United Friends Challenge #8 - Coleman's Story

This challenge was set by yours truly!

Write as if you are an animal ….

If you are a domestic pet, tell us how you came to be with your new parents and about your life.

If you are a wild animal, tell us about your life – and would you want to be with a “human family?"

When I made the challenge, I was thinking of doing a wild animal... but I'd be remiss if I didn't talk about the day Coleman came into my life.

Now, please keep in mind this is during the time of my memory block, so this is mixed with some of my memories & some of the stories told to me & some of it is what I like to think happened before I came upon the scene.

Click here for other submissions.

Home is where your dog is!

This is what I think Coleman would have said about that day...

Sitting up when another dog was placed into the cage with me, I said, "Hey, watch it! You're sitting on my tail!"
 
"Oh, sorry. You know they don't give us much room do they?"

"It's ok, it's not your fault, they just basically shoved you right in here with me. By the way, where are we going?"

"We're heading to be put on display. From what I heard we have to be on our best behavior so that someone will take us home with them."

"Well, anything will be better than where I was 3 days ago!"

Before I could tell my story the vehicle came to an abrupt stop.

Beep Beep Beep the traveling companions heard as the van backed into a parking spot.

Someone came to the back & opened up the doors. My new friend & I made some noise...

"It's ok. You'll get your chance." said a lady.

She then opens up the cage next to me & puts a leash on a beagle, then takes him into a big building.

"Where is he going?" I asked my new buddy.

"That's where we will meet our..." then the door opened again, interrupting the chocolate lab.

"Hey their handsome, it's your turn." says another sweet lady with the leash.

She reaches in opens my cage & puts the leash around my friend.

"What about me?" I barks at the worker.

"Don't worry Coleman, We'll be right back for you." Placing a hand under my chin she continues, "I'll bet you'll be one of the 1st to go!" She reaches and pets me on the head.

I stand up & shake, as the door closes once again.

"Well, this is a lot better than being in the plastic box with my brother's & sisters!" thinking back to that dark day we were found by this nice lady.

Before I could recall anymore the first lady worker returns. "Ok, Sweetie, it's your turn!" She puts the leash around me & I playfully jump out & am guided to a grassy area.

I look at the lady, not knowing what she wants me to do. "Go on, do your thing before we go in."

"Oh, how'd she know I had to go potty."

After pacing around & sniffing I finally find a spot & squat. Then I  gently walk up to the lady with a smile on his face. She pets him on the head & says, "Ok, it's time. You won't have to do anything, except give that same look. Someone is bound to fall in love with you right away."

She guides me into that big building. The first thing I notice was the smell of the all the food. Hmmm that smells SO good.

I started to walk toward some boxes to investigate, but I received a tug the other way. "Sorry, you can't have any of them. Maybe we can get you a treat later. 1st you need to get up here." The lady says as she picks me up & puts me in another cage. This time I was by myself.

"Hey I see you made it!" I heard next to me. I look over & it was my buddy who rode with me.

"What is this place?" I asked him.

"Not sure exactly, but perk up here come some perspective owners!"

I sat up on my hind legs, panted & smiled. But they walked right past me. They stopped and looked at my buddy. He was pawing at the cage & barked "Pick me. Pick me". The woman turned around & said to the lady worker, "He's just what we want. Please tell me more!"

The lady opens the cage & my buddy jumped out & right into the arms of the man.

I was so depressed. All the other dogs around me were getting picked to what I found out, a home. A home with those who would love me.

The day was about over & I was so tired. So, I laid my head down in between my paws & was starting to rest my eyes. Next thing I know, this cute girl is looking toward my cage as she's talking to the lady worker.

I heard her ask, what's going on? The lady explained how all of us are dogs who were rescued. Then the cute girl with a pony tail walk toward my cage & asks, "May I hold this one?"

I wasn't sure if she was referring to me, so I just stayed put until the door opened. The lady worker reached in & swooped me up & put me in this kind looking woman's arms.

