Stuart, my therapy dog, and I had a wonderful Friday afternoon. We arrived at Indianapolis International Airport about 45 minutes before my wife, Lyn was to arrive. She was returning from her two-week trip to Colorado. The health of her brother, Tom Saunders, had failed quickly. Lyn flew out to see him and assist his family.
She was there when he passed. I think that Lyn has always been the rock when necessary for her family.
Because of Stuart’s status as a therapy dog, he is allowed into the airport. We positioned ourselves in the baggage claim area and near the escalator. From the time we settled in to wait for Lyn’s flight, families walked over to visit with us. Children asked if it was OK to pet Stuart, and we visited with a school teacher from Iowa who was interested in the reading program that Stuart and I are involved with.
I saw Lyn riding down the escalator, and she called out Stuart’s name. He heard his name and knew exactly who was calling to him, but he wasn’t sure where she was. As soon as he spotted her he stood on hind legs and danced.
I have my duties and Lyn has hers when it comes to caring for Stuart, who really dislikes thunderstorms and fireworks. He always goes to her for comfort during these times, but he had to settle for me when bad weather hit last week.
Stuart made several changes to his daily schedule while Lyn was away. He seemed to look out the windows more. He slept in different locations, and he always wanted to go with me when I needed to leave the house.
One of the things that he looks forward to each week is our reading programs at a couple of Beech Grove Schools. Spring break was in effect the same weeks of Lyn’s trip. I know he will be overjoyed to find out that school will be in session again Thursday.
One afternoon last week I noticed that he was trying to inform me that we had company. Before he could get me to understand, the doorbell rang. I opened the door and was surprised to see Judy (Tout) Snyder, a former high school classmate of mine, standing there. She pointed out to her car and I saw Randi (Bertram) West sitting in the shotgun seat.
I was aware that they knew of the “camp conditions” that we were operating under during Lyn’s absence. My first thought was that they were going to take over and provide much-needed housecleaning and yard work. I was getting excited.
The ladies asked me if all three of our chicken girls were accounted for. They explained to me that they had just spotted a large chicken wondering along Banta Road east of Derbyshire Road.
I was relieved to see all three chickens standing at the edge of the fence. They seemed to be complaining to Randi and Judy that I had not been allowing them to roam the yard much during Lyn’s absence. That’s true because don’t pay any attention to me when it’s time to return to the coop.
Once the chickens were accounted for, Judy and Randi were ready to leave. There was no mention of any housecleaning or yard work. I was a little disappointed, but Stuart was howling with laughter.
Shonk is a 1960 graduate of Southport High School, a ’63 grad of Indiana Central College (now the University of Indianapolis) and a retired bus driver from Beech Grove Schools.
She was there when he passed. I think that Lyn has always been the rock when necessary for her family.
Because of Stuart’s status as a therapy dog, he is allowed into the airport. We positioned ourselves in the baggage claim area and near the escalator. From the time we settled in to wait for Lyn’s flight, families walked over to visit with us. Children asked if it was OK to pet Stuart, and we visited with a school teacher from Iowa who was interested in the reading program that Stuart and I are involved with.
I saw Lyn riding down the escalator, and she called out Stuart’s name. He heard his name and knew exactly who was calling to him, but he wasn’t sure where she was. As soon as he spotted her he stood on hind legs and danced.
I have my duties and Lyn has hers when it comes to caring for Stuart, who really dislikes thunderstorms and fireworks. He always goes to her for comfort during these times, but he had to settle for me when bad weather hit last week.
Stuart made several changes to his daily schedule while Lyn was away. He seemed to look out the windows more. He slept in different locations, and he always wanted to go with me when I needed to leave the house.
One of the things that he looks forward to each week is our reading programs at a couple of Beech Grove Schools. Spring break was in effect the same weeks of Lyn’s trip. I know he will be overjoyed to find out that school will be in session again Thursday.
One afternoon last week I noticed that he was trying to inform me that we had company. Before he could get me to understand, the doorbell rang. I opened the door and was surprised to see Judy (Tout) Snyder, a former high school classmate of mine, standing there. She pointed out to her car and I saw Randi (Bertram) West sitting in the shotgun seat.
I was aware that they knew of the “camp conditions” that we were operating under during Lyn’s absence. My first thought was that they were going to take over and provide much-needed housecleaning and yard work. I was getting excited.
The ladies asked me if all three of our chicken girls were accounted for. They explained to me that they had just spotted a large chicken wondering along Banta Road east of Derbyshire Road.
I was relieved to see all three chickens standing at the edge of the fence. They seemed to be complaining to Randi and Judy that I had not been allowing them to roam the yard much during Lyn’s absence. That’s true because don’t pay any attention to me when it’s time to return to the coop.
Once the chickens were accounted for, Judy and Randi were ready to leave. There was no mention of any housecleaning or yard work. I was a little disappointed, but Stuart was howling with laughter.
Shonk is a 1960 graduate of Southport High School, a ’63 grad of Indiana Central College (now the University of Indianapolis) and a retired bus driver from Beech Grove Schools.
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