Carrie’s Painting of the Week – 8/17/10
Fat Guy at the Diner
On a recent, sweltering morning, we were going in to eat at the diner in this painting, when I saw a car parked with a dog in it.
The windows were cracked open, but the car was in the direct sun. It was already 86 degrees and getting hotter by the second.
“Who owns the car with the dog in it?” I asked, loudly, when I got into the diner.
“We do,” a man said. “And he’s all right.”
“No,” I said, “he’s not. And if he is now, he won’t be in about 10 minutes.”
“He’s all right,” the man said, “and it’s none of your business.”
“Yes, it is,” I said. “It’s everyone’s business. That dog is going to get sick or die if you don’t get him out of there.”
“You want to take him for a walk?” the man said. “Take him for a walk then.”
“No, I don’t want to take him for a walk. I want you to move the car.”
“He’s my damn dog, and he’s fine,” the guy said. His wife and young daughter said nothing. The three had clearly just arrived, and were studying the menus. It would be a long time before that dog was safe.
By this time, we were seated, and I was crying. I hate this, but it happens to me, and there’s nothing I can do to stop it.
“I’m going to call the police,” I said to Peter.
The guy overheard. “You want to call the police, call the damn police.”
“Fine,” I said, “I will.” I turned to Peter. “Let’s go,” I said. “I can’t stand to be here and watch this.”
I called the police, and we left. I wish I had done more. I wish I’d stayed until the cops came. I wish I had taken the poor dog for a walk. But at least I did something.
“Fat Guy at the Diner” is oil on canvas, 24 inches by 36 inches. If you’re interested in buying it, please email me at carrieBjacobson@gmail.com
Tags: carriejacobson
August 19th, 2010 at 9:16 am
Carrie, you did the exact right thing! A guy who would act the way he did, with such disdain of decency, would likely be quite capable of clobbering you if you pushed him any further. It seems obvious that he had already cowed his wife and daughter into submission, and his irrational response to you shows he expected the same even from complete strangers. Good work! Let’s hope he learned a lesson.
August 19th, 2010 at 11:09 am
Thanks, Robert – It is always good to hear from other animal lovers – and to get support, too. I hadn’t thought that that guy might have gotten violent, but you are right. He was just the type. I hope he learned a lesson. Hope the cop taught him a lesson.
Appreciate your taking the time to write.
Carrie
August 19th, 2010 at 10:44 pm
Carrie, I’ve often wondered what I would do if I were in a similar situation, finding a pet left in a hot car. In my glove compartment I have a bunch of handbills printed by PETA that explain what can happen and beg the owner of the car not to leave the pet inside in the heat. They are designed to be left on the offending car’s windshield. Happily, I’ve never had to use any of them. The guy you encountered is a typical bully. I hope his conscience (if he has one) and his embarrassment were enough to prevent him from doing such a horrible thing again. You sacrificed your tranquil breakfast for a good cause.
August 20th, 2010 at 10:14 am
Thanks, Lee – I am going to get some of those PETA handbills; that’s a great idea. Thanks so much for your support, and for speaking up!
Carrie
August 21st, 2010 at 2:59 pm
There is so much information out there about not leaving pets (or children) in the car and yet people continue to do this. I am glad that the information is getting out but wish people would listen. Thanks for writing about this and doing the right thing!
August 22nd, 2010 at 8:50 am
Hi, Karen, and thanks for the note. Yes, you’d think that people would have developed some awareness of the dangers – this guy was a neanderthal, really, and raising his daughter to be the same. He knew about the dangers, but thought they didn’t apply to him. I appreciate your taking the time to write in support.
Best,
Carrie
August 28th, 2010 at 9:24 am
Carrie – Kudos to you for getting involved! As others have written, this guy was / is a bully. You provided a superb example of empowerment to his wife and daughter, as well as to anyone else who was there. You truly modeled “See something, say and do something!”.
Here’s a link to another site that is devoted to raising awareness about dogs suffering in the heat. http://www.mydogiscool.com/ Scroll down to see the “hot oven” flyer. What a graphic message.
And finally, one state is taking steps to educate all drivers about the dangers of leaving dogs in enclosed vehicles. California will be incorporating information in their drivers’ handbook. Let’s hope other states do the same. (Source: http://www.uan.org/index.cfm?navid=800)
Keep getting involved!
August 29th, 2010 at 7:58 am
Hi, Nancy – Thank you for the support and for the information. The whole site is very good, and I love the My Dog is Cool area. It’s so vital that we do something, and it’s so hard to do. Even when your heart is in the right place, it can be just daunting to speak up. The project gives you the opportunity to hand over a flyer to that horrible person – you’re still confronting him/her, but it might make it a little easier. Thank you!
Carrie