From JANIE SHEPPARD
Mendocino County
Installments One | Two | Three |
ANGELS IN UKIAH
If you don’t believe in angels, this story may change your mind. Three weeks ago, 2 of them appeared in Ukiah to save Tash, our third newly rescued Jack Russell Terrier.
Recall, in Installment Two, that Bill had chased Tash through downtown Ukiah all the way to Todd Grove Park. Once again, it was a Saturday morning and Bill, accompanied by me, was doing the shopping.
I should have remembered, but didn’t, that Tash is cat-like in his amazing ability to squeeze around any apparent blockade such as a car seat. After Bill parked in the side lot to keep the dogs out of the morning sun at the Coop, he got out of the driver’s side and as I hopped out of the passenger’s side, Tash’s warm body slithered around behind me and was out before it registered what was happening. Oh no, not again. I tried calling him back: Tashy, come back! Here Tashy! Tashyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!
He was off! As he crossed Gobbi Street I became hysterical, emitting a cry at the top of my lungs – STOP!– at the cars and at Tash. The cars did stop as I ran in front of them to chase north on Main Street by the Safeway parking lot. But not Tash; well, he did stop – briefly – to eat some tasty morsel off the sidewalk, but not long enough to catch him. He crossed the street and a friendly pedestrian with her arms full of wrapping paper rolls called to him, trying to help. Tash was having none of it; instead, he pranced across the street again, eliciting another death-defying scream from me. Cars stopped – thank you Ukiah drivers. But not Tash.
Before following in my footsteps, Bill filled his pocket with treats, figuring to lure him back with promises of treats. But Tash was too fast. He turned west on Clay Street, and then north on State Street. At the corner, I threw down my purse and briefly resumed a running career.
At that moment, angels appeared in a red-and-white-candy-striped-Mustang chariot. Passenger Angel opened her door, offering help. She called to Tash but he wasn’t ready to surrender. She closed the car door and the chariot followed Tash along State Street and pulled over again. This time, Passenger Angel opened the door and gently motioned to Tash that he should ride in her chariot. He jumped in. Without hesitation, the Angel hugged him and alighted from the chariot to deposit Tash in my arms. As she handed him over I felt my whole body melt as the Angel embraced us both in a big hug. I managed to utter several dozen thank-you ’s. The Angel got back in her chariot and Driver Angel waved. They were off – much like the Lone Ranger – to their next rescue mission, wherever and whatever that was to be.
After picking up my purse, Bill appeared with treats. Thankful, we were just relieved that we could carry our Tash, without any struggle, back to the car to join Heidi and Jerry. All were treated out of the stash in Bill’s pocket.
I don’t know what Tash shared with Heidi and Jerry about the angels in the candy-striped chariot, but I bet that Heidi scolded him, as is her wont.
So, there are angels in Ukiah – in case you ever doubted it.
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