The Kindness of Strangers

Over the Christmas weekend our dog got out and got hit and killed by a car. This is awful because we love her and also because my son is leaving for the army in one week. The person who hit her did not bother to stop or to call us although there were several options to contact us on her tags. I found her early Sunday morning lying by the side of the road near our house. I called my son and told him not to come because I did not want him to see her like that. I then called my sister who lives near by because I did not want to leave Luna, our dog, in the road but I didn't know what to do. I then pretty much became hysterical. I sat down next to Luna in the gutter and proceeded to cry uncontrollably. Quite a few people drove by and stared. This story is not about them or the person who left my dog in the road. It's about the ladies who did stop.

The first lady pulled up and asked if I was OK and if I needed anything. I said no, my sister was on the way but thank you anyway. She said I needed comfort and pulled over and got out. She was dressed nicely but she got down in the gutter with me and held my hands and listened to me cry and go on about my son leaving for the army and that I left the gate open and it was my fault and that I was afraid he would hate me. I don't remember everything that happened or what I said because at that point I was a wreck and I think I may have been in shock. No one should have to see their dog in more than one piece. I second lady pulled up and got out and comforted me as well; she was also dressed nicely but got down in the gutter with me. Then a third lady came. She is a vet tech and was on her way to work, evidently she never drives to work on that road but felt compelled to that morning. All these women sat there with me and cried when I told them my story and tried to comfort me. The vet tech then asked me what I wanted to do with Luna; I said I couldn't bury her in our backyard because our other dog would dig her up. She then said she could take Luna to her office and keep her there until we decided what we wanted to do. She offered the option of cremation which I did not say but thought we couldn't possibly afford, money is tight and I want to make sure my son has enough for what he needs at boot camp. At this point my sister arrived and found me surrounded by these kind women. The first lady who had arrived got my dog's tail out of the road and then left. The others put Luna in the back of the vet tech's car and discussed the cremation, one lady offered to pay for it but the vet tech said she would. I was then taken home because I was in no shape to drive. Today my son called the vet tech to make the arrangements and she once again said she would pay for the cremation; she also made an impression of Luna's paw for us to keep. When my son tried to thank her she said no, thank you for going to serve our country.

In the face of our personal tragedy these kind, generous women who we never met until yesterday made our loss a little easier to bear. We will always be grateful to them and they have restored our faith in mankind a little. I hope the people who read this will remember our story and if they ever see a stranger crying on the side of the road stop to see what is wrong.