A Leap of Faith (True Story continued)

Having finished my chores, I went to the candy machine and bought a roll of mints as I did every night during my night watchman duties at the Zoo. I was on my way to see Samantha and as I came around the corner, I saw her face squeezed tight against the Plexiglas front looking for me. Her big brown eyes followed me closely as I passed by going to the small door on the side of her cage.

I reached for the ring of keys hooked to my belt. They made a jingling musical sound as I sorted for the one I wanted. The ring was heavy, having every key to every lock to every cage in the entire Zoo. I put the key in the lock and turned it slowly. The cogs clicked and there was a metallic snap as the lock released and popped open. I opened the small wooden door and heard the creaking of the old brass hinges for the first time. I felt unusually sensitive this night being aware of the risk I was considering.

The inner door had thin horizontal bars, chipped and dinged from the passage of time exposing the old blackened steel and the many thick layers of glossy paint. The scent of wild was pungent; not unpleasant but strong and powerful. Samantha was there at the bars anxiously awaiting her evening treat. Her lips smacked with anticipation and her eyes focused on the small roll of mints I was opening.

I watched her closely and purposely fumbled the roll of mints in my hands while studying her intense concentrated focus. Her shoulders quivered and a small drop of drool seeped out of the corner of her lips. I thought of Pavlov’s dogs. I finally managed to get a mint free and lifted it slowly to the bars. She shifted slightly in anticipation and raised her leathered hand up to meet mine. I slid the mint carefully between the bars from my fingers to hers.

Using the back of her index and middle finger, she grasped the mint and put it to her lips. She looked deep into my eyes, which is uncommon for gorillas who generally consider that a threat. I smiled and said something sweet to her and unraveled another mint. The process repeated itself. I briefly considered the risk. Then I reached again for the key.

Samantha’s hair felt course and sparse as I stood in the middle of her cage with her in my arms. She wrapped her legs around me like a child would do to a parent and I smiled again. I felt dwarfed in her massive arms and shoulders but I felt safe, oh so safe as she munched on the mint next to my ear. My first leap of faith with another being, and the one I will never forget.

Standing Up To A Bully Can Be Empowering (True Story)

It was a community effort, collecting S&H Green stamps back in the mid 60s to buy Henry and Samantha, two gorillas coming into their prime for the Zoo. The plan was, they would fall in love and raise many babies and live happily ever after. But, there was no love in Henry’s heart for Samantha, just mean violence. He beat her relentlessly and she carried scars on her back, shoulders, and neck from his bites.

They were separated, hoping that absence would indeed make Henry’s heart grow fonder, but it didn’t work. She was fear stricken and always cowered in the corner when they were together, helpless, defenseless, and at the mercy of his malicious wrath. Maybe things would change, as they grew older and matured, but until then their display cage remained divided by bars.

Henry found an outlet for his wrath, he torn up pieces of the linoleum flooring and was eating it. Putting new flooring down required both Henry and Samantha to be in the same cage while the carpenters worked, and that meant a zookeeper had to be present with a long wooden pole keeping Henry up on a platform, away from Samantha. Midday came and I was to work through my lunch, relieving the zookeeper while they all went down stairs to eat. Carl handed me the pole and said, “Make darn sure he doesn’t come down from that platform and attack Samantha.”

Henry watched closely as the carpenters and zookeeper went out of sight. His beady eyes shifted down to focus on me, just me. I was by myself, alone, standing there in his cage with nothing but that flimsy wooden pole. He started making a move to come down and I gave him a poke and told him to get back up there. He looked to the door waiting to see if anybody was coming, then started coming down again with more determination. Again, I poked him and hollered at him. He hesitated but went back up and checked the door again. Then he gave me this weird look and started coming down again.

“GET UP THERE!” I hollered, and poked him again, harder. He had enough of getting poked by some skinny kid and instantly grabbed my pole and screamed a shrill penetrating shriek. He looked at me with intense hate and climbed down my pole faster than gravity. The vicious display of flashing teeth and screaming froze me. I’d never wet myself from fear before but that day I leaked a little. I thought I was going to die.

