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KITTY
A Little About Me
It was 1994 when I met Ryan. I was
a trained Canine Helper for the Handicapped. I watched all my classmates
leave with nice sweet people that really needed help. I dreamed of having
a nice old woman or someone in a wheelchair that I could help a whole lot.
I seen those people come and go at the school all the time. Never in my
wildest dreams can I say I was ready for Ryan. Nothing could be farther
from the truth. After all, I just wasn't any dog... Then a horse told me
about Ryan being sick and in the hospital for a long time. Well Ryan is
still sick, and I take care of him 24 hous a day. I hope you enjoy my story!
The Whole Story
Well I already said hello, what do you expect from a dog?
Oh nothing huh? Well let me tell you! On this page I'm going to tell you
about my boy... I own him, but that's not important. What is important
is what I had to do to get him!
When I was little I got lost and ended up in jail and no
one claimed me. It was a terrible life, but I got two meals a day and plenty
of water. Actually I have to thank those people that had the jail. Somehow
I got caught in a dumptser and couldn't get out and the garbage men that
found me took me to the jail where they gave me a bath and and started
feeding me... really they were pretty great people.
I stayed there for a month then this lady came by looking
for something... I wasn't sure so I didn't say nothing- but EVERY other
dog there just talked so much and she didn't pay attention to them. Then
she saw me. Well I wasn't real happy about that. She put me in a small
cage and drove for hours. I couldn't even see the road signs so I had no
idea where I was going, well I couldn't read yet anway so I guess that
didn't matter.
When we finally stopped she put me on a leash and took me
into a giant fenced area with other dogs... all I could make out on the
sign to the building was S C H O O L. I didn't no what that meant just
then, but I was about to find out!
Well after several months of school, I learned to read and
write, fetch, open and close doors... and I was allowed in the humans house.
I had to learn to sit in a restaurant while Kathy and her husband David
ate and just ignore everyone. I had to go to petstores and pick out toys
and food I wanted! I learned everything a dog could learn and I still had
to learn more.
I was laying on the floor one day when the phone rang, and
Kathy my teacher, just got so happy when she was finished... I didn't understand
why, but she looked at me and said, there is a little boy coming to see
you.
Needless to say I freaked! I didn't want some little boy
pawing at me and kissing me and hugging all the time... and they NEVER
knew how to play right. Always squirting you with water and pulling on
your leash! How would I ever train some little boy to do what I wanted?
I was a mess, and I was afraid... but something else happened as well.
I started learning new things.
I had to learn how to come back home from 10 miles away!
I had to learn how to work with a big giant dumb horse! I was miserable.
It didn't matter what time of day it was, but for some reason it was important
that I get home before dark. They put things in my collar so they they
kind of had an idea where I was, but not the fancy things they have today
for keeping track of you. And boy if i tried to run away did I get a shock!
Another three months went by, then one morning I was sleeping
with Harold my giant horse buddy and this big truck and trailer pull up
and yet another horse gets out! I just closed my eyes! I had to be having
a nightmare.
Then I saw him... argh! A little boy! He was petting and
hugging on the horse talking gibberish! I came out of the barn and tried
to get into the house before I was seen and Kathy called to me! Dang I
was caught! So I went over and she told me to go get Harold. That was embarassing.
Harold was so dumb! I grabbed the reins and led Harold out to Kathy.
The little boy turned to the horse and said "What do you
think Smoke? Wanna give it a try?" Well anyone could see that Smoke didn't
want to be led around by a dog, what self respecting horse would? But the
little boy was insistant and finally Smoke agreed! And who ever heard of
a horse called Smoke? George, Gregg, Danny, those are all horse names!
Well the boy was so excited I got kinda of excited. I couldn't
control myself. The boys' daddy looked at Kathy and said "That is one big
dog!" Gosh I wasn't even 3 years old yet and still had the figure of a
teenager! I needed a mirror to make sure though! Then the boy looked at
me and smiled. I started to melt.. Oh I didn't like little boys!
Dang it seemed as though they were discussing me, and the
little boy kept staring at me and smiling! Then the boys daddy got some
luggage out of the car and some toys and took them into the house with
David. What was this all about? Then Kathy told the little boy to put Smoke
in the stable! The boy looked at me and said "Come'on Girl!"
ARGH! No manners at all I was much older than him, he was
downright rude! But I grabbed Harolds lead again and followed the boy.
I watched him as he got on a stool, brushed Smoke and talked to that horse.
Then Smoke gave the boy a kiss!! How gross kissing a little boy! Then the
boy fed Smoke when the big horse settled down. Then the boy turned to me.
He smiled and said you are a pretty girl. I never had a dog before. My
parents wouldnt let me have one before now."
I have no idea where he was going with this, it wasn't like
I was going to buy some little boy... his dark brown hair was down to his
waist and he looked like a little girl in shorts and a pony tail! Then
the boy came over and HUGGED ME! Oh I was miserable... but for some reason
I liked this new feeling... even though he did smell like apples. All I
could think of is what kind of kid would rub apples all over himself! Well
it was better than little boy stink anyway!
The next day I was talking to Smoke and he told me the little
boys name was Ryan. It seems that Ryan and Smoke had an accident a year
before. Ryan was in the hospital for a long time, and when he came home
to Smoke, the big horse new there was a problem. His little boy was afraid
of him! It was a year and a half later and Ryan always took care of Smoke,
but would never take Smoke riding again.
