ELBEE Despite the fact that this is a feel good post about me and Gus, that title has got to go!
Last Sunday, I took Elbee and Gus hiking. Maybe because it was a spectacular southern California day or maybe because it was a long weekend for Martin Luther King’s birthday, a lot of families were on the trails. The Doods, being all cute and fluffy with their hair blowing in the breeze, were like people magnets. Their tails started wagging the moment that anyone even glanced in their direction.
An older couple hiking with their son asked if it would be alright for him to pet the dogs. I told them “Absolutely.” The young man was bundled up in a warm jacket and was wearing a hat with a wide brim that hid his face. As he started petting Elbee and Gus, he looked up with the sweetest smile and I could see that he had Downs Syndrome. While he continued to interact with the dogs, I chatted with his appreciative parents who shared how much he loved animals.
Of course that was my cue to take out my phone and show him photos of all three of the Doods in costumes for various holidays. He giggled at their multi-colored Halloween wigs, their Christmas sweaters and their red, white and blue outfits for the Fourth of July. After a few minutes, I had Elbee and Gus wave good bye and he waved back with pure delight.
We continued walking, greeting all sorts of hikers, old and young. It was as if everyone realized how lucky we were to be up in the Santa Monica Mountains enjoying the day. A few minutes later we met a family with four young children, one a toddler in the dad’s arms.
The kids who were walking had a mixed reaction. It seemed as if they wanted to visit with the dogs but at the same time they backed away slightly. After I told the mother they were both therapy dogs, she assured the little boy and his two sisters that it was okay to come closer and pet them. Within a minute it was a love fest. The kids were all over Gus and Elbee, petting them, squealing in delight.
Suddenly I noticed an expression of both surprise and relief on the mom’s face. She shared that recently the children had a very negative experience with a dog and had become fearful. Just then, the younger girl, who was actually hugging Gus, said she wished he’d give her a kiss. As if on cue, Gus turned his head and gently licked her on the cheek.
When I watch the Doods perform wonders in the hospital, I never take it for granted but it is what I have come to expect. Last Sunday put it in a different perspective. It was amazing to be experiencing the power of nature while the dogs so naturally and effortlessly worked their magic. I realized again that being a part of what Charley, Elbee and Gus do is one of the greatest gifts in my life.
