I'm not gonna lie. Today was tough, but not weather-wise as expected (was supposed to be heat index of 104 degrees plus severe thundershowers and didn't happen). It was because I let the naysayers and critics get me down.
I know logically they're there and I need to just go about my business and ignore them, but today it wasn't so easy in practice. I think of the amazing soul of Nelson Mandela, and how he suffered, and it gives me strength and tells me to stop whining and just get on with it.
I did almost cry today, more than once, but the peach incident was what really laid me low. The peach lady drove up, parked her blue pickup truck full of peaches right in front of me, got out all bubbly wubbly, and waved to her three friends who were obviously Capitol employees and were walking down the steps toward her.
The three women passed me closely without looking at me or even acknowledging my existence, and she started telling them the three kinds of peaches she had, which I assumed she was selling.
But, turns out she was giving them to these women. They excitedly oohed and awed, took their bags of free peaches, and pranced right past my doghouse again, never saying hi, and certainly never offering me one of their free peaches.
The extreme indifference to suffering or lack of plain old human kindness displayed by these women really knocked me for a loop. I could probably die chained to this doghouse and no one from the Capitol would even notice until I started stinking three days later.
It's exactly like the chained dog caretaker in NC who, when Animal Control told her the dog was dead, said "Why didn't anyone tell me?" The dog laid there for days, dead from starvation, and she didn't even notice? How can you not notice a dead dog in your backyard?
The fact that I am well-dressed, a veteran, hold a master's degree, have written one book and edited another, and am founder of a nonprofit means nothing to them. They don't know and they don't care. They don't see me at all.
As I was really grappling with the turmoil of that experience, Stacey Romberger and two of her office mates came walking toward me with big smiles on their faces, and Stacey was bringing me water. For me!
My friend Gordon Bakalar brought a cooler with ice and water, and then Deb Smith and Barb Hacker both stopped by with water, while Melissa Swauger and Darryl came by with Gatorade. Sandra Stegman brought me grapes which I'm saving for tomorrow night, and another unknown woman came with water as well. (I think I got them all?)
Suffice it to say, I've got enough liquid for tomorrow already!
I shared a water with one of the local residents who is very down on his luck, and he in turn shared his Mayan wisdom with me. He told me that no matter how people treat you, you hold true to your belief and your passion, and you cling to that, you never let it go. He took the time to minister to me spiritually even in the midst of his own personal crises.
It's obvious to me there are people who think about the suffering of others, and reach out to help whenever they can. And there are people who turn a blind eye and walk right on by.
But I'm here, and I intend to stay, through good days and bad. I committed to these dogs, and when I am pacing, dragging my chain, just about out of my mind with boredom, I look down at the picture of the day, and I see these faces looking toward me with hope.
I cannot let them down.
Miscellaneous observations from the day:
1. Thank Dog for 100 Sunblock. I'd be crispy crittered without it.
2. I deserve the best in life, just as the dogs do. Both the dogs and I (and YOU) deserve a loving family, freedom to choose, access to good food and water, a decent living environment, to be seen, to be clean and have shiny fur/hair, to play.
3. People really do think it's ok to attack other people just because.
4. I need to get a tougher skin. Maybe all the sun will help. Ugh.
5. A musician named Gravy came up and entertained Sandra and I with three songs. She came to play for 'the dog lady.' She was so good we got goosebumps!
6. Only 24 hours until I can eat. I just can't wait!
7. Mike Romberger's arranging someone to be there every night at 6 to help me get stuff into the van. How sweet is that?
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