VERO BEACH — Last week I got an email from Molly Murray, a Jack Russell terrier who lives in Fort Pierce. Molly said she reads my column every week.
Boy, the paper really gets around.
Molly was writing on behalf of her best friend, 2-year-old Lucy Golden.
“Lucy,” Molly wrote, “belongs to her human, the artist Audrey Golden. Lucy and Audrey live in Atlantis on the beach.”
Molly told me Lucy was from Grand Bahama Island, and was flown in to Fort Lauderdale on a private plane.
“Wow,” I thought excitedly. “Lucy must be famous.”
I didn’t bother to finish reading Molly’s email and started hotfooting it down to Atlantis.
I found Lucy’s house and rang the bell. Audrey answered the door.
“Bonzo, what are you doing here?” she said.
Uh oh.
“Well, I’m here to interview Lucy for my pet column in Vero Beach 32963,” I explained. “Molly told me all about Lucy. I can’t wait to meet her.”
I heard some fierce barking from inside, and took a step back.
“Lucy,” Audrey said firmly. “It’s just Bonzo the columnist. You don’t need to protect me.”
“Oh, OK mom,” Lucy said, staring lovingly at Audrey.
“Hi Bonzo,” Lucy said. “Are you here to play with me?”
“I wish, Lucy,” I replied. “I’m here because your best friend Molly told me you flew in from Grand Bahama Island on a private plane. You must be famous and I’m here to get the scoop.”
Lucy looked at me curiously. “Yes Bonzo, that’s true. But you only have a small part of my story.”
“That’s why I’m here Lucy,” I said. “Tell me everything.”
“I am what Bahamians call a potcake dog,” Lucy told me. “Potcake is the food at the bottom of the family cooking pot. Bahamians feed the food to stray dogs.
“I don’t remember any of this, Bonzo. But apparently, I was hurt and a ‘potcake airlift volunteer’ flew me to Fort Lauderdale. A volunteer vet removed my badly injured leg, and I convalesced at my mom’s sister-in-law’s home.
“When mom came to visit her sister-in-law, we met and knew we were meant for each other. I make sure to thank mom everyday by loving her, protecting her and being her best companion ever. And that’s how I got here, Bonzo.”
How embarrassing.
Lucy sure is a pawmazing dog. She must think I’m as shallow as the pupparazzi. But Lucy simply overlooked my faux-paw.
“I have lots of dog buddies in my neighborhood, Bonzo,” she said. “All of my canine friends love to hang out at my house because my backyard is the beach. And I have the coolest mom.”
“Well, I think you’re one of the coolest dog buddies I’ve met, Lucy,” I said.
“I may not be famous, Bonzo. But my mom says I’m a miracle,” Lucy added.
“You sure are, Lucy,” I agreed.
Oh boy. That was close. I’m lucky Lucy was such a sweetheart.
Till next time,
The Bonz