A visit to the Royal Infirmary in Edinburgh today was brightened when I met sad-eyed Sam, the mixed breed dog on the No. 86 bus from Dalkeith to Edinburgh. I sat opposite to Sam and his mature male owner and simply had to say "Hello" to them both.
Sam has the most appealing face. His eyes, however, seemed just a little sad to me. I gently and carefully stroked his head; he seemed to appreciate the attention. His eyes now appeared to smile at me. He was such a lovely bus passenger.
Sam has this sort of 'ragamuffin' look about him. His coat is dark gray or even black in parts but generously mingled with silvery gray strands. Handsome in an understated way, in my view.
His owner told me that he'd obtained Sam from a rescue centre after his own 13-year old dog had died of a tumour about six months ago. Sam had been subjected to much abuse and beatings by his former keeper(s) and was a very nervous animal at first. A few months ago he would, according to his owner, have probably thought I was going to hit him and he might have reacted by snapping at my hand. But now he was so well behaved, quiet, gentle and obviously glad to be with a decent new owner.
What sort of sick individual could be cruel to such an appealing animal like Sam, or to any animal? It certainly makes me feel angry to think of anybody ill-treating any animals. I'd label them "Scum" - but that would be an insult to scum!
Anyway, thank you Sam for making an otherwise dreary bus journey a lot brighter for a short while. (Sorry about the racket of the bus engine!)
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9 comments:
Oh I so agree with you Philip. I cannot understand it either. Dogs are so trusting and faithful. I have seen programmes on TV that have made me weep and the images stay with me for days and weeks. How nice that this little dog has a kind owner now. Looks like a schnauzer?
Take care.
Star
Who could beat anything as sweet as Sam? I enjoyed our little video clip.
Thanks Stella, a lovely comment. I would have liked to speak a bit more with the owner, a very nice Scotsman, but he left the bus before we reached the hospital. Mind you, his strong Scottish dialect was difficult for the ears of this soft Sassenach! (i.e. ME).
Willow: it was Sam's whole persona that attracted me. A great facial expression and lovely eyes. Thank you for dropping by again. Hope things are doing well at Willow Manor...
Our latest addition to the family was also mistreated by previous owners, but now, like Sam, he has turned into the most gentliest of dogs, albeit with a tendency to be over zealous on the guard-dog front! I guess he is just looking after us!
Hope you are well, and I am glad your day was brightened up by travelling with Sam.
What a sweet looking sad faced puppy!
What a nice-looking doggie! Animal cruelty makes my blood boil. Nice to see that Sam is able to put it behind him (most humans would have a chip on their shoulder).
cruelty to animals saddens and angers me tremendously!!! we also have a little adoptee. and although she's hardly the same skittish waif as when she became part of our family, she still hides away every tuesday when the garbage truck drives by...
He is a lovely boy.
As a foster mom for stray cats I see first hand how these "wild" strays turn almost instantly into the most charming house cats ever. Fear once removed allows the real them to shine. Shine on Sam :)
Oh Philip, Sam looks quite a bit like our Puddles! He's so sweet, and I'm so glad he found a good home.
I don't know what makes people be unkind, or cruel to animals. You'd think if they didn't like them, it would be easier simply not to have them rather than seeking out animals to injure. Sick, sick people.
One of our other rescue dogs had been beaten and kicked. It took him three days to figure out that we weren't even people who yelled, let alone anything else, and he never looked back. Angus only lived for three years after that, he was seven when he came to us...but oh what a great three years he had. Just as Sam will have.
Puddles was part of a litter, and the way she was originally found was in a box, in a field in New Mexico, along with her litter mates. I'm glad she eventually found her way to us, but I've wondered about the person who took a box full of Puddles and Puddles-like puppies and left them in the broiling July sun in New Mexico.
I like that you are the sort of person who will find out a dog's story on the bus, Philip. You're one of my favorite people in blogdom because of that. You've got a generous soul.
I hope the need for medical tests wasn't for anything that is making you feel unwell. Thanks for sharing Sam with us.
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