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Buster's big breakaway

Contributed by: Danna Fink on 4/27/2006

The whole time my stomach was in a knot, Buster was watching T.V. If I had only known that this four-pound cuddler had found his way to safety, I wouldn't have cried all night while putting up "Lost Chihuahua" posters.

I was teaching third grade and on my lunch break when I called home that day. My husband, caretaker of our yard and bearer of bad news, revealed that he had opened the front door to find our other dog, Buttercup, sitting alone on the porch. There were two things alarming about this information: Three-pound Buttercup never leaves Buster's side, and until that day, she didn't even know we had a porch.

Buster and Buttercup are both so small that they only go in the back yard for brief potty breaks. Our proximy to Mitchell Canyon makes the threat of coyotes all too real. And I won't even tell you what a hawk would do if he had the chance.

During a potty break, Buster bolted. Only a dog could explain the logic of leaving the loving safety of a backyard to explore the great beyond, and only my son could explain why the gate had been opened. Poor Buttercup, otherwise engaged, obviously missed the beginning of Buster's prison break. Whether Buttercup was lacking the necessary courage to join Buster, or whether she possessed an exceptional wisdom we may never know; but either way it led her to the porch.

Hours of searching for a tiny brown dog in fall foliage proved fruitless. Calling Buster's name produced no results. However, Wal-Mart produced 20 color photographs for me which I put on poster board and plastered around the neighborhood.

As dusk turned into dark, I slowly talked myself into believing the worst case senario. My beautiful, loving, lap dog was now in the intestines of some remorseless canyon predator. How can his microchip, implanted for his protection, do any good unless someone takes him to a vet or shelter and scans it? If he was alive, how could he survive the chill air of fall with little fur and no blanket? How could I teach the next day when I couldn't think of anything but my precious Buster Brown? Lord, will you please protect him?Lord, will you bring him safely home?

Buster was having thoughts, too. He no doubt wondered how his host family could be so nice when he had only just met them. After all, they had found him trotting on the sidewalk behind our house, known by his blue nailpolish that someone would miss him, and had taken him to the safety of their living room. I'm sure he wondered why I had never shot a whole roll of film of him like they did. And I know he wondered why I hadn't put his ID collar back on after his last bath. Ok, that was more what I had wondered...

The following morning, I woke up to the silence of the phone still not ringing. No one was calling to say they had found him. The whole canyon/predator thing seemed to be the most likely scenario.

Right as I pulled into the school parking lot, my cell phone rang. It was Buster! Not on the phone, but he was definately back in my life. No coyotes. No hawks. No wandering cold and alone. Just a comfortable Club-Med experience hosted by a caring couple who had found my number when they went to hang their "Found Chihuahua" posters.

So that was Buster's big breakaway. I doubt Buster learned his lesson, but I sure did: Do what you can to protect the ones you love. Then, when things happen outside your control, pray. You'd be surprised what the Lord can do with a little faith and a poster.


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Submitted By: Barbara Neff
posted on 4/26/2006 @ 3:34:14 PM
Rated Story
I am relieved Buster was found and returned! I have a theory. If Buster is anything like our Chihuahuas, he found the opportunity to chase a rabbit irresistable. Or a squirrel. Maybe a vole. Glad he's home safe.
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CONTRIBUTOR INFORMATION

Danna Fink

Castle Rock , CO

Danna Fink has posted 2 stories and 3 comments since joining on 4/25/2006. Danna Fink 's average story rating is 4.5.
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