In my rescue superhero fantasy, I’m attending some boozy billionaire shindig a la Bruce Wayne or Tony Stark when the call comes in about some creature on the wrong side of harm’s way. I make a diplomatic exit, sprint off to scoop the critter up from a sobbing Samaritan, perform multiple medical miracles and circle back to the party before last call. Cue the purrs and heart emojis.
The reality is somewhat different. Typically, I’m schlepping between PetSmarts hunting for litter or kibble, maybe working, maybe working out, but always hungry when the Facebook notifications light up my phone. I ignore the first few but when our proven friends tag us nonstop, I assume there’s merit and hangry me responds, “Enough with the tags. We’ll take him.” The finder posts a praying hands emoji and the rescue is underway.
The subsequent race against time is not for the health of the critter but to get him set up in a kennel unnoticed and act like he’s been there for weeks when the crew asks, “Who’s the new guy in kennel B13?” Today’s rescue unfolded as described, albeit with rescuer Kat Soto beating me to our facility with an injured ginger forcing me to come clean with the crew from the start.
I started prepping our new guest, but Su Kim and Natalie Shafer soon shooed me aside—“Did you even disinfect your hands!?!”—and within minutes, Rocco, as he is now known, had been expertly cleaned, treated, hydrated, fed and pillowed, and my superhero fantasy devolved to DiCaprio in Catch Me If You Can, a pretend doctor concurring in support of the real talent.
Rocco is now safe, comfy and headed to the vet in the morning, and while this old ginger is likely in the twilight of his career, his day ended way better than it started. Me? I’m back to hauling trash bags of used litter and running fantasies in my head while superheroes Kat Soto, Su Kim and Natalie Shafer made it happen yet again. Rocco.
