Today I Cried

Today I cried. Which, if you know me, isn't exactly unusual. Especially these days. But today, I cried for a dog. Now, you might think that since I'm crying that the dog must be hurt or have died. But you'd be wrong. Let me back up a little. When I was at Best Friends in September I took a dog named Scratch on an overnight. I fell for him. Hard. So, now I'm back and have spent some quality time with the guy. So today I was asked if I wanted to take him on an outing. Well, duh! Of course I did. I was planning to take him to the Coral Pink Sand Dunes. I started to walk out to the car with Scratch and it starting raining. Hard. I realized I needed a blanket to lay in the back seat (it is a rental, after all) and went to go back to get one, but Scratch wasn't having it. I promised him a car ride and he wasn't budging. So, I asked someone to get me a blanket while I stood in the pouring rain with a very stubborn dog. Once I got the blanket, into the car we went and I headed out to get some gas, hoping that the rain would stop by the time the car was all gassed up. Halfway to the gas station, I looked back, and it was what I saw then that made me cry. Scratch, laying in that backseat, in absolute heaven. He had the most contented look on his face. And all I could think of was that all this dog wants is a warm place to lay his head. Warm and quiet. Now don't bet me wrong, if a dog has to live out the rest of his days at Best Friends, he's still got it pretty good. But all he wants is that warm, quiet place. I wish you could have seen him. Crying. Me. I couldn't help myself.
So, you might be wondering if we ever made it to the Coral Pink Sand Dunes. Well, we did. The rain stopped and we went. But I almost didn't have the heart to make him get out of the car. But, I'm glad I did because he did seem to enjoy himself. We got back to Best Friends early so, instead of bringing him back inside, I got in the back seat with him and read to him. Yup, and the book was 'If Bones Would Rain From the Sky'. Pretty appropriate I must say. And he laid his head on my lap, and sighed. And I cried.