[SweetViolet]

My in-laws are visiting...and they are just enchanted with Puddin'. So, yesterday we took them to a new beachfront development to browse the new ocean-front shopping centre that makes up the ground floor. My husband, ever alert for an investment opportunity, suggested we go to the sales office and check out the prices and availability of the flats (which are on the 2nd through 4th stories above the shops).

The sales office literally fronts the beach. There is a boardwalk in front of it, and then sand and then the cold Atlantic Ocean. As we neared the sales office I saw two dogs...one a Jack Russell that was obviously following some people, the other a small Yorkie that just seemed to be aimlessly wandering. He looked lost and confused.

I approached him and he stood still for me to approach. He had a full coat, so he wasn't a puppy, but he wasn't much bigger than Puddin', who is about 4 lbs. This poor baby! His coat was tangled and all kinds of dry sticks and leaves were in it. His hair was dry and dull and unkempt. He was wearing a harness, but it had no tags on it. And he walked like his legs or feet were hurting him.

I looked around for someone who might be looking for him, but saw no one. I reached down to pet him and he stood still. When I reached down with my other hand, he flinched away. I was speaking to him the whole time, and several times I said...loudly..."Are you lost, baba?" By the third time I said it...louder each time...I was beginning to think he really was lost as nobody responded. I reached down to pet him again and a sales woman from the office--which had fully opened sliding glass doors--looked up and said "No, he's not lost."

I left him then, and the poor thing gingerly waddled in the direction of the sales office. When we went into the office about 15 minutes later, there was no sight of him, although the woman was there.

I felt so sorry for that dog. He was so unkempt and he looked SO unhappy. I almost wish I hadn't made such an effort to determine if he had an owner so I could have taken the poor thing home with me and given him a good bath, brushing, and cuddle. Now I find myself thinking about him and hoping I saw him on a bad day, hoping that every day of his little life isn't like the day I met him.