Thursday, May 20, 2010

Well, Evy got into it again. I took the car over to Liz's work to borrow a 1" drill bit and it ended up a whole big project.

The guys there were very helpful and I ended up having a welder blow a couple of holes in the frame of my Toyota to attach a trailer hitch. Get this, I ordered a trailer hitch on-line from New Jersey. The web site said if I ordered before 2 pm EST I'd have it (free shipping) within 3-4 days. I ordered it late at 3 pm CST and the hitch was on my doorstep the afternoon of the next day!

In gratitude to the guys, who pitched in to help the cardiac-kid, we had pizzas brought in for lunch the next day and somebody (I wonder who?) left an ice chest full of beer on the picnic table just off the parking lot. Evy got into it a little too much, with a little help from my sister. She was drinking and making a fool of herself. (Evy, not my sister.)

Evy enjoyed meeting the guys and they seemed to like having her as a guest. Pretty good life for a Walmart Dog.

Friday, May 14, 2010

Today is my birthday and Evy is my gift.

Evy has been good for me. She wakes me up between 7:30 and 8:00 every morning by standing on my chest, licking my face and making a noise that sounds like, "Gotta go, gotta go, gotta go!" And so, we get up and go whether or not I'm ready. A walk first thing in the morning is a good thing.

She's pretty much figured out the outside thing. Smart puppy.

Evy doesn't know any commands yet. Everything to her sounds like, "Blah, blah, blah!" She doesn't know English yet either. Molly says she knows Spanish. Makes sense, since her last name is Gonzalez.

Also, in a way, she is an illegal. She was hired off the back of a truck at the Walmart, had no papers and needed medical care. She doesn't understand English, I snuck her into Texas and her last name is Gonzalaz.

I just hope Immigration doesn't read this blog.

Wednesday, May 12, 201

I didn't have a camera with me today but, I wish I had. Evy and I went with my brother to Conway to help turn in his car and rent a truck.

First, we went to Enterprise Rent-a-Car. Evy and I sat in the lobby while Danny talked to the rental guys. The green Enterprise signs all over the place matched Evy's collar perfectly. People came and people went. Evy just sat in a chair next to me and watched everything. She got lots of compliments on her cuteness and how well behaved she was.

The closest U-Haul with the truck that Danny wanted was in Pickle's Gap. Danny wasn't sure it was a real place. I told him we'd passed on the way into Conway. Danny asked Enterprise to drop us off. They said,"No, we don't do that." Danny rebutted, "In your commercials..." They interupted, "We said we'd 'pick you up.' Not, 'we'll drop you off!' " What funny guys.

Enterprise dropped us off at the U-Haul in Pickle's Gap. Evy and I sat on the front steps while Danny negotiated.

We were just enjoying the fine weather when 4 huge brown, gold and black colored roosters came strutting around the corner. They were huge and cocky, each significantly bigger than Evy. She was all brave and curious until they started toward us. Evy strategically placed herself directly behind me looking at them from under my right arm.

The roosters slowly retreat and the puppy gets braver. They'd cluck, strut and start back, and Evy would again use me as a shield.

Everything is new and wondrous for a puppy and there were all kinds of new people and animals to meet. All and all a good day for a Walmart dog.

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Today was Evy's first trip to the vet. I didn't think she'd ever been to one because, well, she's a Walmart dog. My brother, Danny, took the trip to Greer's Ferry with us.

We had a little trouble finding the place, even though we had good directions, it was on the main road and there was a big sign out front that said "Veterinary Clinic."

About this time Liz and Pat showed up and we all went in like a big family with a sick child. We were met by the house cat, an adult black and white that was apparently used to visitors and pets. We left Evy for a checkup, shots and a dip bath.

When we came back hours later she was ecstatic to see us. We weren't abandoning her after all! She was fresh and clean and being treated for worms. Like the guy said in the Walmart parking lot, "There's no such thing as a free puppy."

While Evy was in the Vet's, I'd stopped to pick up a few puppy supplies, including a new collar. She came with a bright red one, but I could tell that was just not her color. I, myself, am not crazy about green but I could tell it was Evy's color. Now she sports a nice new Kelly Green puppy collar.

Evy's just about figured out she is stuck with me. However, she still gets uneasy when I take her shopping at the Walmart.

Monday, May 10, 2010

I have made progress teaching Evy to go to the bathroom outside. For the most part though, we are just bonding. I think she might have been pinned up for the most part previously, so I want her to get used to me. That's the fun part anyway. Evy loves the attention and the belly rubs.

Another matter is her name. Her name, Evy, came naturally, thinking about my mom. She would have loved the little pup. Gonzales was also easy as that turned out after 50 years to have actually been my mom's maiden name, not Merrell, my grandfather's mother's maiden name he adopted in 1935.

Of course, for such an extraordinary animal, that was not enough. My Uncle Bill has been a corrupting influence in my life. He is assisting me in my effort to become an alcoholic. He introduced me recently to one of his favorite drinks, Drambuie, which is a rich golden brown color. Evy's coloring is very reminiscent of the scotch liqueur.

Therefore the name: Evelyn (Evy) Drambuie Gonzales. Pretty impressive name for a Walmart dog.

Day One, Saturday, May 8, 2010

Today was not the best day to get a new puppy. My mom's funeral is tomorrow and family is coming in from across the country. I was at the Walmart in Clinton, Arkansas with my sister, making light of all the cars and trucks at the front of the parking lot with people out selling and giving away puppies. This is not an uncommon sight on weekends at most any Walmart in the country.

I finished ahead of my sister and unloaded my basket into the car while I waited on her. Across the aisle was an SUV with the back open and two puppies playing in the back. A young woman with a small child in the front seat was offering the pups to passing Walmart patrons.

I had to look.

There were two pups: sisters. The young lady said they were lab/border collie mix, 3 months old. One was black and white and looked like a border collie. The other was a shorter haired solid golden tan little sweetheart. I bonded immediately.

I stayed awhile petting her as my sister came up and asked if I was getting a puppy. Not now. Not the time, but I took the lady's cell number and said I'd call in a couple of days and see if she still had the golden one.

We left and stopped across the street for a diet cherry limeaid at Sonic. We needed gas, so stopped back at Walmart at fill up before going back to Fairfield Bay. My wife and daughter where on the way in from Fort Worth. I called and asked if they brought the little fold-out pet pen for my daughter's little Shitzu.

They had. It was in the mini-van with them. That was the deciding factor. I had a place to keep her temporary while everything was going on over the next few days.

I went back and the black and white was gone. I took the golden puppy and named her Evy. She was very happy to go with me. It had apparently been a long day at the Walmart. As I put her in my car to go, another Walmart customer got into his car parked next to mine and seeing what was going on remarked, "There's no such thing as a free puppy."

Sometimes things happen at the wrong time but somehow it all works out in the end.