So...all is well with the feline world once again. Some people on the street behind us sort of adopted Steele. He was all alone in the world, now that he didn't have M'ie to spar with. They had him neutered (yay!) and he now had a place to hang his hat. Then when those people moved a few streets away, he took up residence with an older couple, on the same street behind us. Their next door neighbor worked at our vet's office, so she took him in when he needed attention. We later heard that he tested positive for Feline AIDS. Surprise, surprise. :-/ But it has not yet gone full blown, and Steele continues to look fat and sassy. He's much better cared for, since his feral days, and the disease hasn't had any ill effect on him yet. He doesn't get around as much, thanks to the fact that his wanderlust has been taken away, and he *is* getting older. We still see him around from time to time, though.
Just before Christmas, 1995, a couple across the street from us adopted a puppy from the local shelter. He was about two or three months old, and a *real* cutie! Our neighborhood is predominately cats, so this was kind of a welcome change. ;-) They named him "Kimo". He was more of an outside dog than an inside dog, and his owners worked nights. After awhile...everybody in the neighborhood knew him. Kinda like a bad kid, that's everywhere at once. ;-) Not that he was bad...just everywhere. They couldn't keep him tied in the backyard. Any knot that they used was quickly untied by the dog. His passion was the beach, so that was the first place he always headed.
We started getting concerned for his welfare, so anytime we saw him running loose, we'd tie him back up in their back yard. I guess he never learned the meaning of the word "stay". ;-) Some of the guys in the neighborhood nicknamed him "Houdini", cause he could untie any knot you could think of. ;-) I decided, since he loved the beach...and I needed exercise, I'd buy a leash and take him for walks. So...for a few months, I'd "borrow" him, and we'd go to the beach every evening after work. He really didn't seem to mind that he was leashed. He was happy for the company...and to be at his favorite place. But when we tied him back up, he'd soon be loose again.
Needless to say, we started getting mighty attached to him. The couple that owned him worked all kinds of crazy hours, and really didn't have a lot of time for him. Kinda reminds me of when we first got Buster...when we really wanted a dog. Kimo spent way more time with us than with his owners. We were hooked.
The SO was in love, too. We were both "dog people" originally. How in the world did we end up with so many cats?! Anyway...he found out quickly that Kimo *loved* to go for a ride in the truck. That became a ritual with them, too. Before long, everybody on the Island knew him. I could be walking him down the street, and people I'd never seen before in my life would pass by and say, "Hi, Kimo!" I've even had one person say, "I know Kimo, but I don't know you..." Okay...I've only been here for 17 years...I can understand that. Hmm...I guess I don't get around like I used to. ;-)
"If I gave you every dream, would they grow?
If I took you for a ride, would you know?"
"Survival" ~ John Lodge ~ The Moody Blues
Kimo is a nice mixture of Chow and Golden Retriever. (I wouldn't be surprised if he had a little Bulldog in him, too...slight underbite. ;-)) He has the face, mane and purple tongue of the Chow...and long, blonde hair on his sides, hind legs and tail of the Retriever. He also *loves* the water. His personality is *all* Retriever. He loves everybody and will lick you to death if you give him the chance. Oh...the guys on the street have another nickname for him, too..."Right Turn". Check out the ears. ;-)
If ever a dog could smile, this one does. He always had that happy look on his face. One of his more endearing qualities. ;-) We're getting too attached, here. This dog does *not* belong to us. There was talk of his owners moving. To make matters worse...it would be sometime down the road. Great! Let us get even *more* attached to him, before you snatch him away. Shades of losing Tara. :-/ Since they didn't have a whole lot of time for him, we thought about making them an offer. But how could we bring a *dog* into a house with SIX CATS?! Sheesh! Perhaps we should have considered therapy instead. ;-)
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