As he reached through the bars to grab me Samantha’s motherly instincts kicked in. She charged out of her corner to my rescue, fighting mad. It was do or die and she was screaming and swinging as she attacked Henry from behind. She slammed her big fists repeatedly into his back and head and screamed bloody murder. Henry instantly saw the light for the first time in his life and ran for his platform just as fast as he could climb. I just stood there with my mouth open and realized; she had risked her life to save mine. Wow, I too had become empowered.

CUTE MEET

This story takes place right after a big blowout at the animal shelter with its old corrupt management and leads up to the “I Have A Dream” post.

Julia and Buddy had spent the previous six summer’s being neighbors in W.VA and became very good friends, however, this summer Buddy had planned to stay in Pennsylvania and work with the dogs at the shelter. Julia realized that as life goes on and people get involved with their work that things change, and that she might never see him again.

Buddy had started his summer out volunteering his days at the shelter, working with and training the dogs. He had set up an agility course and the dogs were responding well, but he was getting all kinds of resistance from the staff and management who did not want him to succeed. An accident happened and the dog Buddy was working with panicked and bit him. Buddy felt bad knowing it was his own fault for pushing too hard but was totally outraged to find out the management intended on putting the dog down. That night Buddy broke into the shelter, stole the dog and walked the RR tracks all the way to his grandfather’s cabin in W.VA.

Julia Roberts - Character Sketch

I took an on-line writing course from Edtogo last year and developed this character sketch for Julia Roberts, one of my protagonists.

Julia is 17, and was raised on a horse ranch in West Virginia which also kept a herd of wild mustangs for the rodeo circuits. She knows all about the testosterone driven studs and the cowboys that try to mount them. She always roots for the horse.

By putting myself in Julia's, first person POV for this character sketch, I literally walked a couple of miles in her shoes. I saw life from her perspective, felt her passions, and walked away a little more enlightened about humanity, and a little envious too and I think that's what empathy is all about. I am finding that every time I revise this, I become a little more connected and passionate about this girl. I feel like she is my sister at this point and this seems a little weird to me.

Julia Roberts, Protagonist

Hi, I'm Julia, and no, I'm not the movie star, although people have said that I look just like her—Cool. Not much to say about myself, just a girl helping my dad run the ranch. My older brother, Bob, is in college, Mom tried to teach him the business end of the ranch, but all he ever wanted to do was work the horses, build up his car, and swoon the girls. Mom gave up and sent him off to college to learn proper math and such. She hasn't even attempted to teach me the books, I'm a hands on, animal loving kind of girl and that will never change. Fact is, the more I deal with people the more I like my dogs and horses. Maybe I should just get right to the personality points:

Archetypes— I could be considered the 'Girl next door' except for the need for the safety and security bit. I like walking right along the edge, that's where the passion is and the view is better. I would have to say I am a 'Warrior Woman'. in working a ranch you have to jump right in and fix anything and everything that needs fixing, and its kind of like doing battle with Murphy (Murphy's Law) every day.

Primary Strength—Well, I'd have to say my uppercut, just kidding, but I did knock a kid out cold once. All this psychological analysis stuff is making me a little defensive and I tend to talk a lot when I‘m nervous. Wow, this is a tough one, Primary Strength? Probably my 'Confidence in Myself'— no, 'Perceptiveness', yea, I can look at a dog or a horse and tell you what they are thinking about, and I'm hardly ever wrong. Or, maybe a 'Mystic', I can tell you what that dog or horse is going to do in just about any situation, lessen there's a problem that needs fixin. I would have to say 'Perceptiveness' is my strength, my primary strength; I've got more than one.

Central Flaw— That's easy, they call me little Miss Know It All around here, I can't help it; it must be some of that 'Mystic' quality coming out. But you know something about the cowboys that work this ranch, they are ego sensitive when it comes to the "Man's Work." The truth of the matter is, when you're dealing with animals—be it dogs, horses, cattle, or what ever, the gentle touch always wins the prize and the guys around here just don't get that, must be all that testosterone.

