This week once again, but sadly without Elbee, Gus joined the holiday festivities at Providence Tarzana Medical Center.
ELBEE I was there in “spirit.”
As part of the Adopt a Family program, the hospital staff helps less fortunate people fill their wish lists. Representatives from One Generation and Reseda High School were on hand to collect the gifts for distribution.
Coincidentally, I worked at Reseda High for several years as the fitness trainer for the Police Academy Magnet Program. Running into people from the school brought back so many memories.
ELBEE At least it’s not one of her infamous bodybuilding photos. That would have been so tacky in this context.
After the gifts were loaded up for delivery, Gus and I met none other than Santa.
ELBEE Why does it look like she’s in prison with Santa?
We headed up to Pediatrics where we were joined by Tahoe, the sweetest Golden Retriever, another therapy dog at the hospital. Gus and Tahoe, both wearing Christmas antlers, seemed to commiserate with each other. The look on Tahoe’s face says it all
The dogs accompanied Santa from room to room as he handed out toys. The mood quickly shifted from sadness to joy. Knowing how difficult it is to have a child in the hospital, especially at Christmas, the smiles from the young patients and their parents were the most priceless gifts.
As we walked through the halls, Staci, Tahoe’s person, confirmed something that I’ve suspected for years. Staci and her daughter have trained service dogs, including a Black Lab, a German Shepherd and a Great Dane. Currently training her first Golden Doodle, she totally agreed that Doodles are a whole different story.
For one thing, they’re very agile and can counter surf like pros. Nothing is safe. Friendly as her other dogs were, when they put on their working vests, they focused. The Doodle still wants to visit everyone she sees. Staci’s other trainees developed a certain independence. The Doodle sticks like glue. I was so happy because her stories validated every crazy thing the Doods have done. It wasn’t my fault. It was theirs.
ELBEE Seriously?
I shared a Stanley story with her that sums it up. In the kitchen we have a black throw rug by the sink plus two smaller rugs where the dogs eat. Stanley constantly takes the black rug and drops it in the living room. He takes the other two and deposits them in the family room or the yard. He doesn’t sit on them, destroy them or play with them. He simply deposits them.
Even stranger, this morning I couldn’t find “his” rug, forgetting that I had put it in the wash. When I had the nerve to set his bowl on the floor, he started barking and refused to eat. He wouldn’t touch his breakfast until I retrieved his rug from the dryer. Not even Elbee was that eccentric.
ELBEE Excuse me?
