The Reward Goes To 1000€ (Chapter 27)

A Sunny Start and an Unexpected Message

Bloody hell, it’s not raining, I said out loud. “Come on, boys, let’s go outside and watch the sun come up.” It made a change to sit and actually watch something beautiful instead of just a wall. Yet time was pressing on. All orders complete, I messaged Claudia, “could I be cheeky and get you to collect my orders again?” “No problem,” she typed back. So, now I had another complete day to concentrate on what to do next. Yet, as always, something happened that was never really a need to plan anything.

I had to read this message a few times as I just couldn’t believe my eyes. “I have been following your posts, and if my Chippy ever went missing, I don’t know what I would do; please, will you accept 500 euros from me to increase your reward.”

An Anonymous Donor and Emotional Messages

With tears rolling down my cheeks, I messaged our Julie and asked what I must do. She immediately called me, and we discussed it at length. I was also terrified that my others could become a target for kidnapping if people saw that I was prepared to give 1000 euros. Our Julie always gave me the final decision, and she always promised to stand by me whatever I chose to do. So, next was the message that I sent this extremely kind lady.

“I can’t thank you enough for the extremely kind offer of the money, and I can understand that you would prefer to stay anonymous. However, because I am worried for the safety of my other dogs, would it be possible for me to accept yet to post explaining how you have donated the money so that people can see it´s not from me.” Then I gulped and clicked send.

It felt like forever until she replied, yet it was only 20 minutes. “Yes,” she said, and then she said that if I give her my bank details that she would make the transfer. Wow, this was the most amazing lady; I explained how I would rather wait until someone has found George.

Messages from Irene

After the messages, I just sat there mesmerized. How can this be? I immediately told Claudia, and Claudia ordered more posters to be made, and then I phoned Kerry to ask her to ask Martyn to change George’s Facebook page. Then I just spent the next hour messaging everyone. Just as I put my phone down, another ping came, and I checked my phone, and it was a Lady called Irene; the message said: “Hi, my name is Irene. I have been following your posts, and I know your heart ache as I lost my dog 2 weeks ago.”

Meeting Irene in Coín

Did I need this? I didn’t know, so I replied, and you might think that someone in my situation would know exactly what to say, yet I didn’t; my message was pathetic. “I am so sorry.” Yes, that was it, shameful, I know. Yet then she messaged back, and somehow we all of a sudden knew what to say to each other, then she typed, “I am heading into Coín this afternoon with my boyfriend, would you like to meet?”

I quickly replied, “Yes, how about we meet at the Plato bar near Sierra Gorda.” “OK, should we say around 2pm?” she said.

Before I knew it, it was 1:50pm, I didn’t know if I was doing the right thing as how could I meet this stranger and talk about her missing dog, how could I tell her that I have so many people helping me and now with the extra reward money. Gulp.

Yet then the message came through: “We are here, and I am wearing a green top, we are sitting at a table outside.” “On my way,” I typed, I put the dogs in, and off I went. It was such a beautiful sunny day, and as I got out of my car and walked across the car park I instantly knew it was her, she knew it was me, and immediately we hugged, and the first thing I said was “Look, please understand if you find your dog and I don’t find my George that I can’t not be your friend and I expect that will be the same for you.” We both chuckled, and her boyfriend said, “I did wonder if it was a good idea for you to both meet.” I think we both said at the same time, “Oh shut up.”

New Friends and Too Much Wine

“What are you drinking,” said Irene. “A bottle of house white, please,” I replied. It was like we had known each other for years; we so hit it off. We then ordered food; gosh, it felt so good to eat without thinking; I had actually managed to eat without the feeling of guilt. So, 4 hours later, I messaged Gordon, “Where are you? you need to come and get me as I am so pissed, totally pissed.” “Where are you?” “El Plato with my new friends,” I slurred. “On the way,” he typed. Gordon got some more drinks when he arrived, and then we said our goodbyes, emotional goodbyes, drunken emotional goodbyes that anyone looking would most definitely have been rolling their eyes.

Late Night Messages and Organizing Another Search

Gordon dropped me off and didn’t come in as he could see I was too drunk now to really talk. As I fed the ones, doling dropping one of the dog bowls and possibly a few biscuits, I flopped into the sofa. Then shit, shit, shit I hadn’t checked my phone. Oh my god, there were so many messages, yet I could hardly see. Kettle on and time to sober up, so I decided to go and take a shower. This was a stand-up cold shower. It worked, and within an hour I could nearly see again, so I began to plough through all the messages then I saw the messages from our Julie: “Christine add me to the find George WhatsApp group, and on Sunday, I am organizing another search for George,” she said.

I was amazed. I just couldn’t believe how the help was still there for me, yes I began to cry again. I messaged her to explain how exhausted that I was, and the thought of asking more people to come was making me feel so awkward. Our Julie just typed: “Leave it with me.”

Before I knew it, a post came up on Facebook, it was now past midnight, and yet Julie had written: Julie is with Kerry and 34 others.

PLEASE come tomorrow to help!!!
POR FAVOR que vengan mañana a ayudar !!! SOS SOS SOS SOS SOS A MONTH

We are organizing another search for GEORGE on Sunday 18th March at 9am… Meeting point EL PLATERO RESTAURANTE (COÍN) MÁLAGA for a couple of hours… whatever time you can spare….. who can come and help Christine?????

Vamos a organizer una BÚSQUEDA PARA GEORGE Domingo 18 Marzo…. Punt salida el PLATERO RESTARANTE (Coín) 9 AM para unas horas……..lo que pueda cada uno !! Quien se apunta????

Restless Night

So now, realizing that this was really happening, I needed to be up early and really slapped myself about as every poster needed changing to 1000 euros, and I needed more maps. U UFFF, my brain was on overdrive.

I spent most of the night tossing and turning on the sofa; willing myself to fall asleep wasn’t working. Yet in the end, I obviously did, as I woke up with a nice blob of dribble on the sofa arm. I need a cleaner; I wonder if when people have said: “Christine, if you need anything, just ask.” That it would be ok for me to say, “Yes please, my sofa needs a good clean, plus my car, oh and I so need some shopping, and those clothes that are still outside on the wagon with wheelchair might need scraping off.”

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🍷🐾 Treat yourself to a fun paw plaque: “A woman cannot survive on wine alone… she also needs a furry companion” . Perfect gift for pet lovers.