Honking Your Own Horn!

Today has been great. Early this afternoon I went over to Kinky's for a visit. We talked about Donna Gable Hatch's great article that she wrote for Steve Pietzsch, in The Kerrville Daily Times. After that Kinky told me that he was very concerned about Sophie Friedman, his adorable, sweet Cocker Spaniel that he had rescued several years ago, from a woman that was fixin' to become a homeless street person, in San Antonio. Because she didn't want Sophie to have to deal with that.

Anyway, Kinky was concerned that Sophie had back pain, because she had gone on a walk with Kinky and The Friedmans, earlier in the morning and since then she would not get up or walk around. I suggested that I leave and come back and honk Trigger's horn, in hopes she might get up. Kinky didn't much care for my idea, but he said, "Okay, it's worth a try."

So they went back inside the Lodge, where Sophie was and Trigger & I drove away and circled the ranch once. When Trigger & I returned to the Lodge, I honked twice and waited. The Friedmans barked and then I saw Kinky opening his kitchen door to let Sophie, Winston and Peanut come outside. And Kinky was smiling, even though Sophie was moving slowly. "Thanks, Nance. You got her up...."

This evening around 5:00, Kinky called me again, because he didn't know if he should take Sophie to Hoegemeyer Animal Clinic. "She won't get up and she might be in pain. Maybe it's her back...." After a long discussion, I suggested that I come back over there and honk, in hopes that Sophie would get up, so we could check her out.

Five minutes later I half-hollered, down the hallway, "Tony, I'm going over to Kinky's and should be right back. I've just got to go honk the horn, again." Then I jumped inside Trigger and we took off, but I didn't make it very far, because as I was waiting, at the entrance gate to open, I looked to my left and saw an adorable, little, black, dog, in our fenced corral.

"What?" Then I shoved Trigger into park and jumped out of the truck. "Hey, little Buddy. Come on over here. Are you lost or did some bad person drop you off?" As the cute, but matted-up, little dog walked slowly up to me, on the other side of the fence, I said, "Now, don't worry. I promise that I'm not going to hurt you." Then I bent down and let him sniff my hand. When he started wagging his tail slowly, I said, "Let's get you out of there. Come on follow me." Then I walked up to our gate and then around it to the white board fence—and he was following me through the tall grass. Second later, he crawled under a board to get out of the corral and I petted him. When he jumped up on my legs to let me know that he trusted me, I picked him up and carried him back to Trigger.

All of the way over to the Lodge I talked to him and as he listened he seemed to be very relaxed riding in the truck. When we arrived at the Lodge I honked twice. Seconds later, Kinky opened the kitchen door and out ran Sophie, Winston and Peanut Friedman. Then Kinky walked outside wearing the biggest grin on his face and half-hollered, "Thanks, Nance! Look at Sophie! I can't believe this. She seems to be fine now! Come on in."

"I can't, Kinky. I just rescued this little dog. You've got to meet him." Seconds later, Kinky was petting the little dog though the window as I told him the story.

"Nance, he's so precious. Why don't you let him out to meet The Friedmans and drink some water."

As the sweet little dog met the friendly Friedmans and drank some water, I told Kinky that we had no room at the rescue ranch and would put him in our trailer, but I was also seriously thinking about Tony and me adopting him, because he had already stolen my heart. "What are you going to name him, because I might take him too if you don't adopt him? He's about the same size as The Friedmans and would fit in perfectly," Kinky said.

"Felix," I said. "No wait. Walter Matthau, because every dog that we name Walter Matthau always gets adopted fast." Kinky loved the name. Then I stayed over there and visited with Kinky, as we watched Walter make himself at home.

Before I left the Lodge to come back home, we had decided to let Walter spend tonight with The Friedmans and Kinky, at the Lodge, I said, "I am so glad that I came over to honk the horn again, because this little fella might have spent the night outside being scared, hungry and thirsty and now because Sophie is feeling great and totally back to normal, you don't have to take her to the vet."

Kinky agreed with me and then teasingly said, "Me, too. Quit honking your own horn." And that is about it for tonight, except I want you to meet our latest Mr. Walter Matthau.

Y'all have a great evening! And remember that sometimes it is okay to honk your own horn, because you might just save a dog or a trip to your veterinary clinic.