We were sitting on a brick wall over looking a river and the fortress on the other side. Even though it wasn’t the best day weather wise, there was something peaceful for me looking out over the river and thinking about the history that surrounds Novi Sad.
As we were getting ready to leave, this little dog came running up to us, seemingly from nowhere, he just ran straight up, jumped up on the edge of the wall with us and sat. Mind you, I’m the furthest thing from a dog person, I just don’t like them. But this little guy was pretty awesome. He had his own version of doggie swag goin on. We all sat for a few minutes petting him and saying what a nice dog he seemed like and he didn’t look like your typical ‘street dog.’ He was so friendly. Molly gave him a name and we all started calling him Ronnie; Our little Ronnie.
We got up to start walking over the bridge to the side of the river that the fortress was on. Ronnie led the way. It was like he knew where we were going. He would run ahead of us, then wait for everyone to catch up, then run ahead again. We were walking in a few separate groups and Ronnie would go back and forth.
There was a sidewalk on each side of the bridge for people to walk. Ronnie was getting close to the curb and a few of us were saying, ‘be careful Ronnie, stay here.’ Then it happened. I saw it happen in slow motion. He was about five feet ahead of me and when he stepped off the curb I turned and saw the car. A few other people from our team saw what was happening as well. I screamed ‘NO’ like I had never screamed before.
The sound. That terrible sound. I will never forget it. The sound of Ronnie getting hit was hard enough, let alone the sound of his cries after words.
The rest all kind of blurs together. I ran away yelling ‘no’ and crying with my face in my hands. I don’t know how far I walked but I couldn’t even look up. I was in my own version of shock. At some point someone came up and put their arms around me and cried with me and walked me to a bench to sit down. She held me in her arms as I was crying uncontrollably. All I could do was pray. Based on how terrible the sound and sight was all I was praying over and over was ‘God take him, take him, I don’t want him to hurt, take his pain, just take him.’
Then, I remember feeling someone hold onto my legs and say, ‘Neffy he’s fine, he’s fine, look he came to see you.’ I still sat there crying. It took about five times for them to tell me that over and over before I could look up. And when I did, there was Ronnie. Right in front of me. I fell to the ground hugging him and holding him and getting my tears all over his furry little body. That moment is still surreal. I think those three girls knew I still needed more reassurance that he really was okay and Megan said, ‘Hey Ronnie go show Neffy your tricks, show her you’re okay.’ He literally got up, ran to the end of the road, turned around, ran back and laid down right next to me. We laid there for a little bit, just hugging and petting him and in awe of that little guy and what he had been through.
Looking back, who would have thought that it would be a Serbian street dog that would teach me about love and overcoming adversity; a lesson I won’t soon forget.
He came right up to us and loved with no reserve, as if we had been friends forever. He opened his heart right away, not holding back to make sure we would earn his trust.
I want to be like that when I go out and meet people and talk to them. I want to embrace and love everyone without worrying what they will think of me. I want to go out with a heart wide open.
After getting hit Ronnie didn’t give up and lay down. He cried for a moment and let himself feel the hurt, then he got right up and pushed forward, not letting that moment stop him.
How ridiculous that it was, Ronnie who got hit and me being the giant crying ball of mess while he pops right up and gets back to his doggy life.
D.H. Lawrence said it best, ‘I’ve never once seen a wild animal feel sorry for itself.’
I want to be like that, cry for a moment when I am hurt, let myself feel that pain, then stand right up and move on, without forgetting the lessons that I learned.
Ronnie lives his life in a way I hope I can. Showing love to everyone I meet just like he did and getting right back up when I fall.
Eventually we met back up with our team, and as everyone was trying to figure out where to go for lunch Ronnie simply turned and trotted away, leaving us as quickly as he had found us.