Short character sketch— Character Sketch? Thought I already did that. Oops, guess that could be another one of my fatal flaws, "Don't follow directions good." Okay, okay.

Three things I value most in life— Oh dear, Family, the Critters, and Justice for all.

My beliefs about love— Wow, now there's a can of worms. What is love? What is need? What is desire? What is lust? What is pity? What is just having somebody around cause being alone is unbearable. What's the question again? My beliefs about love, I don't know. What is infatuation? I think I am too young to know that answer, except that I would fight any foe to the death to protect my family, our critters, or justice for all. And so, that must be what love is, what you would die for to protect. —Heavy!

The secret I am most ashamed of— Well, I peeked through the cracks in the barn and watched a guy pee on the tractor tire once. Gross, I'll never do that again. That's more gag-gross than shame though. Oh, I know, I lied to my parents last year. There was this party with boys and beer and I wanted to go, so I told my parents it was a slumber party at Patty‘s house. Dad knew I was lying, but I just stared him down and lied again. He let me go, but he knew I was lying. To this day when he looks at me, in that special way, I know he is thinking about that lie and how I let him down, I am ashamed. — Moving on.

Special skills— Wow, I've got so many, let's see. I can plow a straighter furrow than my brother. Nah, I guess it would have to be my knack for talking to the horses, especially the wild ones, in the upper meadows behind the Freeman cabin. Every year, we round up the mustangs for the rodeos and my dad insists that I lead them down, singing, like the Indians use to do to keep their herds safe, contained and content. Horses have a distinct language all their own and its all sign, body language. Their vision is incredible; they can detect an ear twitch or a tail swish from 400 yards away and know what the meaning is. My dad calls me a "Horse Whisperer." Singer would be more like it, "The Horse Singer," I like it…, eat your heart out Julia Roberts.
Got chores to do, see you later.

Ol' Maude

 Continued from,  "DAMAGE  CONTROL." 

Ol '  Maude

After grabbing two water bottles from the fridge and two leashes off the hook on the wall Julia and Sally went into the kennel area and walked down ‘dog-isle’. About halfway Julia stopped, opened a gate and put a leash on a little beagle pup for Sally then went to the large dog section. She went to the last kennel on the left, knelt down, and spoke softly to Ol’ Maude, an old retriever they found last year beaten and almost starved to death. Maude was about ten years old and nobody seemed interested in adopting the old dog so Julia did. Ol’ Maude was Julia’s favorite and she got real excited when Julia stood up and opened her gate. She wagged her tail so hard it swayed her whole backside back and forth and she almost lost her balance. She loved her walks with Julia everyday. 
     With people in tow, the dogs lead the way out the side door, around the agility course and up the well-worn trail that meandered through the trees. Ol’ Maude took point position with her keen nose and sharp eyes, always looking and smelling for any signs of danger, or food. This was her pack and she had a job to do.
     Julia and Sally followed behind their dogs with an easy walk and some small talk until they came to a fork in the trail. Julia paused for a moment. “What time is your meeting with Dr. Amy?”

     “Three o’clock.” Sally said.

     Julia looked at her watch then back to Sally, “We’d better take the short trail this time.” She then tugged the leash to the left with two easy snaps of her wrist and said “Haw,” to Ol’ Maude, who knew the lingo and headed off onto the trail to the left.

     Sally looked over and asked, “How long have you lived at the farm Julia?”

     “Oh, for about a year now, my real home is in W.Va. Did you know that J.F., Christina’s dad lives right next me and that’s where Christina grew up, and that Buddy always came down for the summers and that’s how we became best friends?”

     “So how come you’re here, don’t you miss being home?”

