Finding Z

Finding Z

April 15, Tax Day, has a specific special meaning for me, which has nothing to do with taxes, the IRS or anything April 15 is normally associated with.

On April 15, 2009, about a year before my father died, my mother and I went for a walk in our neighborhood. Not an unusual act for us. It was about noon and we went different way than normal. As we were walking down a less traveled road, this tiny little puppy came running out from under a white truck parked on the street.

The little pup, black and white, with one eye completely black, jumped up at me, I caught her and she started licking my face, and placed her paws around my neck. It was like the little girl was hugging me. I was caught off, didn’t know what to do, so I just held her until she decided she wanted me to put her down.

She ran back over to the house the truck was parked in front of. My mom and I talked to the guy who lived there, thinking she was his dog. She wasn’t. He found her sleeping outside his front door that morning and gave her some food.

Thinking nothing more of it, my mom and I continued on our walk. It wasn’t too long before we heard steps behind us, looking back there was the little girl running after us. As we continued to walk, she followed us, tongue hanging out and tail wagging.

She jumped all around us, all happy. Not knowing if she belong to someone or was a stray, we let her follow us. Then she took off. She saw a small dog and chased it down the road out of sight. I was a little said, but figured she belonged to someone and would make her way home.

A couple of minutes later, there was a loud noise and bark from behind us. I turned and the little girl came running up to me and jumped into my arms again. This time, she put her head into my chest and fell asleep. Literally, she fell asleep in my arms.

I carried the tiny, few weeks old Zoie all the way home.

We took her to the vet, but she had no chip or anything to identify the owner. We put up signs and went around the neighborhood, no one owned her.

So, guess what, we kept her.

And it’s a good thing we did, for she became my little Angel. Just under 5 years later, January 29, 2014, it was Zoie who found me when I collapse and got help.

And here she is today.

Ace.