Buddy Day!

I just realized today is a very special day, it is the day I got Buddy. So for those who have been under a rock, here is the story.

Six years ago I was working at a dry cleaner in Logan. One of my favorite coworkers was telling me about her older brother. He had a hard life and was going back to jail in a few days. He had been arrested for some drug charges and was going in for sentencing. During this conversation I found out he had a little dog, and my coworker didn’t know what he was going to do with it, she assumed he was going to dump him off in the Layton Hills Mall parking lot, or kill him. I was appalled that anyone would dump their dog off in a parking lot or kill it because they were going to jail. I told my coworker I would go pick the dog up and find him a home. I had no idea what I was in for…

I drove to Syracuse in the evening and found his house, well it wasn’t really a house it was more like a shed that had been added onto a few times. I am not sure there was running water to the “house” but they did have electricity because I could hear American Idol playing inside. I walked through a field buried in snow and knocked on what I assumed was the front door, I heard a dog barking so I was a little more confidant I had found the right place. A few minutes later a dirty, spaced out and high old man answered the door. I asked if he was “Bob” and he said yes, I told him his sister “Jane” had sent me to pick up a dog and was I going to find him a good home. “Bob” was not a very friendly man and told me to wait in the “house” next door. Apparently “Bob’s” side of the duplex-shed didn’t have electricity, but next door was where “Bob” and his friend watched American Idol and did drugs. So I went to the other door of the shed and told that guy why I was there, it was at this time I noticed that not only was “Bob” high, but his friend was getting high at that point. Now, I am not some prude that has never been around drugs…but I have never been around these kinds of drugs, I don’t even know what kinds of drugs they were, but I am assuming by the needles it was meth? Anyway as I am standing there super scared and uncomfortable “Bob” comes in the door carrying this little half hairless, half dog crap encrusted little animal, honestly he barely resembled a dog. “Bob” called him Yazi.

“Bob” told me all about this dog and how he is wild and is hyper all day long and he is not potty trained and bites people, and is a terrible animal. I didn’t know if I really wanted a flea infested biting dog, but I knew the dog needed a better life than this, so I told “Bob” I still wanted to take him home. As “Bob” handed me the dog he suddenly had a change of heart, he now wanted to sell me the dog. I told “Bob” I had no money on me, which I am not sure was a lie or not, and all I had was a pack of smokes. “Bob” agreed to sell me Yazi for half a pack of Camel Lights. I quickly let “Bob” say his goodbyes and made a quick run for the car, “Bob” had another change of heart, he wanted his dog back. I got scared and was running at a sprint for my car, popped the truck with my keyless entry, threw the dog in the trunk and started my car. The tires on my car were spinning in the deep snow and I was getting stuck. I just kept spinning and sinking in the snow, then suddenly I got traction and flew through the field to the main highway, with “Bob” screaming obscenities and chasing me. He chased me to the street and was throwing stuff at my car the whole way. As soon as I got on the road I called my mom, I didn’t know what else to do. I was only about 15 minutes from her house, she told me to come by and she would look at the dog and see how sick he was.

When I got to my moms house I popped the truck (I stopped about a mile from “Bob’s” house and put the dog in a kennel I brought from home) my mom took one look at the dog and said “you need to take him to a vet, he is really sick. Don’t let him out of the kennel he might get your cats sick too.” I drove home freaking out about this mean, dirty, sick dog. I called my boss at the dry cleaner and told him what my mom said and he agreed to let me leave the dog in the kennel at work overnight so my cats wouldn’t get sick.

In the morning I called the vet and told them about the dog and they told me to bring him in first thing. The dog had bladder stones, feces in his ear and in his eyes, a skin bacteria condition which is why his hair was falling out, a rash, and a few other conditions as well. I put him in my car, and took him home. From the minute he got out of the vet’s office he loved me, and only me. He followed me everywhere, he would not leave my side for a second, and when we were apart he would whimper until we were reunited. He was my little buddy, and after a few days of trying to get him to respond to other names, Buddy was what I ended up calling him. I thought about finding him a different home, but we bonded so fast there was no way I could give him up.

We had a rough start, he needed to learn a lot of things, starting with potty training but he learned it all pretty quick and is now the best dog. He can do all sorts of tricks, knows sooooo many commands, and is very well behaved…..now. It was a tough battle for the first year but  Buddy is such a good little dog, and I am so glad that I was able to find him and help him.

