A Rocky Surprise

 

My new daily routine was to put pee pads down before I left for work and clean up the mess when I came home at night.

            This was my new normal until I moved, within the next month. Moving was one of many decisions I was forced to make since my husband passed away five months prior.

            I worked a full-time job with a 40-minute commute one way. My jack russell terrier, Rocky, now spends the entire day alone in our apartment. He was a mighty little canine, but his bladder was not.

This particular day the landlord wanted to show the apartment during the day. I wanted to allow it because he had been nice enough to allow me to break my one-year lease. We were two months into the new lease when it happened…cardiac arrest.

            But I wasn’t sure what to do with Rocky, and any potential “messes” he might make during the day.

            I tried to find someone to watch Rocky, but none of his normal “sitters” were available. My boss suggested I bring him to work. With no other options, I decided to take her up on that.

            It is understandable that I was running late, trying to get myself ready, and then pack up stuff for Rocky--food, toys, a blanket, water dish, leash…what else would I need??

            I loaded up the car and took Rocky for a quick walk. I was extremely aware of the hour, and the progressively worse Chicago rush-hour traffic the later I left.

            Rocky behaved well for the ride in. He seemed excited to be on an adventure! But I knew I was running late, and I had a meeting first thing.

            As I gathered all of Rocky’s things and headed for the door, Rocky pulled on the leash wanting to explore…or so I thought. I let him explore a little bit, but when someone was walking in the building he started to bark.

            Not wanting to draw attention to the fact I was bringing a dog to work, I hurried him inside, and down the long hallway to the office where I worked.

            People were already arriving for the Explore God planning meeting. I needed to grab my laptop and notebook and set up to take notes…but I also needed to get Rocky set up.

            I could feel the tension rising as I rushed around trying to set his blanket and food out. I ran to the restroom to put water in his bowl, while he followed me around everywhere I went!

           

I knew I should have taken time to get him settled, but because I was already late I just didn’t.

            Rocky continued to follow me as I brought in my laptop and tried to set things up for the meeting in the President’s office. Several of the participants sat down with their cup of coffee or bottle of water.

            Rocky greeted each one and allowed them to pet him. Although I was becoming exceedingly stressed, I could not think of anything else to do. If I were to put him outside the room, he would just cry and bark, potentially scratching at the door.

            The president looked at me and asked, “I’m guessing he is staying for the meeting?”

            In the heat of the moment, and still trying to get my laptop booted up and running, I just offered a weak, “Yeah, I guess…”

            I expected her to object, but she didn’t. Perhaps because of my recent widow status, everyone was treating me with kid gloves.

            As I clicked on Microsoft Word to open a new file to record minutes, the president said, “Why don’t we start our meeting with a time of prayer?”

            I, like everyone else, stopped what I was doing and bowed my head in prayer.

            I tried to focus on the prayers being lifted up in the room however, I kept tuning in to the pitter patter of my jack russell’s little feet. He seemed to be wandering around the room.

            When his feet hit the hard plastic mat under the president’s chair, I heard his nails clicking on the plastic. Click, click-click, clickety-clack, click.

            Then silence. I tuned in past the praying voices, listening for any sound of Rocky to discern his activities.

            Nothing.

            Then I noticed a smell, one that new mothers of babies and puppies alike become all too familiar with…

            I opened my eyes and jumped toward the smell…sure enough, Rocky was finishing up a nice ripe one right under the president’s desk!

            I screamed silently within my heart! This was just too much!

            I scanned the room quickly to see what I could use to clean up the smelly pile quickly. I spied a box of tissues and ran over quickly to grab a handful. I quietly rushed to the desk and began scooping up the smelly pile as much as possible.

            Then I ran quietly out the door, with Rocky at my heels. I rushed through the office door, and into the bathroom door and dashed to the stall. As I dropped my “package” into the toilet and flushed, I looked for Rocky.

            He was not in the bathroom with me.

            Frustrated, I rushed back out, and called him over to me. We returned to the restroom, and I looked frantically for cleaning supplies. Anything that would clean and mask the smell.

            Nothing.

            I rushed back into the office, glancing behind me to make sure Rocky was following. I ran to the kitchen and searched for cleaning products. The only thing I found was furniture polish.

            It would at least mask the smell…

            Armed with furniture polish and paper towels, my shadow and I walked quickly back into the president’s office. The group was still praying (as I silently did, praying they would not notice the smell, or have any inclination of what I was doing…).

            I sprayed the furniture polish on the plastic floor mat, welcoming the smell. Then I wiped it up with paper towels.

            It would have to do.

            I grabbed everything and walked out with Rocky.

            I wanted nothing but to cry.

I wanted to scream and yell.

I wanted to lock Rocky in an office somewhere.

I just wanted to disappear, and most importantly, I did not want to talk to anyone. I felt as if speaking would cause an eruption of emotions that I could no longer contain.

            A few people were beginning to come into the office as I rushed about, keeping my head down to avoid eye contact.

I knew what my options were, and even though I had been in the office less than 30 minutes, and considerably less than the time it took me to drive there, I knew I needed to go.

            It was currently a mortal imperative.

            I rushed back into the president’s office and gathered my laptop and things while they continued to pray.

            With Rocky on my tail (lol!) I stopped at my desk briefly and scooped up mine and his stuff quickly throwing it in my bag.

I snapped on his leash and away we went with nary a word to anyone!

I kept my eyes to the floor and my emotions in check, and high-tailed it out of there!

            I threw everything in the car and urged Rocky into the seat. I knew he wanted to roam in the grass, or perhaps relieve himself again, but I knew the risk of running into someone I knew.

            I decided to take the chance of potential dog accidents in my car, as it far outweighed the chance of running into someone.

            I felt a rush of relief as I started my car and pulled out of the parking lot. As soon as I drove a block down the road I began sobbing uncontrollably. I strained to see the road through my tear-soaked eyes.

            I attempted to keep my outbursts to a minimum, and just sobbed during the forty-minute drive back to my apartment.

            Once I arrived, I quickly let Rocky out and let him roam about the yard.

            When he appeared finished, we went inside.

I texted the landlord and lied and told him I came home sick (close to the truth). I asked him to let me know before they arrived to show the apartment and I would take Rocky out for a while.

            Then I crawled into bed where I cried, and I slept. And I slept and I cried some more.

            Periodically my phone would vibrate with a call or a text, but I didn’t even look. I did not know how I could face another person or face another day. Even another moment just seemed so overwhelming to me at that time.

            I blamed Ed for leaving me suddenly like that. And now my world was turned upside down and I was facing it all alone.

            In the late afternoon my phone started vibrating and I picked it up, sleepy and exhausted from crying, I saw it was my sister.

            I decided to answer.

            “Hello…”

            She knew immediately something was wrong, and I bawled as I caught her up on my morning.

            She LAUGHED OUT LOUD! She couldn’t believe Rocky pooped under the president’s desk during prayer time!

            It was pretty funny…and now that I was distanced from the stress of it all, it seemed funny to me as well!

            She said, “I can’t believe you just left.”

            “Yeah, me either.”

            I had never done anything like that in my entire life. Never. And to date, I have never done anything like that again.

            My phone had several concerned texts from people at work. I texted my boss and the president, to let them know I was okay, and would be returning the next day.

            The president texted back, “I’m surprised you’ve gone this long without at least one melt down!”

            Indeed.

            The landlord texted me to let me know the showing was cancelled.

            Rocky and I had a quiet evening together. Me being all sad and mopey, and he, enjoying the time together as only a dog can do.