and I should have taken her outside myself. The small hook comes out of the large hook to extend the leash to it's maximum length. The explanation was too slow, because I heard C'mon Mirage and Judy and Gerri were sliding the back door open onto the golf course. I looked at Fran and she looked at me. Wow, that happened so fast! Why is it I don't interrupt?
"Will she come back?" was the next sentence as they returned to the table, looking
uncomfortable. "We'll see~" was my answer.
After calling her and going around the house a ga-jillion times everyone returned to admit she was indeed GONE!
Franny and I hopped into her car, and Gerri and Judy into the other. We hit the desolate foggy streets at a snail's pace, windows dowm, calling "Mirage. . .Mirage, come!" For about forty five minutes. Gerri called 9-1-1.
"This is not really an emergency, but we lost a black labrador guide dog in the Fairway Village neighborhood. Ours is a three mile radius and only two exits, so the space is mostly secured. . . .
We sat numb and weeping by the fire, the tiramisu a distant memory and quite sober now. Then my phone rang. "Hello?" "yes?" "oh, Thank you! Thank you!!"
Someone found her at my house!
We piled into the car and hauled ass. Grant and Ruby were standing on our front porch with Mirage! Her tail wagged and she ran into my arms as I held her and sobbed thankfully. Grant said, "Ruby just went into that bush over there and came out with her. She gets all the credit!"
What a relief. Everyone felt terrible and I don't think anyone will be asking to take her outside off leash again.
My shame, now is a lesson learned. I will be firm when it comes to My Dog :)
We am about to leave for another birthday party.