Please Help Me

     Being a dog lover my entire life and having had many dogs of my own through the years, I have always felt a close connection with all dogs that I meet. I believe when I look into a dogs eyes we communicate with one another; there is an unspoken understanding that passes between us.
     On a cold winter morning as I was driving to work, I had stopped for a red light at a very busy intersection. While waiting for the light to change, a large dog stepped in front of my car and stopped. Our eyes locked in on each other as he gazed through my windshield. As I looked into this dog's eyes, I heard, "I need help. Can you please help me?"
     While we were communicating with each other I was unaware that my light had changed to green. The sound of a honking horn behind me let me know that someone was not happy that I was holding up traffic. The horn spooked the dog and he immediately bolted through traffic and jumped a snowbank, disappearing from my sight.
     Prepared to rescue this obviously lost dog, I drove across the intersection, parked at the curb, and stepped from my car and into the street. As I called out to the dog, I climbed over the snowbank where I had last seen him. Gone! He was nowhere in sight.
     Thinking he would reappear, I waited near my car for a few moments, until more horn honking started. Wanting to avoid any confrontation with angry drivers, I thought it best to get in my car a drive away.
     My place of employment was about five miles from my encounter with the dog. At work, I recounted my experience to my boss, and half jokingly I said the dog would show up at our store. About an hour later, there at our storefront window stood the dog. Standing close to the glass his eyes were searching inside the store. His searching eyes stopped as soon as he saw me, and again our eyes were locked in on one another. When I looked into his eyes I again heard the same plea for help.
     Before I could reach the door someone outside began yelling at the dog, and of course the angry voice sent the dog into a fearful run. I raced outside and into the parking lot, only to find the dog had disappeared again.
     I never saw the dog again. Over the years I've often remembered that encounter. Both times that he sought my help something came between us. Did he give up on me or did he find his way home?
     I choose to believe he safely found his way home.

     So long, I'll see you soon!