Monday Me: The Little White Rascal

Thursdays, my twins go to Mrs. B’s house, where she teaches them preschool lessons in her basement classroom. Normally, I drop them off in the morning and pick them up after school without issue. Last Thursday was an exception.

As it turns out, Mrs. B lives directly across from the elementary school, so finding a parking spot is often a challenge. However, last week, that wasn’t the problem. When I pulled up, I saw a little white dog scurrying in and out of traffic on the snowy, icy roads.

“That looks like Mrs. B’s puppy,” I thought and rushed to her house.

Mrs. B greeted me with sad eyes and admitted one of the preschoolers had accidentally let little Sophie out of the house. Since Mrs. B couldn’t leave her class unattended, she had no choice but to let her puppy enjoy her new found freedom.

Well, I had a choice and I wasn’t about to let that little dog get hit by a car. So, even though I wasn’t dressed to be outside for long, I took off in the direction of the wandering white puff ball. Sophie recognized me and thought I was playing a chasing game with her.

My heart raced, not from all the running I’d been doing, but for fear the little mutt would get run over. I constantly rushed into traffic, my hands in the air, desperate to stop all vehicles until Sophie was safely on the sidewalk. My goal was no longer to catch her, although, that would’ve been a bonus. I needed to ensure her safety above everything else. I couldn’t let this innocent pup die, especially not in front of all the children leaving for home.

Fifteen minutes into the adventure, a man came to help me. We tried to gang up on her, but she was too fast. Then, we attempted to encourage her to enter the school, so she’d be caught between two sets of doors. She’d go right up to the entrance, turn, and take off again. After a few minutes of this game, she decided running into the street was more exciting. Great.

My assistant disappeared, so I was on my own for another fifteen minutes, freezing my butt off, but determined to keep Sophie safe.

Then, the school busses arrived. And one by one, I had to stop them, run between them, and chase the white dart back across the street. Not fun.

My ears felt like they were ready to fall off. My fingers were numb and I was no closer to catching the puppy than I was when I started, but I wouldn’t give up. That little mutt, whether she knew it or not, depended on me to keep her from danger.

Luckily, at that point, a boy who recognized Sophie, came to my aid. We cornered her. He quickly, scooped her up, and handed her to me.

What an experience. I shook for hours from the adrenaline rush. But, I’d do it all over again.

Have you ever tried to catch an animal on the run?