Smoke continued and told me he and Ryan were riding and playing
and they were running so fast that smoke could barely see where he was
going. Then all the sudden Ryan pulled the reigns and Smoke was confused
so he just stopped. Ryan flew off his back and hit a tree. Smoke said he
was scarred because he thought Ryan was dead. I smiled and said well It
all turned out all right. Smoke shook his head, "No, he doesn't talk like
he used to. He gets lost in his back yard, and he hides in his room. Well
Smoke was so serious I didn't laugh, I didn't want to get stomped on.
By 7 AM Ryan was outside. He came right over to me and said
I'm going to name you Kitty! I thought OH BOY THIS KID HAS LOST IT! But
he was determined to call me Kitty. But it was then that I saw a problem.
This Ryan was completely naked, and humans have to wear clothes to hide
themselves of course because they are not beautiful like other animals.
So I ran into the house and found those shorts and brought them to him.
He just stared at me and said "I can't put those on you!"
I sighed and ran back into the house and got Kathy and drug
her outside. She smiled and took the shorts from me and helped the little
boy Ryan put them on. As soon as he had them on he started putting stuff
in his pockets! I was a little confused by this cause I thought even the
little humans could dress themselves when they started walking, and this
boy was at least nine years old. Then Kathy told me to get his shoes, so
I ran into the bedroom, got them and she helped him put them on as well.
I had a lot of training to do to get this kid acting civilized!
Kathy taught him how to put my lead on, and then the commands.
Stable - easy! So I walked the boy to the stable where he made over that
horse, took the horse outside and played over an hour with him while I
just sat there watching. He put Smoke in the corral and then came over
to me and looked around. I watched him for a few minutes and realised he
was looking for something, but what? Unless he tells me I can't take care
of it... Then he sat down and started to cry... Oh Geez! I hate it when
the little people cry... so I went over and cuddled him, but I had no idea
what was wrong. Then Smoke yelled over to me, "Hey stupid dog! He doesn't
know where the house is!"
Well I declare! I never heard such rudeness before! If the
horse was so smart why didn't he open the gate and take the little boy
to the house? But I grabbed the boy by the hand and walked him around the
stable where he could see the house and he stopped crying immediately and
smiled "Cool" was all he could say. As soon as he got to the house he gave
me a treat a nice liver biskit... its then I noticed a smell... The boy
had carrots, apples and sugar cubes, and biskits stuffed into his shorts!
That night after dinner the boy watched TV and played with
his toys. When David told him to get ready for bed, Ryan took his shorts
and shoes off right in the living room and sat back down! I couldn't believe
it and Kathy and David were giggling. David said, "Ryan, pick up your clothes
and your toys and put them in your room." The little boy stared at David
for a minute, looked at the mess on the floor, then back at David and said
"No way! I ain't the maid!" David looked shocked, but Kathy started giggling
and said to Ryan, "Ryan it's ok honey, but can you point at stuff and tell
Kitty to GET and then show her where you want them put?" The boy looked
at Kathy for a few moments, sighed and said "OK."
Then he looked at me and said, "Get!" Pointing at things
on the floor. Well I got as much as I could in one mouth and he led me
into his room and said, "Don't you slobber on my toys dog!" How rude can
a little boy be? I put the toys in a box and the clothes on his bed. When
I finished he looked at me, "Well your smarter than I thought you were."
I declare I've never seen such a pampered little boy in my life.. well
I hadn't seen many at all but this one had to be the worst! Then we went
back in and watched TV until he started falling asleep. David picked him
up and put him in bed. I decided I better stay with the creature in case
he woke up and had to go potty... I sure didn't want him lost and peeing
on me!
It took about six months, but finally Ryan was trained. Smoke
and I had become friends and I got used to being called Kitty. Although
Charles (Smoke) calls me by my name, Cindy! But Ryan is a big part of our
lives. Ryans' handicap is memory loss and a lot of brain damage, it takes
a lot for him to do things. I was well pleased with the new house I went
to. We had a large room toys, all the food we wanted... but that wasn't
Ryans only problems. Some of them I couldn't fix. I could protect him from
mean people as long as I didn't bite anyone... just scare them half to
death.. but Ryan hated eating... that made him sick lot. The other thing
is he was afraid to go outside. Oh sure, he would take care of Smoke and
I, but that was about it.
When he turned ten, I didn't know what was going on inside
him, but he got a computer... and since then he started laughing alot like
other kids do. Oh he still cries to, after all he is just a baby. But then
we met Billy and Tripper (a GOOD dog name!) and Ryan has been happy almost
all the time. These days we live in a much smaller place, and we dont have
a maid right now, but we have a nurse that cleans and cooks... but I have
to clean up a lot of the messes. Ryan empties the trash when he really
has to. I don't know what the future will be like. For now his computer
is near the fireplace. I lay down under the computer desk and keep his
feet warm for him and he loves me alot. Of course somehow I fell in love
with him along the way to... I haven't left his side since.
There is rumors of a new home, living with Billy and Tripper,
and Billy going to college. Ryan won't ever drive a car, or go to a fancy
school.. but the four of us could be together.
And just for the record... Ryan still smells like apples.
Now come on and smile... go back and read more of Billy and Ryans pages...
they work hard on them for you guys! |