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On Aug. 29, my dog Bates came to work with me for the last time. For nine years, my golden retriever Seeing Eye dog had faithfully accompanied me on countless assignments for the Star-Telegram, where I am a government affairs reporter.
But Bates was almost 11, and the Texas heat was becoming too much for him.I tried to keep a normal routine that day — doing errands before work and walking to a restaurant for lunch. But my day was filled with tears. It was especially hard when friends came to my desk to tell Bates goodbye.It was also, though, a day full of anticipation. I was getting a new dog soon. In fact, the next day, I was leaving for the Seeing Eye training facility, in Morristown, N.J.I thought about a new dog and what he might be like. Could I trust him to guide me safely, as did Bates? Could I ever love him as much as I love Bates?I also thought about my life before I had a Seeing Eye dog. I’d been independent and self-confident for years and never considered a canine helper. But that was before the spring of 1998, when two frightening incidents changed my mind and my life forever.Feeling vulnerableThe first disruption to my world came on a beautiful Sunday afternoon in April. I’d had a great day at the Main St. Fort Worth Arts Festival downtown, drinking margaritas and listening to several bands with friends.Toward evening, I decided to take the bus home. One of my friends wanted to accompany me, but I told him that I would be just fine.As I was walking from the bus stop toward the street where I live, I felt a hand grab my right shoulder. A man’s voice said, "I know where you live." Don’t answer him, I thought. Keep walking. As I got closer to my street, I prayed he would leave, but he didn’t. I reached an intersection and crossed the road. I heard the man walk off in another direction, but I was still worried that he was following me, so I stopped at a neighbor’s house.She wasn’t home. By the time I arrived at my house, I was shaken. I was also angry at myself for not accepting my friend’s offer.In September, my peace of mind was shattered again.That day, I waited at the bus stop near my home, holding my purse and white cane. I was heading downtown to work later than usual to cover a Lake Worth school board meeting where I was to receive an award.I set my purse down on the bench for a second. That’s all it took for someone to steal it. There went my sense of security. My cellphone was gone, so I couldn’t even call the police. I was angry because someone took advantage of my inability to see. And I was scared, because, obviously, someone was watching me.That was when I decided that I needed a dog.I knew Seeing Eye dogs weren’t trained to attack or to be aggressive. But I thought someone with bad intentions might think twice about approaching me.It was a difficult decision. I was frustrated by my lack of self-confidence and the fear that my independence was slipping away.
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