Pedro is a Prince. I don’t know how else to say it. I first caught wind of him maybe two months back when I was with my buddy Rocky. He approached us with his tail between his legs. He also walked the final 10 feet backwards. I couldn’t believe what I saw. I had Rocky on tight leash. Pedro gave Rocky one choice only. Smell my peaceful ass. Rocky did, as Pedro just stood there frozen. They played as rough as I would let it get. Rocky’s combinations are fit for a black bear. Pedro was frail, small, and a bit lost.
Weeks later Pedro ended up on a concrete stoop close by my hotel. I noticed a coffee cup filled with water up against the stoop. Huh. Pedro was out cold. Couldn’t make him open his eyes for anything. I pulled a small tick out of his right ear, and he slept right through it. This type of behavior went on for days. He would party all night and into the morning, and sleep on the stoop all day. I mean out cold. He would just be so exhausted from spreading the canine gospel. The chosen one led by example.
A mile down the beach, I stopped a Swedish couple one afternoon and told them that just in case they were wondering and/or felt sad for this special dog that had been following them around for the past three hours, that they didn’t need to feel that way. His name is Pedro I said, and he’s in good hands. Last week I saw him approach a pack of four neighborhood dogs. He sat down inside his cornered circle and closed his eyes. The others did what they could, but the new kid checked out squeaky cool.
Dennis @ the stoop is becoming attached to Pedro. It’s too cute. They make a pretty good team. Yesterday, Dennis pulled out some official canine document to show me. I didn’t know what it was until I saw Pedro’s picture in the upper right corner. Height, Weight, Age, Color et al.. Apparently Pedro took his very first trip to the Doc for a complete checkup. The Vet had Pedro at seven months. He came back all clean and shiny. All his street buds were waiting for his return so they could smell his ass.
He then went MIA three straight days and nights showing off his first ever collar. Dennis was sad. He finally returned one morning. His collar was gone. He had some minor scratches and a few puncture wounds. I wondered if this was going to be the moment that Pedro threw in the towel on being a street dog. I wondered if he was finally ready to sleep on a couch, eat boring dog food, and play by the rules set forth by one human being. I know Dennis is hoping for that. Unconditional love goes both ways you know.
