invisibility

You've heard this complaint before: older people claim they are invisible (in this country). Most youthful types out there would like to ignore them, try hard to ignore them, work on it fastidiously, because, well, you know, the age of the elderly might rub off on them. I never found this to be terribly disturbing. Being ignored by young people is fine with me. It's not as if they're able to offer you life's wisdoms that only come with age. Besides, they live in a state of perpetual frenzied stress. You don't want that to rub off on your nicely aging state of calm. So we're good, right?

Well, along comes this day. I was up past midnight, fixated on this idea that perhaps I should train a dog to be a support animal (see previous post on that one). I have the time and patience for it. And there are lots of dogs that have been abandoned in this country (and probably everywhere else: many humans have been notoriously mean to animals). I could work with them. Especially the big and gentle ones. Like Goose, only not Goose because Goose is happy in his new surroundings.

Try putting in an inquiry for a dog when you are 72 years old. Go ahead, just try it. Pretend you are and fill out the forms. I can promise you that the phone will not start ringing off the hook. You will not get instant messages or emails asking for details of your situation. Basically, you will be ignored.

Now, I get that. If you take in a young pup at 72, she or he will likely live when your frail self will be pushing 87. And what if you get sick or die, what happens to the dog then? Everyone imagines that the ideal placement for an abandoned dog is a happy family with kids and a fenced back yard. But tell me -- who has the time for an animal in need of time, a young family with working parents and school aged children or... me?

Anyway, now you know what I did last night and this morning. I studied pages upon pages (hundreds of them) listing abandoned dogs, with histories that would make your hair stand on edge. Before breakfast, with breakfast,,,

 

... after breakfast. 

It was the day for me to go to the farmhouse...

I should have put in a few dozen more bulbs, but instead, Ed and I sat on the couch and he helped me fill out forms where forms needed to be filled out (he is quite supportive of any care any human wants to give to any animal; he's also very good at filling out pdf files for free).

And still, in the end, nothing came of it. So far, anyway. 

 

And then it was time to pick up Sparrow... (and to say hello to Goose)

Then Snowdrop...

And bring them home to the apartment for a while...

 

 

 

 

 

After returning the two big ones home, I come back to my Edge apartment and wonder about this world of people and animals and how it all hangs together, but just barely, with not necessarily a happy outcome for very many. At least not all the time. But one can hope! I haven't given up -- on humanity, or on dogs.

with so much love...