My friend Richard suggested that we invite him to breakfast. My friend Richard suggested this to me while we were on a hike while geocaching. Poor Richard, does he not see the irony of that. I suggested it was not such a bad idea, We should invite another friend, Bill and perhaps we can give the Bill to Bill.
Paul took early retirement, not so early as to be obscenely early, I mean his hair had turned gray, but early enough to plink the jealousy strings that we all harbor inside. Me I am still at it at 65 and Richard says he will be too. Bill says he can never retire as there is no one who can replace him. You see why we want to give Bill the Bill. I asked , are you able to keep busy. His annoying response was something along the line of just barely, between travel, reading, photography and piano lessons and getting into shape with the personal trainer and volunteering I am pretty busy.
So that is how it was that I was reminded of Paul this morning. I opened my paper and there was a story about Roscoe and Clover. Roscoe is a bassett hound and Clover a pretty mix. They arrived at a local animal shelter last year . And as many animals pulled from their normal lives into the shelter life they were anxious and disoriented. But Roscoe and Clover found each other and formed a bond of companionship, they were inseparable. Staffers noticed their reliance and constancy and were taken by their story.
Now a year later, Roscoe and Clover have been sufficiently socialized to be separated and placed for adoption. It is easier to place a single animal than to place two, for the obvious reason. I know that I could never have two of my dogs, I just do not have that much energy. Yesterday morning with its -2 degree reading was not a deterrent to my pup, he still insisted on his 4 miles of walking and his frizbie. I was not so insistent, but went along with it nevertheless.
So as it turns Roscoe and Clover will be available , and in the case of highly publicized animals will likely find a home. It is the un known ones, 12 year old Cookie whos 80 year old mistress died, Red the pointer who is gun shy and won't hunt, Earl the mutt whose family lost their home to foreclosure. Those are the ones who are tough to place. And what does this have to do with my friend Paul, well he volunteers at that animal shelter and although I do not know it to be true, I believe it to be. I believe that he has worked with Roscoe and Clover, for he once told me that his job is to socialize the animals by taking them out for walks. I am sure he knows the Roscoe and Clover story as well as the Cookie, Red and Earl story too.
My friend Paul is a pleasant fellow to walk with, or even to ride a bike with. I hope to be able to do that again some time soon. Like Roscoe and Clover humans need to be socialized too.
So thanks Rsocoe and Clover for reminding me of Paul. and thanks Paul for being a good guy.
I need that too, because Elliott Spitzer was in the news again today.