“I didn’t do nothin’, Mama. I just wanted to show you something.”
“Is it something I have to come outside to see or something you’re bringing in the house to show me?”
“Well, it’d be okay either way, but I’ll just go ahead and bring it on in. You’re goin’ to like it, Mommy.”
“It better not be another big old turtle, Russell James Daniels! And it better not be another poor baby bird that fell out of the nest that we have to watch die. And so help me, if it’s another gerbil, hamster, rat or whatever you call them that someone’s mother told him he had to get rid of so he gave it to you, it’s going right back where it came from. And never again bring in a field mouse you rescued from Mrs. Talley’s cat. Just no more weird animals, Rusty, and I mean it!”
“It ain’t a weird animal, Mama.” Rusty had come to stand so close behind her it started her when he spoke.
She turned to see his hands clasped together as if in prayer and Jessica got a bad feeling. “What is it, Rusty? What did you managed to scavenge this time?”
He opened his grimy little boy hands, complete with blisters from digging a hole for the baby bird that hadn’t survived, bruises from where Mrs. Talley’s cat had scratched him repeatedly, trying to retain custody of the little mouse she intended to eat as soon as the silly little redheaded boy would j-u-s-t-l-e-t-g-o, but the boy was stronger and more determined. In the smallest of gaps made when Rusty opened his praying hands just a little, a tiny black nose stuck out, sniffling the air, trying to figure out the new scents.
“That better not be a raccoon, Rusty! No? What is it, then? Possums don’t have black noses, do they? Okay, you know what? Just never mind. I don’t care what it is, get it out of my house. No matter what you call it, it’s an animal and I ain’t allowing no more animals in, or around, this house. Now get! I mean it. Get it on out of here!”
There are few things in the world more heart-tugging that the crestfallen face of a five year old. No matter how bad her day had been, that adorable face that she loved more than life itself, got to her every time.
Jessica put her hand on her son’s shoulder to stop him, then knelt in front of him, peering into those tiny hands. “Okay honey, what do you have there?”
Rusty was hesitant as he loosened his grip on the small creature. A brown furry head no larger than an orange popped up and began to lick at the little boy’s dirty fingers. Ears stuck up like those of a doe and large brown eyes glanced nervously at the person who had been yelling just moments before.
“Oh Rusty, no. That dog is part Chihuahua and God only knows what else. Those dogs are mean, bark all the time, shake all over, and pee on the floor every time you look at them. No Rusty, absolutely not! We can’t afford to have any pets but even if we could, it sure wouldn’t be a Chihuahua. Now, take him back wherever you found him.”
“Her.”
“What? It’s a girl? That’s even worse. All we need is a dog having puppies.”
“She’s just a baby, Mommy. I’ll take good care of her, I promise. I’ll do all the work; you won’t even know she’s around. I’ll fix her a bed in my room and—”
“I’ve already told you, Rusty, no. Now, take her back outside and leave her where you found her.”
“But Mama—”
“Now, Rusty!”
He cuddled the tiny dog in his arms and clumsily opened the door. He stopped in the open doorway and turned to look at his mother. He lifted his eyebrows but she shook her head. He again dropped his head and went on outside, allowing the door to close softly behind him.
Jessica stepped to the window and watched Rusty as he trudged across the yard to the woods. She saw him turn back around and go into the ramshackle shed at the side of the house. Through the open doorway of the shed, she watched him pick up an old horse blanket and wrap the dog inside, then he resumed his walk into the woods.
Her heart ached for Rusty, but it was time for him to start seeing the real world and just how unfair it was. It was time he be allowed to see the secret of poverty, so he could begin to understand the reality of their life. Since her husband had left them, with no forwarding address and no money, it was up to her to keep them alive as best as she could. Her job at the steak house didn’t pay much and every penny in tips was as precious as gold. For two years she’d kept the utilities on, passable food on the table, and a telephone for emergencies, as long as she made no long-distance calls. Not that she had to worry about that; she had no one to call. She’d been an only child and both parents were gone so it was just her and Rusty. There wasn’t enough extra money to feed even a small dog.
