He's Mine, Legally

~Charlie in August~

With cooler temperatures I can now take a dog along with me when I run a few errands.  On Saturday I took Charlie. When I came out of the grocery store standing by my van was a man talking to Charlie who was sitting in the drivers seat. As I approached my van, he asked me where I'd gotten Charlie. As I opened the door to roll down the window for the two to meet, I briefly explained to him that Charlie had come from a shelter about 8 years ago when I was helping Old English Sheepdog Rescue. He told me that he and his family had a dog that looked like Charlie, named Sammy, and that they had lost him. He asked me my name and again where I'd gotten Charlie. When I told him the name of the shelter, he told me that he'd lived with his family in that town (that's not far from us) during that time. I told him that it was a pretty slim chance that Charlie was his dog, and I asked if his dog had a single blue eye.  He couldn't really recall if he did or not, but he *thought so.*  I said to him that Charlie's eye was a pretty unusual characteristic and I asked how he would not be able to remember that detail about him.  He ignored my comment, and was pretty adamant that Charlie looked a lot like the dog he'd lost, and said that he thought he was.

~A first photo of Charlie in 2005~  

I will admit that (for once) I didn't know exactly what to say.  I did think to say that I had Charlie legally-- He'd done all his time in the shelter that was required by law, no one came and Charlie was then made available for adoption.  I added that I'd met Charlie on his last day when he was turned over to Sheep Dog rescue. Ignoring what I'd said, he again asked me for my name, and I said to him that I wouldn't give it to him because there was no reason. By this time I was shaking a bit, and I told him that even if Charlie was his dog, he was mine, legally and had been for more than 8 years.

~Charlie in 2006~

He didn't even acknowledge what I'd said and instead again asked for my name.  I tried to remain polite even though I felt like he was bullying me a little, and all I felt I could do was to say that I wouldn't give it to him and repeated that Charlie was legally my dog. I added that if he was the dog he lost all those years ago, that he could feel good knowing that Charlie had a good home with us. I thanked him for the little chat, and told him I was going to leave. As I got into my van and started it, he didn't move for a moment, but stepped back and I drove off.

I find the whole encounter with this man really unsettling, bizarre, and a few other things.  I also realize that he could have taken down my license plate, so I'll admit to having been slightly concerned that I may not have heard the last of him. However today, I think it is. Just in case it's not, I found the paperwork that I have from the shelter when I got Charlie. Proof that Charlie is indeed mine, legally.

~Rerun of a photo from Thursday~