Ryan
I will never forget the moment Tucker met his dog. I had to admit I had my doubts when I first saw her. But seeing the two together now, I knew they were soulmates, perfect for one another.
They spent a good thirty minutes cuddled together while he sat on that park bench. He was smiling from ear to ear. I hated breaking up their moment, but we needed to complete the adoption process and get supplies.
“We should, uh… go fill out some paperwork and make this official, don’t you think?”
Tucker finally looked up at me and blinked in surprise, as if he forgotten I was there. “Oh yeah. I guess we should do that.” He looked down at his new dog. “Hey girl, let’s bail you out of here, huh?”
The dog’s ears perked up and her tail wagged. Tucker stood up with the help of his cane, and she stood up with him, already standing by his side. I followed behind the pair as they slowly made their way to the front entrance of the shelter.
The woman at the desk smiled at us. “Looks like you found a dog!”
“Indeed! My friend would like to adopt…” I glanced down at the clipboard from the dog’s kennel, looking for her name. “Uh, Morgan here.”
“Fantastic! Please, both of you have a seat, and we’ll get the paperwork and adoption fees in order.”
Tucker seemed happy to sit again, with Morgan by his side. He ruffled her head and said, “So the name’s Morgan, huh?”
Morgan’s tail patted the ground in affirmation.
Within ten minutes we had the paperwork filled out, adoption fee paid for, and her new tag and paperwork in hand. Morgan’s tail wagged the entire time. I felt she knew what just took place and that she had chosen Tucker just as much as he had chosen her.
*
We walked over to the large gift/pet supply store they had. Their prices were higher than a regular pet store, but all proceeds went back into the shelter, so I doubted that Tucker would mind.
Tucker wanted to pick out the perfect collar and leash set, along with toys, food, and a bed for Morgan. The shelter provided every adopter with a temporary leash and collar, but they were thin and meant to be replaced.
I watched from afar and took pictures with my phone of Tucker with Morgan as they perused the collars and leashes. I knew that someday he would thank me for taking pictures of his first day with her. I also took pictures when they sat together at the bench. I think I captured some real tear-jerker shots.
He stopped in front of a display of specialty decorative collars and picked out a dark purple one with yellow flowers all over it. He showed it to Morgan, asking, “How do you like this one?” She sniffed it and wagged her tail in approval. He grabbed a matching leash then turned to me and smiled.
“The design reminds me of a Van Gogh painting,” I said.
“It does, doesn’t it? It looks good with her black fur, I think.”
I pocketed my phone and walked with them as they continued shopping. Morgan found a bin of squeaker tennis balls and looked up at Tucker for approval. “Sure, girl,” he said with a smile. “Pick one out.”
She leaned into the bin and retrieved a purple one. She was catching on to shopping, as if she had done this before. It was obvious that her previous owner had treated her well. She walked as she chewed on it, making intermittent squeaks along the way.
We walked some more and found the dog beds. There was a large purple memory foam bed that had her name written all over it. Tucker glanced over at me, and I knew he wanted me to grab it. We both smiled and I nodded at him.
With a bed picked out, we then headed to the pet food. The shelter had some of the best foods on the market. I recommended what I fed my dogs and Tucker thanked me as I grabbed a fifty pound bag. I also handed Tucker a red scoop I found nearby, since he was in no position to pour from the bag once he got home.
We then found a raised dog bowl set that matched the color theme we had going, as they were stainless steel on the inside and a decorative purple with painted flowers on the outside.
My hands were quite full, so Tucker took pity on me, grabbed the box with the raised dog bowl set inside, and announced to Morgan their shopping would have to stop for now. At the checkout we found a perfect dog brush for her beautiful black coat, and threw that in with the rest of our purchases. Tucker spent a small fortune, but he didn’t seem to mind one bit.
We walked out with three large bags filled with purchases and paperwork. As we approached my car, I tossed everything into the back cargo space, then assisted Morgan into the back seat. I hooked her into one of the doggy safety belts I had permanently affixed to the seats.
Tucker hesitated at the door and said, “I’m going to sit back here with Morgan for the ride home, if that’s okay with you.”
I smiled, touched by his not wanting to leave her side. “I think that’s a great idea, Tucker.”
*
After we arrived at his house, I helped Tucker with his cane as he left the car and coaxed Morgan to his side. He insisted he hold her leash as we approached his front door. Once he opened the door he looked down at Morgan and said, “This is your new home, girl.” She sat by his side and waited for him to enter, then followed him in.
Once we were inside, I knelt down and took off Morgan’s leash so she could roam around. Though she looked at her new surroundings with intense curiosity, she remained at Tucker’s side.
I suggested, “How about you show her the backyard while I bring everything in? I bet she has to go.”
“Do you have to go outside?” Tucker asked Morgan.
She wagged her tail and barked once, the sound echoing in the large room.
We both jumped a bit and laughed.
Tucker commended her, saying, “Okay, wow. You spoke. Good girl!” He ruffled her furry neck before saying, “Let’s go outside then.”
She followed him out the back door, the two making quite the pair.