Chapter 13: The Second Look Inside

Burgers, Vinnie’s Parents, and Gyll on Horseback

Back at base, Gerry and his wife (not sure if she was Gerry’s actual wife but again, what an amazing lady to help) they had a table full of beers, an amazing pasta salad, rolls, and all burgers and sausages cooking away on the BBQ. I know that you already know that Sue was at this point was actually dribbling.

Vinnie’s parents then arrived; I was overwhelmed to see them, not just because of the way that they had helped for the day yet because of the trust that they had given me with their son, seriously what Vinnie had given me was more than what any adult could have done on this search.

Then another couple arrived, and the man said, “So sorry, but we found nothing apart from this very expensive stretchy lead.” “That’s mine,” I said. Gulp, I think that I said that rather rudely, luckily Sue was there to explain how we had lost that the day before. I still go over and over how I handled things so wrong; I can’t change anything that I said, yet I would never want to change what anyone ever said to me or what they did to help.

As Sue was munching on her 3rd burger, I was talking to Vinnie’s mum, and another lady joined us. Her name was Gyll; she had also been searching for George all day on horseback with her partner Gavin. The compassion that they had for me was immense. Everyone was talking just about George. It felt so surreal. Never in all my years could I have ever believed that friends, strangers, and just people actually cared.

Two Ladies, Burning Tyres, and a Sofa

As I stood talking to these wonderful 2 ladies, I felt so at ease with them and decided to talk to them about my thoughts that the so-called non-chihuahua breeders had my George. They asked me what I wanted to do about it, and I explained how even though I had been in their house that I so wanted to have another look. They could see the desperation in my eyes and how I felt so sure that this is where George is that they both offered to pick me up in the morning and go with me.

Sue was so relieved that I now had a team of support as she was due to fly back to the UK first thing in the morning.

All we could do now was to thank everyone and head back home, so that is what we did. On the way back, my car started to smoke, and the smell was like burning tyres inside the car. We weren’t overly worried as it appeared to be smoke from the car exhaust, and what with driving slowly and having the windows down, we kind of dismissed it. Once home, we fed the dogs and plonked ourselves on the sofa.

Guilt, Robbery, and the Crispy Nose

After replying to many messages and a quick call to Kerry, Sue then told me how there was severe snow in her hometown and how that Ishy was very ill. Ishy is Sue’s first dog, and that as soon as she was home, she must take her to the vet. I felt bloody awful, thinking that the past few days all she had done was help me, yet there she was obviously very worried for her own dog. Sue assured me that I shouldn’t feel bad and that hopefully, after a trip to the vets' everything would be OK.

Next, Gordon messaged, “I have been robbed; they have even cut the electric.” Thankfully he had Kermit with him. They believe that when they went home that they must have disturbed them as not much was taken. Tablet, coins, and Gordon’s army bag. They had also broken the front door. I do believe that I actually managed some words of wisdom and told them not to worry, and as soon as I drop Sue off at the airport in the morning that I would be straight up as we need to cancel bank accounts etc. due to the fact that they had taken his tablet.

So now, really, I couldn’t possibly feel any more guilty. I told Sue that I was just popping upstairs to reply to some work emails, and it was then that I just sat at my work desk with my head in my hands, crying as quietly as possible.

When I went downstairs, Sue was sitting on the sofa with all the dogs, and she had her eyes shut. She was in a semi doze. As I stood just looking at her, all I could think was: poor cow.

“Come on, Sue, you need to get to bed as we are up early in the morning for your flight,” I said.
“Christine, promise me that you will go up to bed tonight........ Please,” said Sue.
“I so will Sue as I am shattered after today,” I said.

OK, so I lied. Isn't that called a little white lie? I just couldn’t, I can’t really explain as to why I couldn’t, one part of me was thinking how could I tuck myself up in a cosy bed when my George is possibly locked in a cage somewhere, crying for me to find him, and another part of me just continued to stare into oblivion.

The Last Goodbye, the Broken Me, and a House in Chaos

Again, I managed a couple of hours of sleep, and when I heard Sue get up, I prepared myself to be super strong and not to have a moment. I asked about Ishy, and Sue was now eager to get home to her. It was 8:30am, and off we went to the airport. I tried to listen as Sue gave me words of encouragement on the way to the airport, yet it was like I was having an out-of-body experience. I was also wondering how dangerous it was me actually driving with lack of sleep and food, which now was one complete week.

As Sue got out of the car, that is exactly what I said to Sue “Sue, it’s been a complete week, he’s gone, my George is gone, Sue.”

As I watched Sue walk off, she turned around, and I could see in her eyes the genuine hurt for me. I sobbed all the way to Gordon’s, I was so used to crying now, and my eyes were so puffy, and my nose was crispy, yet no one ever mentioned it.

Gordon’s Robbery and The Sticky Table

As I walked into Gordon’s house, I could see how distraught he was that someone has actually entered his home and taken some of his things. All I could do was reassure him that they most definitely wouldn’t be coming back as; basically, he had nothing to steal. It was his army bag, though, that I feel sorry for him for. So, we sat there trying to work out how to cancel his online banking. Kermit and Gordon had worked out where they had cut the electricity, so that was now fixed and back on, so it was just the front door to fix.

I then had to explain how I now had to go as these 2 ladies are picking me up in half an hour, and we are going to the so-called non-chihuahua breeder’s house to take another look inside. I wish within a book you could actually hear Gordon’s accent and what he said as it was actually rather funny.

“How are you going to manage that?” he asked. It was a very high-pitched voice with a kind of Bristol accent. However, he comes from Cullompton. Yes, there is actually a Town in the UK with that name.

The House, The Message, and the Hope

So, I was now at home, no Sue, and I looked over, and on the wagon wheelchair, there was still my clothes from last week; I had so much washing to do, and the house was a complete mess. The pool was full of bugs and leaves, and the table had a kind of stickiness to it.

Then came the message on my phone: be there in 10. My legs wobbled a little bit, I was so sure that George was in the so-called non-chihuahua breeder’s house, yet I knew I had to be realistic if they had him; gosh, it’s been a week so they would have moved him as Facebook was making George rather famous. Yet, I had to have hope.

So, as I waited outside to be picked up, my heart was racing as this was it, I was going in, I was going to get my second look inside.

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