Link-apalooza #10: The Dog Rescuer

I don’t know how this keeps happening, but these posts seem to keep getting farther apart. I’m just soooo busy, I tell you! This week I got sidetracked by rescuing a dog. No big deal. It’s kind of what I’m known for, as some of my most loyal readers (Mom) might remember.

This time around, the boys and I had just left my parents house when we passed a pickup truck going the other direction. When we were about even with the truck I noticed a small dog was attempting to throw himself out of the truck bed. I looked in the side mirror after we passed by and yes, confirmed, there it was: a dachshund toppling comically over the edge of the truck, flailing and flipping on its back as it fell to the road. The dog was clearly a bit stunned and took a second to gather himself before stumbling to his feet and hobbling to the sidewalk. I’m not sure, but I think he glanced around to make sure no one had seen his remarkably ungraceful tumble. The truck didn’t stop and continued to the very end of the dead-end street before turning into a driveway. I stopped the car, backed up, and got out. It was time for me to shine.

In case you were wondering, this is what a dachshund looks like. To be clear, this is not an actual picture of my dachshund, but rather, a dachshund file photo. But, how adorable is it that he's drinking out of a coffee cup?!? (Getty Images)

I approached the dog cautiously. I always assume unfamiliar animals are out to get me. He seemed nice enough though and was trembling a little. I offered him the back of my hand and he sniffed. I then picked him up carefully. I’m quite familiar with finicky Chihuahuas, so an injured dachshund was a piece of cake. I climbed back into the car with the dog on my lap. Jacob asked from the back seat, “What’s that dog doing in here?” You can’t get anything by that guy. 

I turned the car around and headed toward the end of the street where the truck had gone. The truck was headed back my way by the time we had turned around. I honked to flag it down and handed over the dog. The lady said they had just found it, actually, but were planning to keep it. Likely story. They thanked me profusely. I’m not one to brag, but their gratitude was well earned. Sure, the street wasn’t that long, but it was moderately long; there are shorter dead-end streets out there. And yes, the dog wasn’t visibly injured and he was just standing there, on the sidewalk, in a relatively safe position, showing no signs of running away. And okay, I will concede that the lady would have been back to get him in about one minute. But still, considering all that, let’s not understate my level of heroism. I could have easily kept driving and, well, everything would have turned out about the same. Rescuing dogs: it’s just what I do.

But how, you might be asking, did this dog rescue take up so much of my time as I suggested at the top? Good question. While the rescue took perhaps 3 minutes, Jacob’s questions lasted about 3 days. The following is a non-comprehensive list of Jacob’s questions (in quotes) and my responses (in parentheses): 

“What happened?” (A dog jumped out of a pickup truck.)

“Where’d that dog come from?” (This is the dog that jumped out of the truck.)

“What’s a pickup truck?” (It’s a type of car that is particularly popular in Titusville.)

“What does it pickup?” (Dogs.)

“What’s Titusville?” (The greatest city on earth.)

“How did it jump out?” (The back of the truck is open; it jumped over the side.)

“Tell me how it jumped out.” (Like this…[dog jumping out of truck hand motions].)

“Why was it open?” (Because that’s how pickup trucks are.)

“Why?” (…)

I’m still tired, but I think I’ve weathered the worst of it. Here are some links I used to distract myself…

The Problem We All Live With

So, it turns out the data show there is one thing that is proven to improve schools and shrink the achievement gap between black and white students. It’s also the one thing that school boards, school districts, and education experts seem to have quit talking about. What is it? Integration. This week’s episode of This American Life highlights some data and provides a case study of unintentional integration in a school district in Missouri. It’s good stuff. One warning, though: the audio of the town hall meeting that took place during the unintentional integration will make you hate everything. People are the worst. Happy listening!

Poor Little Tiger Cub

This one is dated (2013) but Slate tweeted it out this week like it was new for some reason. So, whatever, it works for my purposes because I, like basically all parents, are always on the lookout for studies and articles that seem to support our pre-determined and inflexible personal parenting styles. I’ve always found that it’s much better to confirm one’s preconceived beliefs and philosophies rather than challenge them. Take home point from this article: Tiger Parenting sucks and produces kids that are failures. I’m on board. Put another point on the scoreboard in favor of Survive and Advance Parenting.

Is the Idea of Immortality Learned or Innate?

Of course I have to bring you something from Aeon Magazine. For some reason, having kids makes me think about huge picture, philosophical issues a lot more than I once did. Add that to the “Why Parenting Sucks Sometimes” list. I much preferred my previous, unexamined life. Anyway, I’m a sucker for this type of article now. I think the conclusion was that the idea of immortality is more innate than learned, which definitely explains a lot if you ask me. 

Black American Motherhood

Excellent essay from a series published in The Atlantic of reactions to Ta-Nehisi Coates’s Between the World and Me. I know I need these consistent reminders of how different life and parenting are for each of us. I need these reminders of what I take for granted and what other individuals are unable to take for granted.

Four links?!? I’m late, but productive. You’re welcome in advance. And once again, you’re welcome to my little dachshund friend. May you have a speedy recovery.