She sighed deeply as she opened two packages of Ramen noodle soup. She’d give the crackers to Rusty; she didn’t mind not eating the extra calories. She chuckled without humor; she was so thin now she really didn’t have to worry about gaining any weight.
She had a couple pieces of bread and a slice of cheese. A grilled cheese sandwich, split between the two of them, along with the soup should be enough dinner to fill them up. She had it ready to eat when Rusty walked back in the house.
“Go wash your hands, honey; time to eat.”
Without a word the little boy washed his hands and sat down at the table. He bowed his head and put his hands together. “Thank you, God, for this food to feed our bodies. Please, baby Jesus, take care of Mutt out there in the woods since I ain’t allowed to. Amen.”
Jessica wearily shook her head. “Rusty, I can’t help it about that dog, honey. You know we’re having a hard time of it. I know you don’t understand but some day you will.”
“But what if I give her part of my food? I don’t need to eat so much. She wouldn’t eat a whole lot, Mommy. See? I can give her half my cheese sandwich and …”
“You want to give half of your half of sandwich to a dog? No, Rusty. You’re already too thin now. She’ll find some other family in the area that’ll take her in; somebody else that can afford to feed her. What if she got sick and needed to go to the vet, Rusty? I don’t have the money for that. I can’t even afford to take myself to the doctor. I manage if you have to go, but I can’t do that for a dog, son.”
He didn’t say anything else, just continued to eat slowly. Jessica finished and took her dishes into the kitchen, then began to clean up. “You about done in there, Rusty?”
“Yes ma’am, I’m done. Can I go outside for awhile?”
She came back to the table, picked up his dishes, and ran her hand over the back of his head. She again noted that he needed a haircut. “Just for a little bit. It’ll be dark soon and I don’t want you to go into the woods.”
Rusty picked up a small red ball from the corner of the dining room floor. He bounced it a few times until his mother admonished, “Now, you know not to do that in the house, Rus. And don’t go anywhere near that old rotten boat dock out there. As soon as I can find someone to do it, I’m going to have that thing ripped out before you get hurt on it.”
He carried the ball outside and pulled the door behind him a little harder than usual. Jessica grinned in spite of herself. The child had her short fuse and his disappointment over the puppy was showing. As she washed the few plates and bowls she looked out the kitchen window. She frowned when she saw that the brown and white Chihuahua sprinted out of the trees when she heard Rusty close the door.
The boy bent over and nuzzled the little dog and she licked at his face. Then Jessica saw him look behind him at the house, as if seeing if she was watching him, and pulled something from his pocket. She watched him feed nearly half a grilled cheese sandwich to the hungry little dog that gobbled down the food as fast as he could hand it to her. Jessica sighed and dropped her head.
When she lifted her head up, Rusty and the dog were walking away from the house. No doubt he wanted to play with the dog without his mother seeing him. At the edge of the yard, Rusty gently pitched the ball underhanded so it didn’t go very far. The puppy ran after it and dutifully brought it back to the little boy. Each time he thre
w it, she brought it back to him, her step playful and joyful.
Jessica stopped watching and put some water for tea on the stove. When she first heard the noise, she assumed it was the whistling tea kettle letting her know the water was boiling. Only after she removed the pot from the stove did she recognize the sound for what it was, a dog’s high pitched howl. She stood there for a few seconds, trying to pinpoint the direction of the sound, trying to determine if it was the same place she’d last seen Rusty and that worthless dog.
As she got to the door she heard high-pitched barking and small nails scratching frantically for attention. She jerked the door open to find the Chihuahua yelping so hard that with each bark, all four of her feet bounced off the ground.
“Oh hush! Where’s Rusty? Stop barking, you little brat!”
Still, the small dog persisted, barely taking a breath between each yip. Jessica’s eyes scanned the yard, a frown growing between her eyebrows when she failed to see her son.
“Rusty! Where are you? Rusty? Answer me!”
