The Great Escape

I was sitting at my craft table making a necklace--I mean, I was sitting at my computer working on my dissertation--and I heard a dog barking outside. Not too strange--New River has lots of dogs. But as I listened, I realized that the bark was distinct, special somehow. And I realized Walter wasn't in the room with me!

I ran to the backyard where Walter was standing on the path barking at folks from Teen Challenge who were walking the perimeter of their property. It was easy enough to coax him inside--I just had to wave a treat in the air. But Harvey wasn't anywhere to be seen. Not in the front yard. Not in the back yard. Remember, we have 2-1/2 acres. I tried watching for a flash of yellow and listening for his bark, but nothing.

At this point, I wasn't panicking. I jumped in the truck with a leash and jar of treats and thought I'd drive around the neighborhood. Harvey is such a lug, he had to be lollygagging. I was just worried that a crazy driver would hit him. Down Wolf Trap I went, with the window down, yelling his name. No luck. Down Fig Springs. Nada.

I turned around at Teen Challenge's main gate, and it was then I began to panic. I didn't want to go up and down New River Road looking for him because I would surely find his corpse along the side of the road given the ineptitude and speed of the local traffic.

In tears, I started back toward the house. And there he was, hanging out with a Rottie in a yard across the street and two doors down. Then I wanted to kill him! There was a woman with the dogs. Harvey wasn't as skittish as usual, but he was shy, and with the scar on his back, the woman thought Harvey had been shot. Nope. Just stupid.

So, Harvey's great escape was thwarted, though he is walking around looking very pleased with himself.

You may wonder how the dogs managed this? We've (George has) been doing so much work on the house. We have beautiful new doors in the kitchen, but they are not exactly secure. Unless the door is locked, it will easily blow open. Because I was outside doing laundry and expected to go back and forth, I didn't lock the door. The wind opened up the door, and the dogs took the opportunity to explore the greater outdoors.

UPDATE: George says that it is not the door but my door closing skills that led to the dogs' adventure.