Ah... Duke... its ok... its. ok.....

So.. its been a hectic two weeks.. can't even begin to explain to those who do not work in an elementary school. But imagine 450 kids, 50 staff... and its report card season, and a new (frustrating) computer program for doing reports... well, for doing everything in the school regarding students... and its Christmas concert practice season, its turkey dinner season, its flu season, and there is stress all around us.

Today... turkey dinner for 500. Today.... reports go home, but not before several final reprints of several sets of reports. Today... training a new working partner.... Today... a heart warming conversation over my walkie talkie which all began with a student coming in, out of breath from the playground.

"There's a dog"... "he's on the playground"... "he's tied to a tree".... "its all wrapped around him"...

The phones are ringing, the dinner is still going on, and I have to print last minute report cards. What do I do with a dog, tied to a tree, on the playground and there are over 400 kids on the playground... can you picture this. I can't think.... the noise and interruptions are almost unbearable... and then I hear Chantal come over the walkie talkie.

"Donna".. I see a dog in the woods... he is all wrapped up in a bush." " I am going to go see what is going on", she says. I send the girl off to class, and I wait to hear from Chantal.

"ohhhhhh, hes a puppy, ohhhh, he is all wrapped up in a chain... I think he's a Rottweiler"... "ooooh, he is all shaky". "I can't get to him".

So, I am now thinking, its a vicious dog that someone doesn't want and they have chained to a tree. "Don't go near him Chantal, I am calling the RCMP". "Ohhhh, he looks sooo scared," she whines. "Don't go near him.... just wait."...

"OK".... she says.. and leaves her walkie on.... I hear... "its ok, puppy"... its ok"... "oooh, he is so tangled he can't even sit down".......oh, its ok.. little puppy.

The RCMP give me the animal control number, and the animal control people answer, and I explain and she said she will call the Dog Catcher... Thinking about a conversation I had with a boy earlier in the morning, who said he heard branches breaking in the woods, and thought there was a man sitting in the woods.. I now realize that this dog has been there for a least 4 hours. I asked how long she might be, and she said at least an hour.

Just as I hang up the phone... I hear on the walkie " Donna, I can see his tag.... he's name is Duke.. and there is a phone number...... As I right down the number, I hear "its ok Duke, its ok buddy"......

And I call..... "Hello"... I explain who I am and ask if he has a dog. He says yes, and I have been looking for him for a while. I tell him about Duke, about Chantal and then I am in the middle of conversation between Buddy on his cellphone and Chantal on the walkie, and he can hear her and he is giddy on the phone as he drives closer to the location... and he laughs when she asks on the walkie " ask him if I can touch the dog, will he hurt me". He laughs and re assures her and then she is giddy, and unwrapping Duke from his chain while buddy is driving up to her.

Duke was freed, and Chantal comes back to school... and I called the dog catcher to cancel the call, to which she lectures me about a dog with no county tag on would cost the owner $225 to get him back... geesh....

Later in the afternoon, one of our youngest teachers comes to me, with tears in her eyes and says "what happened to the dog"... and I explained about Duke, the owner and Chantal.. I answered several questions all afternoon, from big hearted students and teachers who were worried about duke...

A happy ending, and a heart warming moment to a very hectic day.

Thanks Chantal.. you are a hero!