While getting ready for work one morning my roommate and I saw a man standing at our glass backdoor. We immediately called the Police and that afternoon I went to our Humane Society to get a “medium” size dog. Walking down the aisles of caged runs with all the dogs either barking or whining for my attention I noticed a very skinny, male Great Dane pushed against the back of his pen. I walked past because I was looking for medium, not huge. I went back and asked to see him. He perked up a bit when we were outside together but not much. Back inside I saw he was scheduled to be euthanized the next day. That was NOT going to happen! It was too late that day to adopt him. I felt horrible knowing he’d think he’d been left again. The next morning I was the first in line and when he saw me he was wagging his tail so much I thought he’d fall over. Slathered in kisses by both his tongue and eyes we headed to my tiny two door car. He didn’t wait for an invitation, climbed in back and sat in the middle blocking my mirror with his enormous head the whole way home. He assumed that position every time we went in the car and always sat on the couch with all four feet touching the floor.
I got married not long after that and when my son was walking he’d always close his eyes tight because Rufus’ wagging tail would get him in the face every time. Rufus crossed over the rainbow bridge from Lymph Cancer 4 years after I got him. That was the only time I ever saw my husband cry. I still think of him often, 32 years later. We love and miss you Rufus – Mom. (We lost a bunch of photos but this public domain photo looks very much like Rufus.)
Salem, OR
