“To
desire and strive to be of some service to the world,
to aim at doing something
which shall really increase the happiness
and welfare and virtue of humankind
— this is a choice which is
possible for all of us; and surely it is a
good haven to sail for.”
~ Henry Van Dyke..

A TOUCHING TALE

It
was just after Thanksgiving. An angry middle-aged man stood at the counter of
the animal shelter, gripping the leash of an aging German shepherd. "Why
won't you take him?" he shouted. "I need to get him off my hands!"

The
adoption counselor tried once more to explain. "At fourteen, Samson is
too old to be a good adoption candidate," she said.

"Well,
then just take him and put him down," the man yelled. "I want
to be rid of him."

"We
don't take animals just to put them down," the counselor explained. "May I ask why you no longer wish to keep the dog?"

"I
just can't stand the sight of him," the
man hissed, "and if you won't put him down, I'll shoot him myself."

Trying
not to show her horror, the counselor pointed out that shooting an animal was
illegal. She urged the man to consult with his veterinarian for other options. "I'm
not spending any more money on this animal," the man grumbled and, yanking
the leash, he stalked out. Concerned,
the counselor wrote down the license plate of the man's truck and offered up a
quick prayer for Samson.

A
few days later, a German shepherd was found abandoned. He was brought to the shelter,
and the staff recognized him as Samson. The town where he had been abandoned was
where his owner lived. The man was contacted by the police and, under questioning,
admitted that distraught over his recent divorce, he had sought revenge through
the shepherd. He hadn't even wanted the dog, but he fought to keep him to spite
his wife. Once his wife was gone, he couldn't bear to see the animal. The man
was charged with abandonment, and Samson came to stay at the shelter.

The
wife and the couple's son were located in Pennsylvania. They were horrified to
hear what had happened to their dog and agreed immediately to have him come live
with them.

There
was just one problem: The wife was nearly broke after the divorce and their initial
move. She could take no time off from work to drive to New Hampshire and get the
dog, and she couldn't afford any other method of getting him to her. She hated
to have Samson in the shelter any longer but didn't know what to do.

"We'll
come up with something," the staff assured her, but in their hearts they
didn't know what. They were concerned, as well. Samson had lived with his family
all his life. Within a few weeks, his whole world had been turned upside down.
He was beginning to mope, and the staff could tell by his eyes that if he wasn't
back with his family soon, he would give up.

Christmas
was only two weeks away when the angel arrived. He came by pickup truck in the
form of a man in his mid-thirties. Through a friend of a shelter staffer, he had
heard about Samson's plight. He was willing to drive Samson to Pennsylvania, and
he would do it before Christmas.

The
staff was thrilled with the offer, but cautious. Why would a stranger drive hundreds
of miles out of his way to deliver a dog to people he didn't know? They had to
make sure he was legitimate and that Samson wouldn't be sold to meat dealers or
dumped along the interstate. The man understood their concerns and, thankfully,
checked out to be an upstanding citizen. In the course of the conversation, he
explained why he had come forward.

"Last
year, I left my dog in my van while I went to do some grocery shopping," he explained. "While I was inside, the van caught fire. I heard people
hollering and rushed out to see my van engulfed in flames. My dog meant everything
to me, and he was trapped. I tried to get to the van, but people restrained me.

"Then
I heard someone shouting, 'The dog is safe! The dog is safe!' I looked over, and
there was this man I'd never seen before, holding my dog. He had risked his own
life to get my dog out. I'll forever be in his debt.

"Just
when you don't think there are heroes any more, one comes along. I vowed then
and there that if I ever had the chance to do someone a good turn when it came
to a beloved pet, that I would. When I heard about Samson and his family, I knew
this was my chance, so here I am."

The
shelter staff was amazed. They all knew about the van rescue story. It had been
in all the papers, and the shelter had even given the rescuer a reward, but they
had never dreamed that Samson's angel was connected to this earlier good deed.

A
few days later, Samson and his angel were on their way. The dog seemed to know
he was going home, because his ears perked up and his eyes were brighter than
they had been in some time.

Just
before Christmas, the mail brought one of the best cards the shelter had ever
received. Along with a thank-you note were photos of a deliriously happy Samson
romping with his family in the snow and snuggling with them by their Christmas
tree. Samson was truly where he belonged, and the staff knew he would live out
his days happily there.

They
also knew that Samson's journey home was a true miracle to be thankful for, and
that angels — and heroes— may still appear when you need them, even
in the most unlikely forms.

By
Crystal Ward Kent, who does extensive freelance writing and has written for newspapers,
magazines and books, including Yankee Magazine, Guideposts’ Books Listening
to the Animals
series; Guideposts’ Be Not Afraid, Their Mysterious Ways
and A Glimpse of Forever. Her work also appeared in Chicken Soup for the Soul
Christmas Treasury for Kids (December 2002).
Visit Crystal's website: www.KentCreativeWeb.com