With Patient Yearning
April 17, 2008
Our cargo on this trip includes a
special container of a kennel and a large dog.
They are traveling to the second stop of
The kennel is a large one,
allowing dog Puddy to stand comfortably. It is lined with a blanket and a chew
toy. A note taped to the kennel says, that
“Puddy is very friendly.”,
and I believe it. I get close enough to let him lick my hand. Then opening the
door, I give Puddy one of the packets of
food and include a pint of my drinking water. I wonder when was his last water,
food, and exercise?
The answer comes quickly enough. Our flight to
Answering the phone was a
receptionist for the corporation. I
introduce myself and ask for the owner.
This leads to another transfer and then a second administrative
assistant answers. I’m informed that she
will provide me with the owner’s cell phone.
This is contemporary-speak for, “they are not in the office…” A phone number is provided and I thank the
assistant. Ringing for one more cell call finds a connection is made with Puddy’s
owner, a woman named Laurie.
She states that she is at the
cargo terminal! This must be an
important shipment and I am glad she knows of the flight arrival. Going outside of the plane and towards the
stairs I wave in the cargo area general direction. She says she sees me and
waves back. But there are many
buildings, loading vehicles, and I never do see her. We conclude the call, satisfied that the
important package will soon be delivered, uniting owner and pet.
The unloading continues and I go
to the terminal with our flight engineer, and Dianne, the local cargo agent. We
have to clear Customs and Immigration. While in the terminal I received a cell
call from the previously dialed number. It is again Laurie, saying that there
wasn't much progress. I reply that I am now at the terminal. She gets the idea,
knows that I am busy with the
Authorities, and she continues to wait.
Completing the arrival paperwork we are now free. I shop with Dianne and get a box of
chocolates. We rejoin with our engineer
and Dianne shuttles us back in the van.
During the ride, Dianne shares that she is also pursuing
modeling. She is learning how to walk, stand, and
appear during photo opportunities.
Agent pay on the island is very
modest, even for our standards. Dianne
is living with her mom and they share a house.
She has one other sibling. I
offer Dianne the
chocolates as a gift of thanks for her vital paperwork and shuttle drive
efforts and she graciously accepts them.
When I return to the airplane I
asked Dianne to take me to the dog and owner Laurie .
This seems like an important opportunity to meet her and thank her for the
business. I want to
let her know that I fed and watered Puddy and he seems fine. Arriving at the
cargo terminal I discover the dog crate unloaded but still sitting in outdoor
waiting area. Dianne helps me to locate the owner who was wrestling with the
bureaucracy. A few moments passed and Laurie emerges.
One financial company has a television advertisement you have seen about their
valuable product. It goes something
like:
Animal travel container - $90
Customs processing - $155
Getting reunited with your dear pet - priceless.
By this time I have put my clip-on tie back on and combed my hair. Her first
image is of a pilot with an outstretched hand and hearty greeting, "Hi,
I'm Scott Dickson". The impact is profound. Laurie grasps my hand in a
very firm way and gives a hearty handshake.
She continues holding
my hand at length and exclaims to me "I don't want to let
go!". I knew what she felt. The comfort of having her dear pet nearby, and
waiting for 30 hours, a Customs bureaucracy, an accompanying Veterinarian for
health inspection. All which is most impersonal. But
here was someone from an airline adding a personal touch to the delivery. I
simply replied,” Well, don't let go". And she doesn’t for several moments.
Then Laurie shares the shipping
story, beginning with, "I'll never do this again. They (local Authorities)
want to know the value of the dog and for me to pay them in order to release
him. I'll never do this again!". I take out a pen
and hand it to Laurie, which she accepts quizzically. The expression on her
face is of puzzlement. I continue, "Write down the exact date and time you
said that.". Laurie laughs and continues, saying
that she will. “ write that down on a blackboard 500
times!”
I again thank her for the business and proceed back to the waiting plane and
another trip. We continued on to
Laurie is reunited with her dear pet. She works as the General Manager for a
corporate operation in
Puddy waits patiently through the
journey, endures
30 hours in a kennel, a passage through strange surroundings, and often
traveling in darkness. Does he know why or that pet and master
will be brought together again ? It is
his owner who provides food packets, care instructions, pays freight charges, and places trust in
the airlines. She lives by hope and
faith of a joyous reunion. So too do we make our life journey, sometimes encompassed
by strange surroundings and periods of darkness. It is in these times that we
look to faith. Our work on earth allows
us to use what we are given to bring us those priceless earthly moments. They guide us through our patient yearning
and the promise of our heavenly time ahead.
Consider the text from the Bible and Matthew 5:14-16
You are the light of the world. A
city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15Neither do people light a lamp
and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light
to everyone in the house. 16In the same way,
let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise
your Father in heaven