Looking Back

A lot has gone on since I updated this blog last, and the blame is laid squarely on Jess. You see, I hated the idea of Facebook, I was NOT an early adopter. I didn’t like that everyone I know, knew, and will know have access to information about me, it was under duress that I signed up for an account, well now I am an addict. Anyway, back to what has gone on in my little life.

First, the big news, I graduated from college. It took me nine years, yes nine years, to get my bachelors degree. I graduated on December 12 with a degree in Public Relations, and have no idea what I want to do with it.

When I decided I was going to finish school, I needed to transfer to the graveyard shift at work so I could go to school all day. Well when school ended I decided I liked the people and shift enough that I would stay on this shift. So I am staying on graveyards at work, I still don’t know if I am excited, or dreading it.

I now live alone. My roommate Kamille took a job in Layton and moved out. I have had a few people who wanted to move in, but I have politely skirted the issue, I’m actually looking forward to living alone again. I lived alone for a few years and think I enjoyed it enough that I want to give it a go again.

Anyway, this post wasn’t meant to be a list of all the crap that has changed recently, I wanted to post about how I got here, and where I am going as that is what has been weighing on my mind, so here goes.

In August of 2001 I packed up everything I owned in my Mustang and set out on a terrifying journey to Logan. My sister Laurel followed me up to Logan to show me around, she had graduated from USU eight years earlier and was going to serve as my tour guide. As we pulled up to San Juan Hall I was sick to my stomach, this was not my home, but then neither was my parents house…I didn’t know where I belonged. The year prior my plans were to go on an LDS mission so all of my friends had either moved away for school or were on missions, so I really had nothing in Davis County, and nothing here, I was stressed.

My sister Laurel helped me move all my crap up four flights of stairs to my dorm. I was sharing a room with Eder Ruiz, a student from Spain, he was nice but I could tell from the start that there would be a huge cultural and language barrier, and there was. My sister and I unpacked my belongings, which were clothes and a stereo, that is all, then went to Wal-Mart to buy food, toiletries, linens and dishes. After a brief tour of the campus and finding which buildings I needed to go to on Monday she was gone. I still remember the sinking feeling as I watched her walk to her car in the parking lot and drive away. For the first time I was alone. It was terrible.

I remember sitting on my bed in a cold sterile dorm room taking a minute to regroup. I didn’t know what to do. After a few minutes I decided I needed to get out of the cinder block prison and see what else was out there. I drove around Logan for a few hours then went back to my dorm and went to bed.

In the morning I was awaken by a crow screeching in my window, I wanted to kill it. Since I was awake, and going back to sleep was not an option, I decided I needed to get out and meet someone, anyone. When the hour became reasonable I went out to my dorm hall and started to attempt to be social. I met a few nice people, Amanda, a student from Taiwan who would later fall in love with me and bring me expensive gifts on a regular basis. David, Brady, Bradley, Brad, John, Shylow, Mikey and so many more. Everytime I met someone new the feeling of loneliness faded a little more. Everyone was so nice, but still unfamiliar.

I wish I could go back to that week. I wish I could tell myself how good it would all turn out. All of these people became my best friends and family for a year. Many of them I still keep in touch with, many of them I lived with for years, and one is my best friend. We have been though so much together, good and bad that I consider him my brother. This new life was scary and exciting all at the same time. And that brings me to what is going on today.

I moved to Logan for school. I stayed in Logan for school, and now school is over. I own a house, which I can sell, and I have a job, but I can find another…so what do I do? The fear of starting over is debilitating, paralyzing, and makes me sick to think about. The thought of leaving my old friends, my new friends, my job, the family in Lewsiton who adopted me…how can I leave all the people I love?

When my friends graduated from college they all moved to their parents house, found jobs then moved out and onto life…or they got married in college and moved with their spouse. What adds to the stress is the fact that I have no idea what I want to do with my degree. I feel stuck. I feel sick. I feel tired.

So in this time of transition I have to keep reminding myself I have it good. I have good friends, a good house, good pets, a good job and there is no hurry for change…but if I get complacent I know I will regret it forever so there is some pressure here.

This post is ending as it has turned into a novel and I can’t organize my thoughts.

Suck It.