My husband, the hero

If you hadn't noticed by now, my every waking thought is consumed with the desire for puppies. I crave soft little ears, wet noses and surprise kisses on the lips. I long for meaty breath to be blown in my face and a infinite overly warm lap from two tiny curled bodies. I nearly attack strangers to stare at their dogs, and become so depressed afterwards I curl up into the fetal position on the floor listening to sad music. It is utterly pathetic. I am ashamed to know myself.

Meanwhile, our friend Bryan is getting a puppy Tuesday. Jealousy aside, I am thrilled to be in the near vicinity of a canine. Our neighbors have dogs, but they're just not as cute when they leave human size turds in the backyard. It's hard to appreciate a dog like that.

Sunday after dinner, we all went to Petco so Bryan could get things for his dog. I steered poor Ben around the store whining.

"Look at these collars," I sighed dramatically, holding up a pink rhinestone studded collar. "Princess has a collar like this. Oh look!" I continued, dragging him down another aisle. "Look how sweet these little beds are. If we had puppies, I would get them these beds. "

"Not a chance in hell," Ben said.

My enthusiasm never wavering, we made several rounds around the store. We visited the ferrets, "which smell God-awful," Ben choked; the guinea pigs "Fat little things aren't' they?" he commented; and lizards, where I showed him a leopard gecko like my dear Duckie. Ben was more disgusted by a giant millipede.

"This is my worst nightmare!" he bellowed, running quickly from the cage.

After that depressing state, Ben tried to give me lots of hugs and kisses. I was still in the depths of utter despair.

"When do you want puppies?" he asked, trying to cheer me up.

"Whenever we can afford them," I sighed dramatically, trying my best to look as world weary as possible.

Today, my husband was a hero to puppies everywhere.

I went out to get the mail, and a woman from several houses down bounded out the door with her chihauhau mix. The dog came running towards me and she was walking quickly to catch up with it, several papers in her hand.

"Cute dog," I said, trying to be friendly. The woman handed me a flier and in broken English, explained her puppy had run away. If I found it she would appreciate it greatly. The chihauhau sniffing around my feet was the puppy's mother, and it missed her daughter greatly.

I expressed my sadness and walked home with the flier in hand. When I opened the door, Ben was fiddling around in my office. He saw the flier and immediately asked, "What's that?"

"This poor woman's missing her dog," I said, showing him the dog's picture. His eyes got wide, and I looked at him questionably.

"This looks like that dog next door!" he said. "The one that they just found. The people down the street found a dog and gave it to Juan, since his wife wanted one. That may be the dog."

"I have to go tell her!" I said, running out the door.

"Wait-" he said, grabbing my hand. "We need to check first. We don't want to just go accusing people."

We stood in the front yard as our neighbor pulled up in her driveway. I strode over to her, flier in hand, and asked her about the dog. She nodded.

"That's it," she said. "They were over Saturday night and we were playing with the puppy. I could tell it had recently been spayed."

That was all I needed. I was off like a shot, running down the street maniacally to find these woman. She was several yards from the mailboxes. When she saw me running toward her, she quickened her pace toward me.

"I think I found your dog!" I said, and she broke out in a run towards me, holding the other chihauhau in her arms. I explained the situation, and she practically ran down the street with me as she clutched her other dog.

"I hope, I hope so much, Please God," she prayed, stammering in half English and half Spanish. I had no idea what she was saying.

Our neighbor lead her to the other house, and she knocked on the door. The door opened, and the puppy ran out to greet it's mother. The woman hit her knees on the porch and started laughing and crying as she scooped the dog up in her arms. She was jabbering to it in Spanish and it was trying to kiss her and it's mother at the same time.

I looked at Ben and we smiled at each other.

"You saved the puppy, baby!" I said as we walked inside. From my window, I watched the woman carry both dogs back to her house, grinning as tears rolled down her cheeks.

"Good things happen to good people," Ben said, smiling and giving me a hug.

My husband. Savior of puppies. It just made me love him more.