     “Yeah, I miss home, but this is important, helping Christina, Buddy, and Cathy get this Animal Shelter going.” Julia went off in thought for a second, “Ya know what I really miss the most is watching the wild mustangs frolic in the creek late in the evenings, with the moonlight reflecting off the water. It looks like a liquid silver ribbon running back and forth through the valley. It’s the most beautiful thing I've ever seen.”

     Sally's eyes lit up, “YOU have wild mustangs?”

     “Yep, ‘bout 25 of them, all ranging free in the upper meadows behind J.F.s cabin. We bring them down every year for the rodeos.”

     “Rodeos!" Sally said with disgust. "That’s mean; I saw how they are so mean to those horses on TV.”

     “Nobody’s mean to my horses! I’m with them most of the time and they really like it. They spend all year looking forward for rodeo season to begin so they can buck those cowboys off their backs and put 'em in the dirt on their butts.” Julia smiled and looked over to Sally, “Do you ride?”

     “No, I’ve always wanted to but…”

     “Well how about tonight, after supper, you can come along with me and Buddy for a little trail ride.”

     “Sure!” Sally piped up with enthusiasm. “Julia? Will you teach me to barrel race like you do?”

     “I think that might be something we can work towards. Yeah! That’s good idea, Sally.”

They reached the half waypoint of the trail where it turned and followed along side the babbling creek for a short bit before winding back into the woods towards the shelter.

     “Hey, you want to switch dogs?” Julia asked as she held out her leash towards Sally.

     “Sure, I’ll take the lead with Ol’ Maude” she said, and they switched dogs and positions. Sally admired the way Ol’ Maude just moseyed along, smelling everything there was to smell when she noticed a big scar on her hind leg, “What’s that Julia?” she asked, pointing to the scar.

     “That’s an old battle wound Maude carries with her. She was abused and beaten pretty bad before we found her.”

     Sally stared at the scar that ran from the top of the left hip all the way down to her knee, “Who would ever hurt a dog like Ol’ Maude?”

     “I don’t know,” Julia said vehemently. “But they sure as heck wouldn’t if I was around.” She looked over to Sally then off to the side and threw out a swift round kick at some imagined dog abuser and shouted out simultaneously, “UHAAUUH!!!”

     Sally then imitated Julia’s kick with one of her own, “My name is Ol’ Maude, and you will not hurt me! Uhaauh!”

      Ol’ Maude turned her head around to see who called her name and what the ruckus was about, then turned back again, and resumed leading her pack.



DAMAGE CONTROL



Nothing to Fear but Fear Itself

RAPE & ABUSE Happens!!!
Let’s move on to

Damage Control

It’s what happens, or what doesn’t happen, after the fact that determines the extent of mental damage. Damage Control is critical.

This is a dramatization of an ACTUAL EVENT that happened in Floyd County, Virginia on Feb. 15, 2010 to seven year old Sally (not her real name).

Sally answered the hard knocking on the front door. It was Joshua Lantz Cromer, and he was mad with hate and revenge against her father! He barged through the storm door and proceeded to beat her then raped her with foreign objects. All her begging, screaming, and pleading for help and mercy was in vain.

There hasn’t been a night pass by since that fateful day that Sally hasn’t woken up screaming, in a cold-sweat-drenched nightmare. She was terrified of being alone for even a minute, anywhere, at anytime. She was frightened of going to school, petrified to go outside to play, but mostly, she was horrified of just being at home. It happened right there, in the living room. She could still see the blood stain on the carpet, under the coffee table. Every time there was a knock on the door, her heart fluttered and her eyes darted around the room looking for escape routes.
     Joshua Lantz Cromer, violated and stripped away the sanctity and safety of her own home, among other things. If it could happen to her right here, in her own living room, without a reason or cause, then it could happen again, anywhere, at any time, and for no reason at all.

I Have A Dream

If it weren't impossible, I'd write a book, as a plan to follow, and then I would take each chapter and make it come to life.



THE SHELTER KIDS by Dale Davis

Setting,
Christina Virginia Freeman had just been offered the director position at the Animal Shelter under distressful circumstances. She had been doing volunteer work with pet therapy for years and had a hands-on history of knowing what worked with the animals. She had accumulated so many visionary ideas on how to make connections with people and animals and now that just might be a possibility.

