UCLA had a staff picnic last week. Maybe because COVID has prevented such large gatherings, the mood was especially festive. Gus and Stanley, plus their canine co-workers Beau and Pitzel, were in their glory with all of the attention.
Gus was with his special partner “Aunt” Carol.
From the catering staff, to groups from seemingly every department, even to the EMT’s, people were delighted just to see the dogs. Petting and hugging them was a bonus.
When we had the dogs 
do tricks or model an accessory or two, it was like the icing on the cake.
ELBEE Seriously? Icing on the cake.
As always, even in the midst of so much activity, there were special moments. A man quietly asked me the dogs’ names. When I introduced Stanley, the most soulful look came over the man’s face. He told me that he’d had a very special chihuahua mix named Stanley that he’d rescued when it was older.
He still missed him every day and had never met another dog with that name. I shared that Stanley was named after my wonderful brother who had been gone for years but whom I still missed. We were two strangers comforting each other.
A woman and her teenage daughter came over to take photos of Gus and Stanley in their fancy glasses. Suddenly, the girl began telling me how much therapy dog visits mean to her.
She has a chronic illness that requires frequent infusions that take up to two hours. She said that as soon as they bring in a dog and put it in her lap her whole mood changes. She feels more comfortable and relaxed and has an easier time with the procedure.
A few minutes later, a smiling young man called out, “Nice to see you again.” As I was scrambling to remember who he was, he reminded me that we’d met at another UCLA event a few years ago. Actually, I’m a little directionally challenged and he’d helped me find the event.
ELBEE A little? She used to get us lost in the hospital. It was embarrassing.
I was leaving the parking garage, trying to find the plaza where we were supposed to be meeting. Totally lost, I saw the young man and asked him for directions. Realizing that I was clueless, he took the time to walk us over. He was so sweet about it.
We laughed as we reminisced. Then he told me that he was planning a birthday party for his dog. Seventeen of the dog’s friends were invited. I realized that not only is he genuinely nice, he was also helping out a fellow dog lover!
ELBEE In case you’re wondering how she found the picnic, she stopped at the hospital to pick up Jen, the director of the People Animal Connection, to show her how to get there. She and Carol had to call someone named Siri to get back to the hospital on their own.
