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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Hi everybody. Gulliver's been pressed into
service again. I have to get new stuff for him, as they only gave my
friend Pam a cloth leash and leather collar. We picked him up last
night.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> On the way back home, I realized
that I had a prescription waiting at Walgreens. As I didn't have full
regalia for Gulliver to properly guide, Velvet went into the store. An
hour went by and I started getting nervous. This was late at night, and
Walgreens wasn't in the best part of town. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> Reluctantly, I harnessed
Gulliver up and holding only the handle of one of those old harnesses with all
the J links between the harness and the handle, Gulliver and I went into
Walgreens. His guide work was flawless, as he took me past the photo
counter and directly to the pharmacy counter where Velvet was still
sitting. It was no wonder that people were having to wait so long.
There was only one person staffed to take care of a full compliment of druggies
on a Friday night. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> The reason I'm telling this
story is to show that even with the odds against us, even with no guarantee of
success, I had the confidence to trust this dog. I knew that if at all
possible, he'd get me where I needed to be. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> Bryant couldn't have gotten me
across that parking lot even in full leash and harness. Something hit me
last night. I had tried all the things I knew to do with Bryant and
nothing worked. He was a great dog, but he wasn't a guide dog, at least
not yet. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> The school had done all they
could to mold him into a guide in the shortest possible time, even to the point
of injuring his throat so that he couldn't growl. He could just hum with
attitude. After all that, it broke my heart he couldn't guide. It
just broke my heart. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> Well, it's off to Pet-smart now
and then to breakfast. Bye for now.
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