Recently I missed my turn for a
favorite breakfast spot, and wound up in a completely different area, which is
nothing new for me. Something tells me
that I thrive on detours, whether through roadway construction or my own
ineptitude. Funny though, those
excursions often lead to interesting discoveries and new learning experiences,
as well as some good laughs. My latest
adventure was just such an example!
As I walked through the first door to
the restaurant, I spotted a very sweet and
beautiful dog just sitting
comfortably on the ledge. He seemed
quite happy and deep in his own “dog thoughts.”
I just stood and observed him for a little while, and let myself wonder
who his rightful owner was and if he came there often. Instead of bemoaning my detour experience, I
just enjoyed the moment. I found the
owner nearby. He was also resting
comfortably and within clear sight of his delightful dog. I asked him if I could take a picture of his
special pal, and he was happy to oblige.
I learned that CALVIN came with him to the restaurant quite often and
enjoyed seeing people come and go. Often
they stopped to pet him, and he was happy to get the attention. But as his owner said proudly, people seemed
to get excited to see Calvin and also quite surprised to see a dog on a ledge
inside a restaurant. I noticed that
nearly everyone who walked past him had to stop and talk to him, and it made
them smile almost instantly. That
included restaurant employees. Calvin was a special dog with a real gift. His owner, I learned, was hopeful that Calvin
might become a regular at nursing homes, where he could entertain and delight
the residents. The elderly owner had
spent many hours observing how Calvin related with people of all ages. Calvin’s job was to make people happy. And indeed he did!
