Thursday, Neubie, my 100lb Lab-Newfoundland mix was in a funk. We had an early meeting with the handyman at my place and left Mom’s around 8a.  Neubie refused to get out of the car, resisting all cajoling and threatening with a stubborn look like “you can’t make me”.  

So I left him.

After 3 hours in the car while the handyman and the DSL guy did their things in the apartment (thankfully it wasn’t warm), Neubie continued to ride as I ran errands. So I decided to take advantage of the beautiful weather and take him to the park before heading home.   

I’ve not been to Hampton Park in ages but its a very lush, quiet place with a beautiful gazebo, and a large pond with a foot bridge. As we walked to a shaded spot under a huge oak tree with spanish moss drooping down, the only noise was the squawking ducks exiting, entering and swimming the pond. 

We picked our spot and sat on a beach towel under the tree. I’ve been riding around with my camera lately to practice so I took it out to snap pictures of the birds. 

After an hour or so, it was time to go be productive back at the apartment but I decided to walk along the pond so I could take a photo of a bird that looked half duck/half goose standing at the edge. Neubie was leashed but he’s a semi-trained city dog so I let him walk on his own.  He normally stays close by. 

Just as I’m snapping the picture of the duck-goose, I hear a splash.

Now, my Neubie is not a swimmer. For a dog that is a mix of two water-loving breeds, he is the anti-waterdog. Other than puddles, Neubie has no interest in water other than to drink it.  For years I’ve tried to tap into Neubie’s water side, carrying him to the beach every summer, only to have him sit on the sand while I play in the surf, resolutely sitting on the blanket or towel with an expression on his face like “let me know when you’re done, I’m watching out stuff.”  

I dont know whether he jumped, slipped or dove but Neubie is in the water and with an “Oh S@#t” look on his face anxiously trying to get a paw-hold onto the side of the pond. I drop everything and run over.

The ducks are no where in sight. As a matter of fact NO one is in sight. The water looks cold, slick and gooey. I can only imagine what the bottom must feel like with duck poo and other green ick slicking the concrete base.

We spend 2 minutes looking at each other trying to figure out how we’re going to get out of this. Neubie (a) doesn’t swim and (b) is at an age where he has trouble jumping up so I know he’s not going to be able to leap out. I try pulling under his front armpits but that just makes him yelp. At one point, my wet, shaking dog has one paw holding on to the side and the other is air dog paddling - good effort, wrong action for the current predicament. 

Neubie’s tiring. I try calling 411 for the park police to see if someone can help fish out my dog. Can’t find the number. A woman and her two sons walk across the footbridge and ask if I need help. They come over.  All I’m thinking is “I’m going to have to jump in this pond and get this dog”. 

EWWW

But a mom’s gotta do what a mom’s gotta do. 

So I leave my flip-flops on hoping I won’t find out what’s on the bottom. No luck. It’s more gross than I thought. And its deep. I’m in water up to my chest; it’s cold and slick. I quickly get my foothold, wrap an arm around Neubie’s chest, throw an arm under his tail and hoist him out.   

EWWWWWW

My shoe is stuck in the muck below.

EWWWWWWWWWWWWW

I figure to hell with the shoe, hoist myself out and stand, a dripping cold mess with one shoe, next to my dog who is shaking himself off on everything in sight, including the nice people who offered to help. 

I ditch the other shoe in the trashcan, wrap the beach towel around my midsection and we drip back to the car where Neubie bounds into the backseat like “hey mom that was fun!”. 

Guess I need to find him some swimming lessons.