Special Feature

July 17th, 2008

My Pal, Buddy

Every now and then in this newspapering business we come across a story that warms the very cockles of our heart. Such was the case recently when a fella by name of Jack Adams contacted us with a sad tale of woe. His pal, Buddy, a four year old Schnauzer, had wandered off out of a gate accidentally left open and he had not come home. It had been awhile and Jack was getting desperate.

You see, Buddy, was not just a pal. He was Jack’s only companion for awhile. Jack’s wife of 63 years, Ruth, had died here in Escondido about four years ago. Jack and Ruth grew up and married down in Borger, Texas. In fact, they got married the same day Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941. They would have four children, three daughters and a son. They would move to California where they both worked for Convair. Jack was with Convair for 30 years as a Quality Control Engineer. They even had a two year assignment in Italy. Back home, after living in their dream home they had built together in Julian, they moved to Escondido when Ruth got to be so sick. Not long after, she passed. Following her passing Jack was inconsolable. A mighty lonely man.

A daughter up in Temecula came across this stray. A Schnauzer. Friendly pup; the kind of pup who never meets a stranger . . . he falls in love with whomever gives him a pet. They tried to find the owners, unsuccessfully. The daughter thought Jack ought to have Buddy as a pal.

Well, Jack wasn’t so sure. He’d had a beautiful dog, a Lhasa Apso, also named Buddy, who had died after 18 years and the pain of that loss still hurt. But, he was mighty lonely.

The daughter prevailed, Jack relented, and never looked back. That’s how they got together; and sure enough, they became inseparable. Those long, lonely nights weren’t so lonely now. Buddy would curl right up and sleep with Jack . . . and he’d play all day long with Jack if Jack would let him. They were a pair, that duo. They went everywhere together . . . did everything together.

And then that fateful day when Jack accidentally left a yard gate open. Before he knew it, Buddy had taken off exploring as only dogs can do. Sniffing and checking everything out.

A week went by, then two. Still no Buddy. We at The Paper learned about it. We’re soft touches when it comes to dogs. We put an ad in The Paper for Jack Adams. You may have seen it. Well, two weeks ago we got a call from Jack. Buddy was home! Some folks in Escondido had found him, took him in, nourished him, saw the ad, called Jack and brought Buddy home.

They say that all’s well that ends well and this is one story that has wound up ending quite well indeed. A beautiful, loving and affectionate Schnauzer named Buddy, reunited with his very lonely daddy. Sometimes things just work out well.

We were proud to have had a part in reuniting Buddy and Jack and hope they are together forever.

Buddy

Buddy with his ‘daddy,’ Jack Adams.