The little dog now began to jump up on Jessica’s pant leg, barking so hard she was becoming hoarse. She looked down at the animal, then decided the dog may be the way to find her son. She stepped out into the yard and the dog ran ahead a few feet then stopped, looked back, as if waiting for Jessica to follow.
She allowed the dog to lead the way, growing more impatient and worried with each step they took without her seeing her son.
“Rusty! Where are you, honey? Please, yell out so I can find you!” Each time she said this, she’d stand still to listen. And each time the persistent little dog would once again start yelping. Jessica’s heart leaped in her chest when she saw where the pup was leading her.
Oh God, not that boat dock! I told him to not go anywhere near it. No, he wouldn’t do that. He’d be afraid I’d get mad if he walked out on it.
“Rusty!!!”
When she got closer to the water, she realized that with the recent flooding, the rain-swollen river was so loud that even if the boy had called back to her, she couldn’t have heard him.
Jessica was near the dock when she saw him. Three of the old wooden planks had crumbled beneath Rusty’s weight and there he was, crying, trying to find something to grab onto, the soles of his shoes skimming the white caps of the water rushing beneath his twisting body. The one thing that held him up was the sleeve of his jacket had snagged on a nail that protruded from the rotten boards. She not only saw the blood soaking through the layers of cloth but the tear in the material grew larger as she stared at it.
The harsh voice of the Chihuahua’s pleas broke through Jessica’s frozen stance and she began running. Each step on the dock creaked loudly, alerting her that the whole thing was falling apart beneath her. Rusty was nearly at the end of the wooden structure, his arms dangling, his fingers brushing the water into which he had slid further. The boiling dark water now encased his knees and she could see that the little boy was growing tired. If he fell in, he’d be swept away from her forever.
Jessica grabbed the shoulders of his jacket just as the end of the old dock broke free to spiral out of sight in the swift current. Before she lost her grip, she dragged her son onto the increasingly fragile structure. Beside her, the small dog barked ferociously, as if to remind her they had to hurry, hurry, hurry!
Holding her son in her arms, Jessica stumbled back toward the riverbank, the now silent puppy close on her heels. They collapsed on the shore just as the entire dock was washed away by an especially violent whitecap.
Jessica fell onto her back and held her son close to her heart, her harsh sobs as loud as the brackish river whooshing past. Rain began to fall, yet the three of them lay on the ground—panting, thankful. When Jessica caught her breath she leaned away from Rusty to see how badly he was injured. The little boy just stared into her eyes, not speaking. The only sound was the chattering of his teeth. She gently pulled his arm free of the torn jacket that had saved his life and gasped when she saw the four inch gash that bled freely.
She placed Rusty in the backseat of the car and ran into the house just long enough to grab two blankets to wrap her son in and her purse. The little dog stood in the middle of the kitchen floor, watching her. Quickly, she put down an old butter dish filled with water.
“Little dog, if anyone ever deserved to find a home, you did today. For better or worse, you’re now part of this family. Hold down the fort until I bring your little master back home.”
The dog lay down next to the dish and watched her close the front door, already content to be the guardian of the house.
Jessica was amazed the ER was empty when they arrived and they didn’t have to wait to be seen. It was a good thing since Rusty’s arm continued to bleed freely, now soaking his already-wet pants, socks, and shoes.
The male nurse helped her undress the silent little boy, then brought blankets that had been warmed in a heating unit in the hallway. After the nurse wrapped the boy’s arm in temporary gauze, he rubbed the top of Rusty’s head. “Don’t worry, big guy. We’ll get you fixed up in no time. Mom? Anything I can get for you? Water? Coffee? The doctor will be right in.”
His name badge showed his name was Jim Tyson. “Yes, Jim, I’d like a hot cup of coffee, if you have time.”
Jim laughed, “Well, it’s not exactly busy right now. Cup of coffee coming right up.”
“Mommy, am I going to be okay?”
Jessica was a bit surprised at his voice since he’d been so quiet. “Yes, honey, you’re going to be just fine. You may have to get a few stitches but that’s something you can show off at school. Everybody, especially the other guys, thinks stitches are way cool.”
