Papayito's new home

Yesterday, I went to San Miguel to say goodbye to Sharon and John who will be returning to Vancouver next week until the Fall. While I was there, Fernando received a call from a 13 year old girl who had seen Papayito’s flyer in the jardin. She wanted to know if he was still available and if so, if Fernando could bring Papayito over for a visit to her home in Marfil. Fernando said yes, Papayito was still looking for a home and he would come over.

So Fernando took the bus to Marfil with the puppy. When he arrived at the home, the girl and her father were outside waiting and gave them a warm greeting. The father, around 40, invited Fernando to see their home. It was palatial: full of outdoor spaces, trees, plants, rolling landscapes, workshop areas, and birds. As Papayito ran around with the two boys, around 9 and 10 years old, the father took Fernando on a tour. The eldest son kept birds with his father. There were ornate cages with all kinds of magnificent birds. The father told Fernando that animals are attracted to the property and they often find snakes and frogs in their yard. The family cares deeply for animals, especially dogs. Recently, a stray pregnant dog had given birth on their property, and the family placed the dog and her puppies with neighbors. One of the puppies had wiggled his way from next door and was roaming the property during the tour.  Fernando said he looked like a chubby fur ball.

The mother was watering plants and graciously greeted Fernando and Papayito. A chihuahua lives in the house proper, her companion, and a friendly Rotweiller guards the front section of the property and workshops. Papayito will go back and forth between the house and property.  I’m not sure if he’ll have a job other than to be perfectly happy in a loving home filled with four children, their parents, and animals.

We miss Papayito but someone once said:  ”Some people think it’s holding on that makes one strong—sometimes it’s letting go.”  That is certainly true in this case. It’s hard to believe that it was only last Saturday, he was struggling to stay alive, starving and weighed down by fleas, alone on a dirt road far away from everything. Now, he’ll be frolicking on rolling hills with a neighborhood puppy, following a Rotweiller on his rounds, waiting for scraps with a Chihuahua, chasing boys, being showered with love by a sweet girl, and part of a pretty awesome family.