I figured this is the time I should pour on the charm. So, as she was standing talking with the workers, I laid my head across her arm.

I heard her exclaim "Aww. That is so sweet. What is this little one's story?"

The lady worker started to tell her my story.

"Well, we've named him Coleman because we found him in a Coleman cooler. Someone had called us telling us to come get the puppies off their front porch. When we got there, a red cooler was sitting with the lid on most of the way. it was off enough for them to breathe. There was a note on the door telling us to take all the dogs."

"Oh, how sad!" The pony tailed girl said. "You know, I just came here for dog food for my other dog at home. I don't know if my husband will let me bring another one home. May I hold him a little longer, while I call him?"

"Sure, go ahead."

I looked up at her & then place my head back down on her arm & sighed. She pet my head while she was talking to the worker. She then walked around the store & talked to someone else on a cell phone.

"Hon, he's so cute! Can I... can we do it?"

He must have said no, because she walked back & handed me back to the lady worker. I thought for sure she was the one who would take me home.

"How much longer will you be here?" she asked. "I have to think about it & talk to my husband a little more."

"For about 2 more hours. We'd rather you think about it than make a decision in haste."

"I have a couple other places to go & then I'll be back, because I still have to get dog food."

"I understand." the worker says as she puts me back in the cage.

The girl walks off & then a few minutes later I see her around the corner on the phone again. She keeps looking at me, so I just laid down again with my nose in between my paws.

She then disappeared. I let out a big sigh & thought that was it. She's not taking me with her.

Short time later I seen her again, she was talking to some other workers. She points to me a couple times. I kept my eyes fixed on her. Something about her just made me feel as if I needed her to take me in her arms again.

Sure enough the person she was talking to comes over to my cage & I am placed in her arms again. Oh so comfy! I want to go with her!

"I have some other places to go. Can he stay here until I come back, or do I need to take him now?"

"He can stay here & we'll get him all ready for you."

She hands me back to the lady worker this time. Pets me on the head & says "Don't worry Coleman, I'll be back for you!" Then she signs some papers & walks out the front door.

The lady worker doesn't put me back in my cage this time. She takes me back to a big metal box. Then she runs water all over me. Along with some stinky stuff. I try to shake but she puts her hand on my back & says "Wait. I need to get you looking handsome for your new mommy."

A new mommy? It worked! Alright!

She rinses me off & then says "Ok" & then I proceeded to shake all that water off right into her face. She laughed & I licked her hands as she tried to dry me off.

Then she picks me up & takes me back to the cage. I laid down as she puts a tag on my cage. I wonder what it says?

I found out as other people walked by, looked at the tag & said "Oh, this says he's adopted already."

It seemed like forever & a day before I saw that freckled pony tailed girl again. This time she was smiling ear to ear.

"I come to take you home, Coleman." she said to me.

The lady worker said "His appointment to get fixed is day after tomorrow." She hands my new mom a card & continued, "If you need any help, please let us know. Keep in touch."

Fixed? What does she mean by fixed? I'm not broken!

Then my new mom carries me out & puts me into a soft seat, looks down at me & says, "Ready to go for a ride, Coleman? Ready to meet your new brother Jake? Ready to go home?" I licked her hand to tell her I was more than ready!

It had been a long few days & I was so tired I didn't care who Jake was. All I knew I felt so happy I was going home...

I looked up at my new mom & barked, "Home, that is such a wonderful word!!"

That was over 8 years ago & since then I gained sister, named Sunny. My brother Jake is now in heaven.

I still pace around looking for a place to potty.

My dad taught me how to shake hands and to give a "high 5!". I'm spoiled rotten! I love it here!

Sunny & I get to go to my mom's family farm to run. There I have made some more friends.

Every night before we go to sleep my mom gives me a big hug & kiss & says "I love you Coleman!"

Yep, home is a wonderful word!