Today could have been a tragedy. Well, not really a tragedy, but a major inconvenience for several people ("Michael, can you please drop everything you're doing and bring me a spare key?"). As I was going to load up the dogs in the car after another muddy day at the dog park, I realized I had lost my car key. I remembered putting it in my coat pocket, as I always do, and as I had always feared, it fell out while I was grabbing treats, poop bags, whatever.... As soon as I realized the key was missing I started trying to re-trace my footsteps over the past hour and a half of swampy muddy mess which is the current state of the dog park.... I ran into two dog walkers, I let them know I was looking, they said they'd keep their eye out. Ran into another dog walker or two, asked for their help as well. Then the next three dog walkers I talked to said they already knew and were already looking. Within a matter of minutes the word had spread and everyone was helping me find my key. It seems like a small thing, but it meant so much to me to know that I had that much support from my fellow dog walkers on something as trivial as me being stupid enough to lose my car key.
After about half and hour of wandering around the park with my eyes peeled for a tiny silver key among the expansive mud fields, I was talking to another dog walker, explaining the situation, and as I was in the middle of saying "I'm pretty sure it's a lost cause", she bent over and picked up my key.... It was sitting right next to us, in a random part of the park, covered in gravel trying to hide from me. Needless to say, I was pretty excited.
I know often times we are so busy with our day and whatever we are focused on that we hardly take a second to actually look when someone asks us to keep our eyes out.... I am so thankful that Veda really looked! Or maybe I am just thankful for her good luck presence....
So yay, I found my key, but the moral of the story is that I am very thankful for the community of dog walkers I have come to know at Magnuson. I have been asked many times why I prefer Magnuson over Marymoore, and today is the perfect example - I just feel safer knowing there is a community of people who all look out for each other. As nice as it is to be out in an open field with nobody but your dogs, sometimes we all need an extra hand or another set of eyes and I'm happy to be a part of that.
And yes, I am going to buy a large neon pink buoy that you put a boat key on so this won't ever happen again....
