This is the story how Toby met a policeman.
One day, my car was rear ended at a very busy intersection near my home. The other driver was a very young man, only sixteen years old. He was very sweet, and had genuine tears for fear he had hurt me. As a matter of fact, he had reason to cry because he had knocked me a full two car lengths ahead, and his 1971 VW Classic Rabbit, well, it would have to be picked up in paper sacks! The back end of my nearly new Honda laid in the middle of the street, also in pitiful pieces. He had no insurance.
I was shaking and crying when I called 911. I抦 ashamed to say that when they answered, I could only tell them where I was, but I had difficulty telling them my name. They asked me to spell it, and I couldn抰 even say my difficult name, let alone spell it. I think that抯 why they sent an ambulance. I then handed my cell to my new friend so he could call his mother.
The ambulance got there first. They were giving me oxygen and doing the usual agenda when the law arrived. I was all right, and I knew it by this time, but the medics were making sure and they asked me to stay where I was and let the law 揹o their job? So I stayed where I was.
The policeman was a tall, big man, with a 憂o nonsense?kind of a face; all business. He was the kind that you would hoped to heaven would be on your side. He asked me for my driver抯 license and proof of insurance. I started stammering, again, but managed to tell him that they were in my purse in the front seat of my car. Then I managed to tell him that I had two dogs in there, and when I left them they were fairly calm, but I didn抰 know how they were now. I couldn抰 guarantee it.
揌ow big are they??
揥ell, the fat one is 23 pounds, and will possible lick your hand, if he is not too upset. The other dog weighs 10 pounds, and is not friendly.?
He snickered. I could hear him snicker!
As he turned away, he said, 揘o problem?
I then went back to the business at hand, letting the law 揹o their job?
Soon after, the ambulance driver tapped me on the shoulder and said, 揕ook over there!?
He was pointing in the direction of my car.
The officer had a very, very long stick in his hand and was trying to get my purse out of the front seat. My little dog, Toby, was up on the back of the seat, just waiting for him to make his fatal move. Her little ears were laid back, her hackles were raised and she was crouched ready to spring. Her teeth were bared and she was growling so loud I could hear her as far away as I was sitting.
My little spotted heathen had waited her whole life long for an opportunity like this!
But that wasn抰 the only reason the policeman抯 face was red. He was embarrassed. As people will do, a crowd gathered to watch this show, and they were enjoying it immensely!! They were stopping to watch. Several were telling Toby, 揝tick to your guns, little dog!?Some were asking the law if he was going to arrest her, and one man driving by, hung out his car window and shouted, 揅ALL FOR A BACK UP!?
Soon after, the policeman walked over to me and asked, 揕ady, how much did you say that dog weighs??
揝he weighs 10 pounds. Did she bite you??
揧es she did, in two places!?He showed me his hand and forearm. It looked ugly! It really did. Of course, I told him how sorry I was, in all sincerity.
揌as she had her shots??
I felt PANIC, but I told him the name of our veterinarian, and that she had just received all of her shots. Fortunately, that was the truth, and she also had her two year license. Thank the Lord, we were legal.
On our way home, I bought Toby a pork chop.
A few days later, I received a letter in the mail from the County Health Department, informing me that they had checked Toby for a previous record and had found her 慶lean? At the bottom of the page, someone had drawn a smiley face and had written, 揌ave a nice day? I was so relieved. I bought Toby another pork chop.
I抦 getting old, and Toby is getting old too. I have visions in my mind of Toby and me growing old together, with me going on welfare trying to keep Toby in pork chops. I see her growling at every squad car she sees. I know she will never forget THAT policeman.
But she and I will be very happy together, I don抰 have a doubt.
