True Baroo

Why do basenjis inspire such loyalty?  Is it their beauty, mischief, snuggle-ability, their intelligence, those little donut tail wags, the way they sing for dinner or at least complain very loudly? There are any number of qualities that make their humans incredibly loyal.

My sister Susan is a devoted aunt to Ivan and Dasa. Whenever she’s at our house, she spends a lot of time with the Munchkins, agreeing with them on every grievance, telling them she knows they would be allowed to Starve if she didn’t show up periodically to remind us to feed them. Little Dasa is always happy to see her favorite aunt, and Ivan is certain Susan visits only to see him.

When our regular baby-sitter decided to go on vacation the weekend of the Sailing for Veterans Regatta, we were momentarily panicked. We were already committed to participate in this event to raise funds for Veterans’ causes, so this was potentially disastrous. We then asked Susan if she would be willing to lend a hand.

Fortunately, Susan can refuse Ivan nothing. So, we continued plans to sail in the regatta, and Susan would feed the Munchkins on Saturday and Sunday. We wouldn’t be away overnight, so she didn’t have to worry about breakfast, and we’d be home by dinner on Sunday.

Regatta weekend: Saturday we got back to the dock about 2:30 for a late lunch. I immediately checked my phone. Four missed calls from Susan. Ice tongs gripped my chest. I noticed texts and read the first one that came up. It read, “I got in. Everything is OK.” I slowly took a breath. OK. Whatever it is, they’re OK. I read backwards through the texts to discover we had locked the door from the garage into the house.

Susan has our garage door code and I usually remember to leave the door from the house to the garage unlocked when we expect her. (Yes, I should’ve gotten her a key a long time ago, but I think of this only when I’m not anywhere near a place to get keys copied.)  Susan was locked out and Ivan and Dasa were inside expecting their lunch. Repeated calls to my voicemail were getting her nowhere, so Susan did some exploring. All the windows in the front were locked, so she thought about climbing over our six foot privacy fence to check the sliding glass door at the back. As this door is always locked when we’re away, she decided to make good use of some of the skills acquired in her young single days when she frequently locked herself out of her apartment.

She broke into our house. She used a credit card to open the locked door from the garage to the house, the only door without a deadbolt.  Having done this, she was then able to give the Munchkins lunch and back yard time. Disaster averted.

I got keys for Susan the very next day.  And yes, that door is inside the garage, but if Susan, not exactly a criminal mastermind, could open the door, it was time for a deadbolt there as well.

Susan later told me, Ivan knew she was on the other side of the door and she couldn’t disappoint him. She was not going to give up until she reached the Munchkins. Cheers for devoted Aunt Susan who is true baroo to our curly tails.

 

 

No worries. Aunt Susan will save us.