This is a true story, word for word, happy unexpected events do happen...The holidays can be a terriblly lonely time.
While most people are making merry and drowning in the warm and fuzzy glow of loved one's, there are other's who suffer and know all too well the feeling of devastating solitude, for a multtude of reason's.My heart breaks in a million piece's for such people.Maybe they have no family of their own, and maybe their so called "friend's are off celebrating with their own family's. I say, "so called friend's", because how on earth can you go somewhere and leave someone that you know is going to be totally alone? (not possible if you are human)
About dozen years ago, I was facing such a Christmas. ALL ALONE (I can't verbalize how bad that feels), so I volunteered to work. In nursing there is always a vacant shift available during the holidays.
I had worked my regular 8 hour shift, from 7A-3P. I then took another nurse's 8 hour shift so she could go back home to her kids and so I would not have to go home to an empty apartment. I worked her 3P-11P shift, theorizing that after 16 hours of work, when I finally got home, where I was going to be all alone,I would pass out from exhaustion and not be concerned with the silence.
When I left work at the hospital, it was raining and bitter cold. I got "home", looked at my stark Christmas tree and decorations, then headed straight for bed.
I snuggled under the comforter and was out in no time! All of the sudden I heard BANG, against my front door. Thinking it was a dream, that just jarred me awake, I layed there and started to drift off again.
BANG! It happened again. Now I knew I was not dreaming that.I went to the door and peered out the peep hole. Nothing but torants of rain, now mixed with ice. My heart was beating so hard, I could hear it. But there was no more sounds, so I headed for the bedroom. Then again, BANG! Still I could see nothing, so I swung open the door! To my amazement, in strolled a sopping wet little dog.
I was not an animal person, but no way could I put him back out in that rain. So not wanting to touch him,I went and got a piece of terry cloth from the rag bin & put it on the floor, for him to hopefully dry off on and make a bed of. Instead, he shook, what seemed to be gallons, of freezing, dirty water, all over my living room and me. And worse, he promptly hopped up on my new sofa, dug into a spot, then ploped his mangy wet self down on it! I was horrifed, but slightly thankful for the company, on this rainy Christmas night.I dryed myself off again and got under the warm comforter.
All the sudden, I heard this intense scrapping noise at the door. Again I ignored it and tried to drift off to lala land. And again, I heard the scrapping, but louder this time. I went out to the living room, and looked at the dog, who was sitting straight up with his ears at attention (though he said nothing). Again with the scrapping and I could see absolutely nothing out the peep hole? Again, I flung open the door. This you will not believe. In STROLLED a soaked, overly homely cat!
The dog looked at the cat and jumped to his feet and the cat spotted the dog. Up went it's hair and it started hissing while freezing still. My mind was racing! I had visions of getting between a fighting strange dog and cat and how that was going to destroy my spotless livingroom.
The dog and cat looked at one another for a while, did some posturing, then they both, at the exact instant, lowered to a laying position, never saying a word. I got up in the morning, to find the dog sleeping on one end of the sofa, and the cat sleeping on the other end.
I had to be at work at 7 AM (my regular shift), so I sent the strange dog and cat on their respective ways (secretly hoping to see them when I rushed home at 3). I stopped and bought a can of dog food, and a can of cat food. I never saw neither again.
What is really puzzling, I lived in a completely fenced in and gated property. The cat could have made it in, but how did the dog? And, in the final analogy, I was not alone Christmas eve, like I had dreaded, plus I gave shelter to 2 of God's creature's in their hour of need and inturn was helped myself. I nicknamed that dog, Joseph and the cat, Mary (no disrespect intended). But on one of the loneliest nights of my life, I was charge to two very desparate and needy souls! And they were in charge of one (me)!
Every word of this story, is the honest to God's truth and I am the proud owner of it. God heard my heart's "tear's" and "dried" them with a soaking wet dog and cat! How blessed am I?...
