I had a tough week last week. I won’t bore you with the details. Let’s just say I felt like my nine-year-old self the summer when all the mommies pulled their kids out of the public swimming pool because my siblings and I went in on a hot day to cool off.
On that day we were the only kids who weren’t white. And when we jumped in I guess the mothers thought it was wrong that their precious boys and girls be forced to share their space with people who they did not feel were their equal. Or something like that.
I remember how it felt to be treated as less than. And that’s how I felt last week when an incident happened in the pool. The details don’t matter. There was a bully, he told me to my face he did what he did because I was a woman and a person of color. There were other words, some shoving, and my injured toe.
Then came sharing my story and it being treated as if it didn’t matter. That the person in question really is a good guy.
In one week I will have yet another eye surgery. I am too busy to fight a battle. I need to do my taxes, finish book stuff, cook so that we have food for when I am healing. And yet, many times a day I think of how awful people can be. And it makes me sad more than anything else.
I think Coconut knew I was having a sad week. As much as I think he must speak English from the way he responds to certain words I know he doesn’t. But he speaks Carmen. He picks up on my anger and pain and sadness.
Coconut stayed closer to me this week. He snuggled closer, made sure to be in every room when I was there, even when there was no food, and generally was my everything.
I’m not going to let this go. Maybe I should. But someone has to fight battles that matter.
I have my best friend, my protector, my therapist, my everything, because someone in Kentucky decided to fight battles. They decided that no one needs to feel less than. Every dog needs a home, a person who loves them, food, vet care, and dignity. And then more people joined the fight. And then Jim decided that this would be his battle. This little shelter in a state many miles away.
I know some of you had a bad week and, if you have a dog, I bet that pooch was there making your week better. Dogs are like that.
