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ENLARGE
Bill Barnhart, Cooper and CHP Officer Phil Higgins in front of the Christmas tree at the North Sacramento CHP office.
In our modern world too many things happen that shed negative reflections on our busy society of a world that has lost its sense of kindness and responsibility to its fellow men. This story is a holiday tale of an act reflecting the spirit of the season that brought much happiness to a large family and a faithful dog on Christmas morning.
On Sunday afternoon, Dec. 23, 2007, I took my friend June Breen, a Nevada City music teacher, to the Sacramento airport to be with her daughter for the holidays. June has been a friend since our days in the same high school homeroom at Hollywood High School, back in 1939, '40 and '41.
My dog/caretaker, Cooper, and I picked June up later in the afternoon so we would have time to take her to dinner before going to the airport. During our dinner in Sacramento, Cooper stayed in his bed in the back our Prius hybrid car, with the ignition on, the air conditioner running and the windows closed. After a good dinner, we delivered June and her bags to the Southwest air terminal and headed home. The sun had just set and it was getting dark.
On Sunday afternoon, Dec. 23, 2007, I took my friend June Breen, a Nevada City music teacher, to the Sacramento airport to be with her daughter for the holidays. June has been a friend since our days in the same high school homeroom at Hollywood High School, back in 1939, '40 and '41.
My dog/caretaker, Cooper, and I picked June up later in the afternoon so we would have time to take her to dinner before going to the airport. During our dinner in Sacramento, Cooper stayed in his bed in the back our Prius hybrid car, with the ignition on, the air conditioner running and the windows closed. After a good dinner, we delivered June and her bags to the Southwest air terminal and headed home. The sun had just set and it was getting dark.
As we were driving down I-5 toward I-80, Cooper let me know that he needed to relieve himself, and I realized he had been cooped up in the car ever since we left Nevada City. On the interchange from I-5 to I-80, I stopped at the base of the cloverleaf where there was a relatively clear shoulder and turned on the flashing caution lights. I reached for his leash in the center pocket, where it usually is, but it had failed to find its way there when we left.
Now, Cooper is normally a very calm and obedient dog, not given to rash actions, but on the way from the airport I had inadvertently driven on a rumble strip. He seemed to think there was some monster under the floorboard and became upset. When I let him out, he did his thing and started to come back. When he saw the car with the back door open, he had a change of heart and went back to explore the area some more. I got a flashlight and followed him. By then, he had gone up the ridge and crossed over the road into the next little valley, almost getting hit. I spent the next half hour or so looking for him on both sides of the road but never saw him again.
A California Highway Patrol officer spotted me on the cloverleaf and stopped to find out what was going on. He drove me back to my car and was very courteous and concerned about Cooper. He parked his car behind me for protection and wanted me to confirm that Cooper was properly tagged. He then took off for over half an hour to search the area himself. When he got back, he introduced himself as Officer Phil Higgins and reported that he had not seen Cooper. He suggested that I return to Nevada City while he and other officers continued the search. He took my home and cell phone numbers and promised to report any happenings. He also gave me his cell phone number.
Now, Cooper is normally a very calm and obedient dog, not given to rash actions, but on the way from the airport I had inadvertently driven on a rumble strip. He seemed to think there was some monster under the floorboard and became upset. When I let him out, he did his thing and started to come back. When he saw the car with the back door open, he had a change of heart and went back to explore the area some more. I got a flashlight and followed him. By then, he had gone up the ridge and crossed over the road into the next little valley, almost getting hit. I spent the next half hour or so looking for him on both sides of the road but never saw him again.
A California Highway Patrol officer spotted me on the cloverleaf and stopped to find out what was going on. He drove me back to my car and was very courteous and concerned about Cooper. He parked his car behind me for protection and wanted me to confirm that Cooper was properly tagged. He then took off for over half an hour to search the area himself. When he got back, he introduced himself as Officer Phil Higgins and reported that he had not seen Cooper. He suggested that I return to Nevada City while he and other officers continued the search. He took my home and cell phone numbers and promised to report any happenings. He also gave me his cell phone number.
Approximately one hour later, when I was about two blocks from home, I received a call from Higgins reporting that Cooper had been found, that he was OK and had been taken to the Sacramento Animal Shelter. When I got home, someone from the CHP had left me two phone numbers for the animal shelter.
Monday morning, Christmas Eve, calls to the animal shelter proved to be no avail. "Animal Shelter is closed down for the holiday." I thought of driving down to see if I could check it out and be lucky, but a friend familiar with Sacramento politics told me not to waste my time. The rest of the day was spent preparing for Christmas morning, with 12 relatives coming to open presents, but without Cooper.
Around 5 p.m., the phone rang. It was Higgins. He wanted to know what results I'd had in contacting the animal shelter and was upset with my answer. He said, "Don't go anywhere and stay by your phone." About 40 minutes later he called back and said, "Cooper is in my office, waiting for you to pick him up." He gave me his address, and in less than an hour we were all together in the North Sacramento CHP office. Higgins got another officer to snap pictures of us in their office. In another hour, Cooper was back home and spent a wonderful Christmas with the family.
Monday morning, Christmas Eve, calls to the animal shelter proved to be no avail. "Animal Shelter is closed down for the holiday." I thought of driving down to see if I could check it out and be lucky, but a friend familiar with Sacramento politics told me not to waste my time. The rest of the day was spent preparing for Christmas morning, with 12 relatives coming to open presents, but without Cooper.
Around 5 p.m., the phone rang. It was Higgins. He wanted to know what results I'd had in contacting the animal shelter and was upset with my answer. He said, "Don't go anywhere and stay by your phone." About 40 minutes later he called back and said, "Cooper is in my office, waiting for you to pick him up." He gave me his address, and in less than an hour we were all together in the North Sacramento CHP office. Higgins got another officer to snap pictures of us in their office. In another hour, Cooper was back home and spent a wonderful Christmas with the family.
In conclusion, Wednesday morning Cooper and I drove back to the CHP office in Sacramento to deliver a thank-you Christmas present to Officer Phil Higgins, an 8-by-10 inch picture of us all together under the CHP tree and a copy of Jordan Fisher Smith's new book, "Nature Noir."
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Bill Barnhart is a Nevada City resident.
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Bill Barnhart is a Nevada City resident.
