Angel The God Sent Dog

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Norma J. Ratcliff for her eloquent letter published in the Sept. 3, 2009 issue of the Clarke County Tribune. No one has ever published such a complementary “open letter” to me, though other editors have published what I can only describe as hate mail vomited and defecated in response to opinions I have dared to express in the past about greedy lawyers, politicians or other bamboozlers.

Indeed, I was quite surprised to learn that my muse was “hungrily” anticipated. About the only one around my house who hungrily anticipates anything is my dog, Angel, and all she wants is for me to not forget to put down her bowl of kibbles with a little chicken added to the mix. If I should have my head stuck in a good book or loose track of time while pecking away at the keyboard writing editorial letters, she will come over and sit by me; if I do not respond she will find a way to get my attentions, by yelping, as if to say, “Hey, what are you doing, throwing poop? Where’s my food? It’s dinner time. Stop throwing poop and give me some food! I’m starving!” You see, Angel knows my muse is just so much doggie poop slug at greedy and corrupt bamboozlers and sent off to newspaper editors hoping they won’t have anything better to publish.

Of course Angel is not starving. She’s a lucky dog, one that I took in and gave a home after my German Shepherd, Jade, who was some 84 years old in people years, died earlier this year. Hence I call Angel “The God Sent Dog,” as she is so lovable that surely she was sent to me by God to keep me company after Jade’s departure from this good Earth.

I’ve always had a dog and am a firm believer that dogs are indeed man’s best friend. I think they are woman’s best friend, too. Most of the women in my life that I’ve loved have been animal lovers. I tend to be of the mind set that if my dog doesn’t like the woman I’m with, than she isn’t the right woman for me. Maybe that’s why I never married -- either the women I fell in love with were cat lovers or “hungrily” anticipated more than I was able to deliver, since it was not my muse they were really interested in, but something more to their amusement. Hence my dog would always be jealous, chew up their bras or panties, or otherwise come between us and get rid of them.

Why one mutt that I had was so jealous of my girlfriend that she chew up a thousand dollar pair of shoes! I was surprised, indeed, that she would have been so dumb as to leave such expensive pair shoes on the floor. But when she said it’s, “Either the dog’s got to go or me,” I opened the door and threw her out with what was left of her ridiculously expensive shoes.

Thus when I learn that a woman “hungrily” anticipates my muse, I’m quite flattered! OMG! What did I say to arouse such an appetite? Is the local rage so inept at entertaining its readers that one should hunger for what scraps I throw out to it? My only question is, how many dogs or cats does Norma own? If it were many I’d not think she’d have any time for my muse. If it is none, of what use would she be to me? And oh God, please tell me she isn’t the same Norma whose shoes my dog chewed up so many years ago!

Certainly this Norma who hungrily anticipates my muse, is not the same Norma who shoes my dog chewed. But I wonder, as she seems to have that same angelic quality I so adored and wished I hadn’t had to choose between my mutt and a girl I loved. I think I wanted both. I know that sounds selfish. But you see, I can’t solve all the world’s problems, and at the time I couldn’t really afford a high maintenance woman. Certainly I can’t tell Norma or anyone what Jesus Christ would do with respect to all the critical issues facing humanity in these modern times. But I can tell you that were Jesus to do anything, he would preach that we should love our neighbors and save homeless animals.

There is a sickness in our society which is resulting in millions of homeless animals being destroyed every year. People do not even want to listen or think about this as the problem of homeless animals is so huge. Yet if everyone would adopt a homeless dog or cat and bring them into their lives, share their love and come to be responsible pet owners, their lives would change immensely.

When you grow up caring for a most loved family companion, be it a dog or a cat, you learn much about how to love. You also learn responsibility and much about the value of both human and animal life. Yet here we are a society with millions of homeless animals being destroyed each year while so many people are going about their lives in the pursuit of pleasures, selfishly satisfying their every desire, caring little about others that may be neglected or suffering, be they animals or their fellow human beings.

Yet how many people, be they Protestant, Catholic, or Jewish, are really making any sacrifices to help either their fellow man or homeless animals? Are we more interested in saving souls than in saving lives? I would say that least we save lives our souls are not saved, but lost. Least we do all we can to help our fellow man, to save also the lives of homeless animals, then no matter how much we may claim to have changed our lives, to have forsaken our sinful ways, to have even accepted that Jesus died for our sins, that thus our sins are forgiven and our salvation is assured, that least we value and hold as sacred this very life we have and the lives of so many homeless animals which we let perish each year, that we are just fooling ourselves.

None of us who do not value life as sacred and give of our own life whatever we can to help others, including homeless animals, are going to get a free pass on Judgment Day. In contrast, those like Mother Teresa who gave so much of their life to help orphaned children will certainly be among the angels in Heaven.

Where will you or I be? I have no delusions of living for eternity in Heavenly bliss, especially if they don’t let dogs into Heaven. I’ll be camping out by Rainbow Bridge with all the dogs. Even if I’m tasked with scooping up all the doggie poop, I’ll be quite happy outside the pearly gates with all the dogs.

I imagine there will be a few Normas there hungrily anticipating my muse. We can bide our time chatting about all the troubles back on Earth and the bamboozlers we pissed off throwing poop.

“You remember all those dark shadows we threw poop at?” Norma asks.

“Yeah, Norma, that was real fun! All the sinners trying to sneak past St. Peter and steal their way into heaven. Now they can’t do it because they stink of all the doggie poop we threw.”

“It wasn’t poop, it was muse!” Norma professes.

Every time a dark shadow approaches Rainbow bridge, all the dogs begin to bark and howl! The flood lights go on illuminating the Pearly Gates and St. Peter is alerted. No way they are getting into Heaven.

Now I know Norma might complement me on how good a shot I am, feasting upon this muse. But I have no delusions of grandeur; I know its just throwing poop at greedy lawyers, politicians, and other corrupt bamboozlers. Even my dog, Angel, knows that! If they can’t prioritize and help all the children, all the homeless animals, all the needy people, young or old, then I’ll sling poop at them for all eternity!

TQV 5 Aug. 2009

Angel, The God Sent Dog, is the mascot for GSDAR and poster puppy for the I Love Dogs campaign. Angel is working hard to raise awareness about homeless animals.

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