Rusty’s eyes rounded. “They do?”
“Well, of course they do! You see all those scars on Captain Jack, on the Pirate movies? Well, he’s had a lot of stitches, and even the girls think he’s pretty cool.”
“Oh, I don’t care what any stinky ol’ girl thinks. But you really know the guys think cuts and stitches are cool?”
Jim walked in with her coffee as Rusty asked the last question. He handed her the cup with a smile and said, “Are kidding me? Stitches are absolutely the coolest thing ever! Yeah, all us guys make sure we let everybody see our stitches. Hey, they’re like a badge of honor or something.”
The conversation was interrupted by the doctor. He smiled as he shook Rusty’s hand. “So tell me what happened, Mr. Daniels.”
Rusty glanced at his mother beneath lowered lashes. Jessica smiled encouragingly. “It’s okay, honey. I’d like to know how you wound up out there on the edge of that boat dock, myself.”
“I got this dog … well, he ain’t my dog ’cause Mommy said I can’t keep her but … I found a puppy and named her Mutt ’cause that’s what Mommy said she is. I was outside playing with Mutt and throwing a ball for her to go fetch. She did it every single time, too. She’s so smart! Anyways, I threw it too far and it rolled out on the dock. Mutt started to go fetch it but then she just ran off the dock, back to me, and wouldn’t go get that ball, didn’t matter how many times I said ‘Go on, girl, fetch!’ She just sat there and looked at me.”
The doctor nodded. “So you went to get the ball, yourself, and got stuck?”
“Yeah. I know I ain’t supposed to go out there but I wanted to keep that ball for Mutt. I thought I’d just run out there real quick-like, get the ball and run back off the dock before Mommy saw me. Only thing is, when I got out there, the boards started breaking. I fell through the dock and would’ve went in the water but my coat got hung on a nail sticking out. That’s what cut my arm really bad.”
Jessica spoke up, “That old jacket is what saved his life. If it hadn’t been snagged on that nail … But no, that’s not all of it. Mutt saved his life. If it hadn’t been for her barking and pitching a fit for me to follow her, I never would’ve gotten to my son and he would have fallen in the river. That little dog saved his life.”
“Does that mean I can keep her, Mommy?” Ru
sty’s mouth lifted in a half smile, his eyes large and hopeful. He pumped his good arm like a winning athlete when his mother said, “You bet your boots you can keep that dog. Mutt is family now.”
“Whoo hoo! I got a dog!”
The doctor laughed and said, “Hold onto that happy feeling because I have to give you a shot to numb your arm and it stings a little bit.”
“I don’t care if it hurts a lot, I’ll be good. I’m so happy about my dog, nothing can hurt me.”
True to his words, Rusty was a trooper and didn’t cry when the needle injected the burning medication that quickly numbed his arm enough to get stitches.
As an aide was looking through a box of clothing kept just for people who need something to wear home, Jim and Jessica talked over another cup of coffee.
“You work down there at Reed’s Steak House, don’t you? I thought I remembered seeing you there. How long have you been working there?”
“For about two years; ever since I got a divorce.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. I know that’s got to be tough, being a single mom and all. I was raised by a single mom, myself. It was hard on her but she was a wonderful mother.”
“I hope that my son says that about his mother some day.”
“Oh, I’m certain he will. Say, uh, I hope I’m not coming on too strong but, well … are you seeing anybody?”
Jessica grinned. “Nope, not a soul.”
“Well, what do you say about going to a movie on Friday? We’ll find a movie that Rusty can watch with us. Maybe grab a burger after?”
“I’ll have to ask the man of the house but I’m sure he’d be happy to go out with you.” He liked the way she laughed. “As long as the big, bad guard dog is fed, I’m sure she’ll be okay with us leaving her alone again.”
The movie and burgers turned into months of family-type excursions, some even included swimming lessons for Rusty. Mutt settled into her new life as household protector, even agreeably sharing her duties when Jim became a permanent member of the family.
The Good Samaritan
Safe in the Heart of a Miracle: More True Stories of Medical Miracles Page 10