Saving Savannah

In my 10th summer I was given my very first dog. Her name was Savannah  and she was almost 7 years old. Now I knew Savannah when she was just a puppy rolling around me and I began to cry. I was terrified of dogs as a little girl, for I had been bitten 3 times. Once by a black Cocker Spaniel, a grayish black Poodle and a dirty matted Chow. I was chased by many dogs and the ones that jumped up always seem to take me by surprise. When I was maybe 3 years old my Aunt Kaisie brought by a puppy to play with me in my sand box, That was a beagle. Though I never saw it again I still remember how cute it was, and how my Dad tried to tell me not to be afraid. I liked Ariel the red Retriever of my Aunt Veta. Though I would only pet her if she was laying down. When I was 8 years old I wrote a short story for fun. It was called "Debby and her puppy" I wanted a puppy so badly but my Father had to explain that we lived in a tiny trailer home, in small trailer park where a dog would go crazy having no room to run around in. So on the summer I was 10 years old Savannah came to be mine!

My Uncle Dan had an all white German Sheppard named Taffy. This dog was amazingly bright and beautiful. She was at my Uncle's side all through out her life on the Orchard farms, She also scared me to death because she had a deep low bold bark and she didn't mess around with hugs. Dan and her were always together...my mother once said her brother would never love a dog as much as he loved Taffy. Now I have never known Uncle Dan to not own a dog in all these years. He is a good leader for the canine animals...But he did not like Savannah. He wasn't very nice to her, I would see him kick her or loose his temper then I would protest, sometimes my mother would scold me for telling him not to treat her that way. Mom said that Savannah was his dog and he knows how to train dogs.  But I loved Savannah for she taught me not to be afraid of dogs. She coward and gently dragged her nose on the ground when walking up to you, she was slow in running and not as clever as Taffy. I think my Uncle excepted Savannah to replace Taffy in his mind, though no one ever told me Taffy died and when I asked out loud "Where's Taffy?" My mother shhhhhed me down quickly. Savannah couldn't fill the paws of Taffy, so in my uncle eyes Savannah was stupid and retarded. He even would ask me when he walked by "Why are you petting that retarded dog?" I would glare at him, then leaned into Savannah's golden coat and rub my chin on her back "You are NOT retarded Girl." I would whisper. Yet she was slow and goofy! She would  do things like walking into the garage wall or jumping up on a truck from the wrong side...Once she scratched up the hood of my uncle's new pick-up so naturally he lost it. I was laughing because it was so funny to see this big fatty dog scrambling to figure out where the back of the truck was. When she did the same thing to my Dad he didn't care for he had an old beater rig. He did however take a picture of her laying on the windshield ready to go for a ride. Savannah never jumped up on me, she always laid right next to me as I scratch her belly. I would talk to her all the time, I loved cheering her on when Uncle Dan raced her through the farm on the 4-wheeler. She was never as fast as the new pup, a golden lab named Sausha. Sausha was maybe more like Taffy after all and Dan soon loved her. He would ignore Savannah and train his smarter puppy who would grow up to be a wonderful mother of many puppies and a good partner for my Uncle. Yet I had my eyes on Savannah at all times making sure she didn't get forgotten or yelled at. "She saved me from my fear of dogs!" I explained to my Grandpa one day, he petted her saying quietly "There isn't a dog like her, she really loves you." I was amazed that a dog could love, so from that moment I loved her too!

Uncle Dan mumbled "Dumb ol' dog" when I retorted "She IS NOT dumb!" He looked surprised at me. Then he chuckled "Well she isn't that bright and I am not wasting any more time with her." I waited rubbing Savannah's ears while I watched Dan work on the long green pipe of the irrigation system. He continued to explain "She is going to the pound tomorrow or this weekend I think.....she is the stupidest dog and she is all old now." I gasped a sudden alarming breath and wrapped my arms around her. "NO! No no no she is a perfect dog!" Dan shook his head and rolled his eyes "Nope, she is a pain and I am done with her." He shrugged like it was no big deal. I suddenly asked without a second thought "CAN I HAVE HER?" He stopped hammering and looked surprised again. He looked at Savannah with such discuss "Why would you want HER? She is old and dumb. She won't live another 2 years maybe..Why not get a puppy like Sausha?" 
I stood up straight and tall as any 10 year old can. "I just want her, she is the BEST dog I have ever known!" Dan nodded "Okay, she is all yours.....IF your parents say yes. I could just see it now your Dad would be pretty mad at me!" He laughed then stop to rethink it again "Actually it is your Mom who would kill me!" He laughed and laughed as I ran off to ask my Mom. When it comes to dogs my mother can leave them or take them, they are just part of the farm decor. Since Savannah was already always around my mom didn't care, she did however tell me that I was paying for the dog food and I was in charge of Savannah's care. The first few nights I begged to have Savannah sleep with me on the floor of the cottage. But it never happened for my Mom thought dogs were never allowed in the house, that was something I disagreed on my whole life. When my Dad looked over Savannah I watched him closely examine her, He whispered gently "What have you been through Girl?" he looked at me sadly saying Savannah was depressed and confused. He told me to spend extra attention to her and to get her out playing again. The Vet then told us she only had a year or so to live, I didn't believe the vet and my dad warned that when she dies I could not freak out. But she would live another 8 years, she was loved and she was my very first dog.

