The Rescue

Mean Streets
The first installment in the Nicky's Nine series

"Nicky is a 6 month old Staffordshire/Black Lab mix who came to us from a City Pound where the euthanasia statistics are sickening. There are technicians who, unfortunately, spend a good part of the day euthanizing these poor dogs, simply because there is no space. When Nicky was brought to the euthanasia table, the technician noticed how especially sweet he was and refused to put him down! With a little research, they found us and we were delighted to have him. This little boy was meant to live. He will fill your life with love and laughter."

Three and a half years ago, I was looking at rescue sites. Three months before that, I wanted to see how many of Life’s Top 10 Stressors I could pile on at once. I resigned from a job I had been at for 11 years, started a new job, bought my first house and moved, all in the space of about a month. Then, when things calmed down some, I decided what the hell, I think I’ll get another dog. I need to be over stimulated. One of my co-workers said “Check this rescue place out. That’s where I got Chewy.” Nicky was the first dog I saw when I visited the site. He was also the last-because I stopped there. Between this photo and his 'story', I didn’t need to see any of the others. I was at the place the next day. He had been found wandering the streets of Harlem at the tender age of 5 months.

And, so rare these days, something that actually lives up to the advertizing claims: he has filled my life with love and laughter. More than words can describe.

---AUTHOR'S NOTE---Originally, The Miracle was listed as the first installment in the Nicky's Nine series and The Scare was listed as the second. Then it dawned on me that Nicky's first flirtation with fade to black was before he and I ever crossed paths, without which we would never have crossed paths. So the installments have been renumbered accordingly.