The Story...

I just got home from my exam. I definitely passed, so no worries there. I talked to Bryan. He says that Bean threw up again this morning, and has an appointment with our vet in a couple of hours. I think it's just something she ate, but we'll have her checked out head to paw anyway.

Bryan sent out an email to friends/family last night with the story of how we got Bean back. I am posting it here, but with all the names changed (except for Bryan and Bean, of course!):

I'm on my way back from Chapel Hill today, after a long day of crying and exhausted naps. I was getting to the point of really feeling like we wouldn't see Bean again. Listening to the blues and everything.

Then I got a phone call from a young sounding dude (late teens?) who said that he had Bean and could I meet him around 9th St. I said sure, told him which parking lot I'd be in, and headed straight there. He called back and asked about the reward, was it still $1000? I said that it was, but that I wouldn't have it on me. I then told him what kind of car I was driving and what I looked like, and asked him to do the same. He hemmed and hawed for a minute about not being sure what car he'd be in, and then told me he'd have on red pants and a blue short.

At this point, I'm pretty sure that the dude is going to try to rob me since he sounded so shaky and wouldn't give me any info about himself.

So my two most ride-or-die-for-Bean comrades Elizabeth and Jane came out and parked nearby and waited to make sure that I was cool. We waited for about 45 minutes and decided to leave because the person obviously wasn't being serious. Or, he'd been dissuaded when I told him I wouldn't have the money on me. Whatever, we didn't have any more energy to waste.

Then, Elizabeth gets a call from Fitzwilliiam saying that he's at the bike co-op and he's looking at Bean. He said that the guy who was bringing her to me rolled up to get a flyer, and that he had jumped out to stop him. Elizabeth's all, "yeah right," because there were about 1500 phone calls from folks saying that they had her, and of course, none of them were her. So, the 3 of us speed over there, and sure enough, I get out of the car and see my baby pulling on her leash like she always does.

It was Bean for sure.

So I go talk to the guy and he tells me that he had picked her up two days ago by the Burger King at Club and Guess (by the mall). She was wandering around. I'd actually gotten several calls that she was over there, and Elizabeth and I went, but we found another loose dog that people could have mistaken for her. It turns out there's about 10,000 loose dogs in this town.

He had gotten her, taken her home, and kept her in his garage to try to take care of her. His nephew saw the flyer at Walmart on Saturday, and they called me today. We stood there and talked a while, and he was the nicest guy. He had just lost his dog, an 11-year-old chihuahua/poodle mix like 3 weeks earlier and he'd been real sad about it. Elizabeth and Jane went to get the money, and we brought Bean home.

Then came the phone calls, the visitors, and the lovin on our Wonderdog. She looks healthy, but she's exhausted, and clearly just ready to lay in bed for like the next week or two. We're taking her to the vet tomorrow. She'll be snuggling in bed with me tonight.

Y'all have all been so amazing with the constant walks, posting the flyers, calling your friends, telling your co-workers, saying your prayers, having your dreams, driving around yelling her name out of your windows. It's overwhelming really, and y'all can't know what it means.

There will be a Bean party later on in the week, maybe Friday, so be on the lookout.

Goodnight y'all. Going to bed tired, but so so happy.

love

bryan