Phoebe 2

The second half of a school report Dana wrote about Phoebe 1 and Phoebe 2.  The first half can be found in the Dogs Menu pulldown for Phoebe 1.

Dana Edwards 10/06/06

English 10-Mr. Robins

After Phoebe left, the idea of asking our mother for another dog seemed pointless. She trusted us with Phoebe, and we failed her. We basically moved on and put the idea out of or minds. However, there is always the chance that a rare opportunity might arise. When we moved to Carpinteria in the summer of 2005, we came across something amazing.

We were renting a place in a lemon orchard in a beautiful valley. One day, a dog showed up at our house. She was black and white, medium-sized, and very cute. She looked to be some kind of terrier- Border collie mix. We let her inside, and she displayed a very relaxed, friendly manner. She was well trained, and understood the concept of playing fetch. She eventually wandered back down to our neighbor’s house where she lived.  We decided to meet the neighbors, having just moved in, so we followed the dog down to her house. 

By remarkable coincidence, the dog’s name was Phoebe. We couldn’t believe it. We took it as a sign from the heavens. We sat there, listening to our neighbors explain that the dog was in fact their son’s, and that he couldn’t keep her any more because he was moving to a small apartment in San Francisco. 

She was looking for someone to keep Phoebe. Without hesitating, we said we would take her. Once again, my mother happened to be gone on a business trip while this was taking place. However, unlike the last time we acquired a dog while she was away, we notified her before letting Phoebe move in. My mother said no on the phone, but after meeting her, and experiencing her quiet, friendly, loveable nature, she allowed us to keep her.

Living with the new Phoebe was great. She had a very versatile personality. Inside, she was calm and low-key, almost lethargic. Outside, she was adventurous and playful. We often went on hikes with her, and she was a great hiking dog. She would prance along the trail, giving friendly greetings to other hikers and animals, but always stop and wait for us before getting too far ahead. We also found her to have many skills, including her highly acute mouth-eye coordination. She had an uncanny ability to catch things in her mouth. We would throw a peanut or cheerio high into the air from a great distance, and without difficulty she would catch it in her mouth. 

During the day, while everyone was gone, she explored the vast lemon and avocado orchards in her backyard. Sometimes we would come home to find her lying in the grass, enjoying a ripe avocado, what we think to be her favorite food. It seemed that she understood the concept of ripening, because if she came back with a hard avocado, she would place it in the sunlight and wait days until it was ready. 

At night, her gentle snoring became the ambient noise by which my sister and I worked. When I went to sleep, I secretly allowed her with me on my bed. She slept soundly, despite occasionally waking up and joining in the chorus of coyote howls, no doubt feeling that she was getting in touch with her ancestors. Such were the joys of living with Phoebe. 

 I truly believe that the presence of a dog is the best psychology possible. If I ever feel sad, all I have to do is look at Phoebe, and my worries vanish. I don’t fully understand why dogs bring so much happiness to people. Perhaps it is their innocence and naivety that reminds us of the simplicity of life. For me, being with dogs makes me feel like a young kid, enlightened, free of worries, unclouded by the structured chaos that is high school life.