We had a stray visitor this morning. Not the first time. We have a big fluffy calico who wanders around now and then. The first time I saw her, she was traipsing around on the half column outside and knocked out one of the bricks. It spooked the both of us. She confuses our front patch of lawn for a litter box occasionally.
There are bully dogs that show up, sniff around and run off into the street, goofy and invincible. They sometimes mistake our little lawn for facilities as well.
Then there was Snickers –the name on his blue metal tag. He was tiny and carefree. Ran right up to Rob while he was working in the yard. Rob opened the front door to come in, get his phone and call the dog’s owner. Snickers saw the open door as an invitation. He flew in, wagging his tail and darted straight to the kitchen and our dog’s water bowl.
Next there were two tiny poodles. Leslie found them in the front yard when she pulled up. She brought them around the back where they’d be fenced in and safe and then called their owner who had to leave work to come and retrieve them.
There were a few more but today’s visitor was neither canine nor feline. She was, in fact, a woman with a hand drawn map on white lined paper. She wandered into our back yard through the side gate and all the way around to the gate by the pool. Rob saw her and headed toward the glass sliding door in the back to see who she was and what she wanted. She turned and saw him. With a look of fright and confusion, she yelled “sorry, sorry!” and walked briskly back to the front of the house. Rob went out to see if she needed help and she started crying. She kept sobbing “sorry, sorry!”
She knew very little English, but she did have a cell phone. Rob helped her call her friend who was right around the corner looking for her. Ten seconds later, relieved and reunited, off they went.
I have to admit that woman was pretty brave. I remember thinking when I first moved here that I wasn’t going for any walks around the neighborhood. I’d never find my house. I could just stop and ask someone. Umm, yes, it’s beige with a reddish roof. The front has a little patch of grass, some rocks and a few cacti. And oh, um, it has a cinderblock wall around the back.
I could of course use my cell phone to call Rob, but I’d have to say I’m right in front of a beige house with a reddish roof, a little patch of grass in the front with some rocks, and a few cacti. Oh, and there’s a cinderblock wall around the back.
Even with a hand drawn map on white lined paper, it’s easy to lose your bearings in this desert landscape.