Jake loves to go to Lowe's. I can't take him to PetSmart anymore, because he tries to pee on every endcap we pass, and it's too much work. He respects Lowe's, though, and doesn't try to pee on anything inside the store.
Almost every time we go to Lowe's, somebody in the store wants to pet Jake, and Jake is a very well behaved dog. He doesn't bark or growl, but he's not overly friendly when people pet him. It's like he tolerates it exceptionally well, but would prefer to be left alone to shop.
Then there was today.
An older white-haired gentlemen, certainly in his 80's, was coming down our isle, and Jake's tail was wagging. The man was looking directly at Jake, and Jake was looking at him.
Amazingly, the old man said, "Hello, Jake!" Then got on his knees, laying his cane on the floor beside him, to hug Jake, and Jake didn't resist at all. His tail was wagging briskly. I was trying to figure out who the man was, or how he would know Jake's name.
Then I heard him saying, "I know you're not my Jake, but you remind me of my Jake, and he's been gone for several years". Jake's tail kept wagging. The old man continued, seemingly oblivious of my presence, talking to Jake, "I could tell you were a good dog, and I'd like you to..." (At that point, the old man had his face buried in Jake's side, and I couldn't make out what he was saying, but Jake's tail was wagging.) After a bit, the old man struggled to stand up, picked up his cane, and looked at me, and said, "thank you, sir, and Merry Christmas". And he just walked away down the isle.
I was speechless.
Almost every time we go to Lowe's, somebody in the store wants to pet Jake, and Jake is a very well behaved dog. He doesn't bark or growl, but he's not overly friendly when people pet him. It's like he tolerates it exceptionally well, but would prefer to be left alone to shop.
Then there was today.
An older white-haired gentlemen, certainly in his 80's, was coming down our isle, and Jake's tail was wagging. The man was looking directly at Jake, and Jake was looking at him.
Amazingly, the old man said, "Hello, Jake!" Then got on his knees, laying his cane on the floor beside him, to hug Jake, and Jake didn't resist at all. His tail was wagging briskly. I was trying to figure out who the man was, or how he would know Jake's name.
Then I heard him saying, "I know you're not my Jake, but you remind me of my Jake, and he's been gone for several years". Jake's tail kept wagging. The old man continued, seemingly oblivious of my presence, talking to Jake, "I could tell you were a good dog, and I'd like you to..." (At that point, the old man had his face buried in Jake's side, and I couldn't make out what he was saying, but Jake's tail was wagging.) After a bit, the old man struggled to stand up, picked up his cane, and looked at me, and said, "thank you, sir, and Merry Christmas". And he just walked away down the isle.
I was speechless.
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