A not so Average Dog...

Ok...so I am not an everyday blogger! There are times that I have nothing to say and I am sure that there are some of you out there that are the same way. But today, I was sitting in the lunch room and for some unknown reason, Scotty popped into my head. I think of Scotty from time to time around the holidays but usually I am at home and one of the kids will have said something that sparks my memories of him.



Scotty was a Sheepdog and he was owned by the man who owned the local drycleaners about two block from where I lived. I passed by there everyday on my trek to and from school and never paid much attention to the "doggy in the window". This particular day was the same as any other day, there was snow piled up everywhere and it was COLD. I was walking home from school and was about to pass by the drycleaners when I saw something red bobbing in the window and heard the bark of a dog. Looking at the window, I remember letting out a laugh. There he was, sitting in the window with a big, red Santa hat tied to his head! Oh what a wonderful sight to see. Well, I walked up to the window and as I did he let out another loud bark, his tail began to wag back and forth and his face seemed to light up ... almost like the Christmas tree that was lit in the background behind him. "Where did this beautiful dog come from and is he really smiling at me?" I stood there for a moment and spoke a few words to him through the window and then decided that I should be on my way. As I turned to leave, he let out another loud bark and I saw the man that owned the drycleaners come into the room behind him. He began to laugh and motioned for me to come into the shop. When I stepped in the door, Scotty made a dash for me with a bound. "He won't bite! He won't bite!" the owner said, still laughing.
Scotty jumped up and put his front paws on my chest and started lapping at my face. I threw my arms around him and laughed in spite of the butterflys I felt. Mr. Trabeck introduced himself and Scotty to me and explained that he had never seen Scotty take to anyone just like that before. He invited me to stop by the shop anytime I wanted to visit with Scotty and share a coke with him.

After that day, I stopped in to see Scotty everyday on my way home from school. During the days while on Christmas vacation, I would even make the two block trek to see him in the afternoons. He always greeted me with that same sweet smile and a wagging tail.

I don't know what ever happened to Scotty. We moved during the next year and I lost contact with him and Mr. Trabeck. But I do know that he lives on. He lives on in the heart of a little girl that is not quite so little anymore.

Merry Christmas, Scotty!