Friday, July 20, 2007

A Single Strand of Hope


In a few short hours today my world drove straight down deep into a pocket of hell.

And I am still in this pocket, with perhaps one or two bits of light streaming down into it. I don't even know if I want to explain it or post it but I am likely to be absent for a few days until this situation changes.

Between 3:30 and 6:15, I was out of the house doing a brief job, which I'll call tech support. When I got home, the dog was gone -- which means some unknown person had to come inside, let the dog out onto the back deck apparently, and the dog, dear Sophie she is to one and all, who is terrified of thunderstorms, was put outside during a thunderstorm, and clawed her way through the railings and she was off and gone and she is not here.

It's a weird locked room mystery - nothing in the house missing save dear Sophie. Did some demon tormentor attempt the theft of the dog and she simply escaped on her own? So it appears.

Gone, gone and all my fault because I was not here. I am not seeking pity on this. Its just the way I feel, and for the next few days each ounce of energy I have is going to searching for Sophie.

I'll be back when I've taken hold of Sophie in my chubby hands and until then all I want to do is search. Writing sucks and leaves ashes in my mouth and my view of all humankind is beyond bleak, as some human attempted to hurt the animal who is kind enough to let me share her home.

It's after one a.m. and I won't sleep much tonight. I don't give two diddly-shits how indulgent it is to have a pet who spends most of her time sleeping on the couch or on my bed snoring and watching TV. Causing harm to Sophie is the same as causing harm to any of my human family and my pacifism evaporates. My affinity for dogs has been expressed in these pages before.

Again, none of this post is meant to elicit your pity or sympathy, but I do feel compelled to explain that this blog is interrupted until I've seen the single strand of hope lead to some exit from this particular corner of ugly.

UPDATE: I cannot say how much I deeply appreciate all the readers and bloggers who've been adding us to their own list of hopes, prayers and good vibes. In fact, I just learned some positive info from a neighbor I talked to so your efforts have had some results -- a neighbor saw her running down a street close to our house, Ronald Drive. So now we know she did escape -- no idea how she got out though - and was running fult tilt during the thuderstorm yesterday about 5:30 or 6 p.m..

But now I know a direction.

She is about a 7 to 8 year old pit bull, all white with a brindle spot on top of her head and on her butt, wears a purple harness and I've added a picture of her. I live on the edge of Jefferson and Hamblen county and she was running in the direction of Jefferson.

She is a very people-friendly dog, but very terrified of thunder and rain, so the past 24 hours has made her scared and shy and she is likely hiding out. She will respond kindly to food and treats and here is a full set of the dear pup on The Editor's Flickr page and you can see what a lovable creature she is, somewhat spoiled and deeply loved by the Editor and me and all our family.

If I do get new info I will add it a new post.

And all of your good will is making a difference in finding her, bringing her home and making me think better of humanity in general. I have called many local officials and friends old and new and they all are doing whatever they can to help. Thank you all very, very much.

20 comments:

  1. I might not sleep until you find her. Good Luck!

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  2. Joe, I'm so sorry.... And you have neither my pity or sympathy.

    It's called empathy.

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  3. You and your dear girl are in my thoughts and prayers.

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  4. Anonymous9:03 AM

    You are very much in my prayers, and I hope your child returns home safely.

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  5. Anonymous9:06 AM

    Oh dear. That is both upsetting and bizarre. My thoughts are with you and Sophie, Joe.

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  6. Anonymous9:28 AM

    Thinking of you, and, Sophie. Please keep us updated when you can.

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  7. I hope that Sophie is home safe and sound VERY soon. I'm keeping my fingers crossed and you both in my prayers.

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  8. I can't even imagine your anxiety. I'll be thinking about you and Sophie.

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  9. Joe, would you mind posting a description of her? That way we can all keep watch on sites like petfinders.

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  10. Hey Joe. I don't know you, but I followed a link from Brittany Gilbert's blog to this post. Just wanted to say I'm really sorry that Sophie is lost and that I hope you find her super soon...

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  11. I know how distraught I would be if my sweet puppy had disappeared. Good
    luck.

    John

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  12. Thanks very, very much for the good vibes. They have helped, I think, as I just got some info on her running down a street near our house yesterday afternoon.

    So I have added an update to the post, some images of Sophie and my deep appreciation for your call for aid and good vibes.

    I'll add any new info in a new post.

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  13. Joe, I swear if I lived in East Tennessee, I'd go help you myself. This is heartbreaking.

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  14. good luck - I hope she turns up soon

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  15. Anonymous2:17 PM

    Thinking good thoughts!

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  16. Joe, several times we have thought an animal companion was gone forever, but he or she came back. Don't give up. Keep calling mentally, even as you search physically.

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  17. Oh, sweetheart. Totally thinking of you and your Sophie. I know you'll find her.

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  18. I'm sitting here in Knoxpatch right now, bone tired but about to run over to Kinkos to make a shitload of flyers. Sophie is my child. We're going to radius out from the house tomorrow and leave flyers with everyone. I've emailed out for volunteers, so if you are up for it tomorrow and in the area, email Joe. With a bunch of people taking sections, it shouldn't take all that long. I feel like someone has ripped my heart out through my neck.

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  19. Having lived most of my life in that house that Sophie and Joe call home, I have a different theory. I don't think someone came in and put Sophie out. I think Sophie broke out herself. Someone drove by and saw her outside. They came to the door and saw no one was home. They replaced the screen to Joe's window and somehow lured Sophie to the back porch where they thought she would be safe. THEN, she busted off the porch.

    She'll come home. She has to. Maybe the Editor should scatter a trail of raw hide pig ears for her to follow home. What a happy dance that would be.

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  20. Anonymous12:29 AM

    I hope Sophie returns home soon.

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