First Paragraph,
     "Dad, I think I can do this, make this dream come true." Christina said.
     Joe Freeman, Christina's dad, cleared his throat and took a deep breath. "Then go for it girl. I've got your back, you know that, and Cathy and Buddy stand at your side." Silence hung in the air as Joe looked deep into Christina's eyes. With passion in every word, he spoke softly "If you don't do this now, you never will."
     Christina lifted her head assertively, looked directly at her father, and gritted her teeth. She paused for a moment as she realized the immensity of this lifetime obligation. "Okay then... It's do or die." She got up, gave her dad a kiss on the cheek then went to her lap top and formulated the plan.

Summary and Outline
Christina's first step was to expand the pet-therapy program to every hospital and retirement home that cared about their residents' zest for life. In the process, she found a wealth of experienced and eager cohorts with a lot of time on their hands.
     In the hospitals, the expanded pet therapy process began to have noticeable positive effects on those patients that had lost that spark of hope. The doctors began to see improvements and started doing some research on these phenomena, and the effects pet therapy had on speeding up recovery.
     Her daughter, sixteen year old Cathy Anne, focused on establishing communication networks with a website, blogs, web zines, E-Zines, newspaper articles, with community pleas for volunteers and advertising sponsors from local businesses, all with the help from retired professionals.
     Her fifteen year old son, Buddy, took charge of completing a dog-obedience and training course and with the guidance and mentoring skills of his granddad, he turned the shelter of homeless dogs into a training camp, complete with agility courses and sled-dog teams and even designed dog walking paths for the elderly with benches along the sides.
     Julia Roberts, seventeen, brought her horses up from W.Va to the farm and began horse riding and grooming schools along with special equine therapy programs for some of the kids with social-contact issues. She also put her black belt in Combat Hapkido to good use teaching kids Zen, The Art of Self-defense.
     Martha Grey, one of the residents at Green Acre's Happy Homes, donated the use of her abandoned family farm to the shelter.
     The TARP (Teens At Risk Program) took root and the Foxfire concepts of survival skills and self-sufficiency became a major theme providing much opportunity for the kids to realize their potential. They put their newly developed skills to good use providing the local community with fresh fruits and vegetables when in season. Grandma's old fashioned baked pies and cakes came back into vogue with the zucchini bread, made with Grey's secret hand me down recipes being the rave at many of the local stores and bakeries in the Tri-State area. Revenue generated from all their many goods and services provided a surplus. Not only did it pay all the bills, it also allotted each participating member a wage to sock away.
     TARP also generated many programs designed to evoke potential through interactions with the land, animals, and other needy kids. Teaching and mentoring became the preferred tools of learning (Observe it, Do it, Teach it), all under the guidance of other mentors, other teachers and other students. The kids earned merit badges as their individual skills improved in specific areas. The connection between empathy and self-perception was a key factor in stimulating desire within these programs and spawned many research studies, sponsored by government and private grants.
     Special interest groups were not permitted and there was no teaming up with friends or cliques. The focus was to build up the self, as an individual, with discovery of potential through interactions with the whole group, as a team effort, "One for all, and all for one." The trinity team duty rosters changed frequently and always included a mentor, a teacher, and a student. Everybody was required to participate in every aspect of every function, of every program at various times, even taking stints in the kitchen learning secret recipes, as well as sharing duties in management and participating in decision making skills. Community Mission Meetings were held daily with all issues put on the table for all to voice input on. Think military structure and design, with the primary purpose being to build up individual character for a lifetime.
     Eventually the program began to take root, grow, and overflow with willing volunteers and troubled kids from other areas. Satellite programs were set into motion to initiate similar programs in other towns with similar problems and plentiful resources at the animal shelters. It became a grass roots movement where faith, love, and support for each other became not just something to hope for, but something to get involved in.