When Dad and Mom had a fight, Mom was so mad at Dad then she had to drive him somewhere on the farm. She told us kids to get on the trailer of the 4-wheeler then she blazed out of the driveway, Dad was chuckling he knew she was very mad at him. he tried to be goofy for us kids as she began to drive at a faster more reckless speed. Dad yelled back at her to slow down but she only hit the gas harder. Alarmed, we kids held on the flat bed trailer even harder trying to hang on to each other. Savannah stood trying to keep her balance on the crazy fast 4-wheeler and trailer. Suddenly a boulder rock hit the trailer sideways Savannah was startled by the slant we all took she began to fall backwards and I lunged for her. I had my arms around her but I still couldn't completely reach so with my butt and  with my feet I pulled us back on to the trailer in the few seconds I had. She landed on top me as the speed never broke. My chin was a tiny bit away from skidding on the open wheel of the trailer. I pulled my self up into a seating position only to see my father's face in alarm and his eyes were huge. Needless to say our parents argument escalated after mom skidded to a stop. "YOU ALMOST KILLED OUR DAUGHTER!" Dad boomed and Mom waved him back "Don't be so dramatic." When Dad exploded telling her what happened when she was driving so crazily. She snorted pointing her finger at me "Debby don't EVER put your own life at risk over some dog!" I stood covered in dust and holding on to my dog from the trailer watching this all go down. What Dad said to Mom next was something I always remembered  "IF she hadn't acted so quickly her dog would be dead from a broken back!  I saw it all happen and she loves that dog! Do you want to bury Savannah? ....and then face those eyes?" He looked down at me and smiled "You did the right thing."

When my 10th summer came to an end, I was alarmed to see both my Mom and Dad crying. Dad wiped his eyes and said "You kids have never seen this before....Your Dad crying an'all." We stood there watching them try to tell us that we had to leave. Our Grandparents weren't going to sale us a piece of land after all. That summer had been the most magical of all our lives, even my parents marriage seemed to be doing good too. Though they had their moments, they both found their own peace and quiet on the farm. "What about my dog?" I cried and my father stopped for a moment to think. "You will have to ask your Grandpa that question." he stated plainly. "I want to stay with her!" I exclaimed as I took off across the orchards calling her name. "Savannah! Savannah Girl!" She joined me in no time to sit on a soft patch of wild grass overlooking the valley below. I knew I wanted to hang on to this moment with her forever, so we sat there until the sun began to set. When my Dad flagged me down, he said Grandpa was by the garden talking to mom. I had to go ask him to take care of my dog. I was shaking from having been crying most of the afternoon, when I walked up to him. Grandpa Ansil was resting on his motorcycle in a discussion with his oldest daughter my mom. "Grandpa can you.....please can you....keep my Savannah.....for me...Can she stay here... or else Uncle Dan will put her in the pound!" I burst out sobbing now looking up at how his face soften, he half hugged me and whispered "Yes yes my child, your dog will always have a home with me." then he glared at my observing parents demanding "WHAT are you telling your kids!" Mom stood there leaning on her gardening hoe smugly "The truth, since we don't know where we HAVE to move to Debby can't take her dog." I cried again and Grandpa patted my back then drove off angry. He would arrived again early the next morning with papers for my parents to sign, I remember that day so clearly when Dad let out a holler while he danced around the cottage "We get to stay kids! We get to stay!" the cheers and the jumping was loud. Our Grandpa sold the peach orchard to our parents so this farm could be our new home.  But most importantly to me, to my 10th year alive I got to keep my Savannah!