I’m sure y’all will be relieved to know my neck seems to be much better today. I don’t know if it was the Advil or the proper positioning of my head on my pillow, but I can actually almost move like a normal person. But I’m so intrigued by the thought of trying one of those My Pillows because I am always in the market for ways to improve my sleep.
And, truth be told, I can’t remember the last time I bought a new pillow.
But today isn’t really about pillows. Or my neck. I have a story for you.
I believe I’ve mentioned that Mimi and Bops have a vacation house in Houston. Because doesn’t everyone want to vacation in Houston, Texas?
And they usually spend about one week a month there, going to their favorite restaurants and running at Memorial Park and various other things. So they drove to Houston last Wednesday and brought their two dogs, Bella and Daisy, with them. Because Bella and Daisy also like to vacation in Houston.
Their Houston house is kind of like a garden home. It doesn’t have a real yard, just a small courtyard with a wrought iron fence around it. And they have a doggie door around back so Bella and Daisy can go in and out of the house as they please.
On Wednesday night Mimi and Bops went out to eat dinner. And when they came home and walked into their house, there were not two, but THREE dogs in the house wagging their tails and excitedly barking at them.
At some point during their night out, unbeknownst to them, Mimi and Bops had acquired a third dog. And I’m sure they each had a moment of wondering how many glasses of wine they’d had with dinner when they saw an additional dog. IN THEIR HOUSE.
It was a Jack Russell terrier. Apparently, she had managed to squeeze through the bars of the wrought iron fence, made friends with Bella and Daisy, and just joined them as they walked through the doggie door into the house.
My dad checked the newcomer’s collar to see if there was an address or phone number he could call. And that’s when he discovered that the dog’s name was PJ and the address on the collar was their address.
Well. He was not expecting that.
He and Mimi called the phone number on the collar and left a message. Then they called us to tell us the story and Caroline was very excited at the prospect that they might have a new dog because she thinks there is nothing better than a new dog. In fact, she wants a puppy for Christmas. Which I might consider if she had remembered to feed her fish OR her hermit crabs at any point during the last month. Her bedroom is like a seafood slaughter house.
Anyway, my dad called again after about half an hour and a man answered. Dad asked if they were missing a dog and the man said he’d just realized it had been several hours since they’d seen their pet. My dad questioned him about the address and they found out he was the former owner of Mimi and Bop’s house.
They’d moved almost two years ago. But I guess PJ wanted to go home.
And so he made his way, almost five miles, down extremely busy roads and several shopping centers to his old house. Then he let himself in, kicked his paws up and made a sandwich.
Not really. But that would have been cool.
Instead he made friends with the new dog occupants, lounged around with them for an hour or so and greeted their people with enthusiasm when they returned from dinner.
All good things have to come to an end. And so his owners picked him up and he seemed happy to be reunited with them.
But Bella and Daisy were sad to see him go.
And Caroline was sad for the new dog that wasn’t meant to be. Even though it definitely worked out better for him than it has for the hermit crabs.
But my guess is PJ would say Thomas Wolfe lied when he said you can’t go home again. Because you totally can.
Provided you can find your way and dodge all the traffic getting there.