TheBanyanTree: Forgiveness

[Tom Smith]

We've had Kizzy 10 years. She has always been spooked about
going to the vet. She was due for a rabies booster. It was time to 
get her in the carrier, a sturdy cardboard box with carrying 
handles and vent holes. Somehow, she *knew.* She did not want
to be picked up. We had her surrounded, which made her panic. 
She made a dash past me and I attempted to grab her. By the 
scruff of the neck was the plan, but the reality was a black blur of 
slashing claws, and teeth sunk as deep as they would go, just 
above my wrist, where the pulse is. Out of the reasoning realm, I
tried to pull her off and got the other hand bit and slashed, so I 
made a move like throwing a bowling ball with two hands and 
somehow we got free of each other. She disappeared. I had a 
lot of deep scratches and puncture wounds and pouring-out 
blood to deal with. The medical advice was to go the the ER.
 
A consequence of ER paperwork was animal bites becoming 
government business, and Kizzy was quarantined, sort of under 
house arrest. We caught a brief glimpse of her, the next day, 
and noticed one of her canine teeth was jutting out at an odd 
angle. Another emergency. She went back into hiding, but 
gradually relaxed enough to go for food and water the next day. 
Somehow Barbara, with a combination of charm, bribery and 
quickness, got her in the carrier, and we were off to a 7/24 Pet 
Emergency Clinic, Quarantine be damned. Her canine tooth 
had broken off, but there were other loose teeth. After another 
veterinary dental appointment, all that could be done, was 
done for her.
 
Animal Control called 10 days later. I said "Kizzy and I are both 
fine." That, fortunately, was the end of the public safety issue. I 
wondered if Kizzy and I would ever be comfortable with each 
other again. There was nothing to forgive on my part. She had 
only been instinctively trying to escape. If she never forgave me, 
I would understand. I wasn't going to push it. She now gives 
me the honor of sitting on my lap again, like none of this ever 
happened.

Image at:
www.flickr.com/photos/9482738 at N07/14879555700/