Close Call

September 14, 2007 • Posted in guide dogs, Seeing Eye dogs, Uncategorized by

Book CoverBeth and Hanni  Last Wednesday Hanni led me to the Union League Club of Chicago to meet with the Barrington Bliss Book Club. Well, I say she led me there, but to be honest, when I asked her to turn at the front door she sped right by. The Union League Club is a swanky private club right in the heart of Chicago’s downtown financial district. Members meet there to “socialize and enjoy fine food and impeccable service.” No wonder Hanni raced passed the front door – she couldn’t believe we’d been invited!
When I felt we’d gone too far, I turned Hanni around and pointed in the general direction of the entryway. I could tell from the reluctant pull of the harness that she still wasn’t so sure.
We were at the right place,though. Some members of the Barrington Bliss Book Club are also members of the Union League Club, and they were kind enough to invite Hanni and me to join them as a guest author. The club had read “Long Time, No See.” We talked about how I decided to write that first book of mine and what all has happened to me since University of Illinois Press published it in 2003. Of course I managed to get a plug in for “Hanni and Beth: Safe & sound” as well! I passed the advance copy around, everyone ooed and ahhed appropriately at the illustrations. You can oo and ah now, too – a friend has attached the book’s cover design to my blog. (As you might imagine, visual decorations like that are not my forte!)
Back to Barrington Bliss Book Club: I met some wonderful women and time seemed to fly by. “Where’s Hanni?” some book club members asked when it was time for us all to leave. I pointed under the table – Hanni had curled up and fallen asleep down there. She was so quiet and still, they hadn’t realized she was with me!
BUT THANK GOD SHE WAS.
When we left the Union League Club and headed east on Jackson, we approached a side street. Hanni stopped, of course. Traffic was rushing by at our parallel, cuing me that it was safe to cross. “Forward!” I commanded. Hanni looked both ways, and judging it safe, she pulled me forward.
But then all of a sudden she jumped back. I followed her lead and heard the rush of a car literally inches in front of us. Hanni had seen the car turning right off the busy street. I hadn’t.
She saved my life.
I felt someone rush by us, then heard shouting down the side street. My heart was racing, but training at the Seeing Eye told me what to do next. “Walk backwards! Get on the sidewalk before you praise her!” I heard my trainer from years ago calling out in my head. We had practiced this very thing during training – staff members would drive Seeing Eye vans around town while we were out with our dogs, the van drivers would make quick turns and dart in front of us on purpose so we would feel how the dogs reacted.
Back on the sidewalk, I got on all fours to hug Hanni. I was afraid from what had happened, of course. But even more, I was afraid that the near miss could scare Hanni from wanting to work again. I pet Hanni. I hugged her. I reassured her. People who’d seen what happened called out from across the street to make sure I was okay. I called out a “yes!” and just then a man bent down and patted me ever so slightly on the shoulder. “You alright, miss?” he asked. He was out of breath, panting. “I work at the Union League Club, I saw the whole thing.” It was a cab that had sped around the corner, he explained. The driver hadn’t even slowed down to make the turn.
We stood up; I patted down my skirt and tried to regain my composure. Suddenly I realized. The sweet man panting beside me, worrying if Hanni and I were alright — he was the one I’d felt rush past while I was reassuring Hanni. “Was that you shouting?” I asked.
“Yeah, I was trying to catch him,” the doorman said. “Sure you’re alright?” He asked.
This kind of caring, coming from a complete stranger, made me feel better. I was sure, I told him. Hanni was alright, too. She stopped at every curb after that, and we proceeded with caution. But as always, we made it home. Safe & Sound.

Mary McHugh On September 16, 2007 at 1:41 am

What a great dog! Hani is as smart as she is beautiful.

Mary McHugh On September 16, 2007 at 1:41 am

What a great dog!

Bev On September 17, 2007 at 11:39 am

Yikes! Glad to hear you’re both Safe & Sound. Never thought the title of your latest book would have such a profound meaning. You don’t need prove the title true anymore. We get it!

Loved the almond story! Have Hanni’s eyes been opened to a finer cuisine? I say, give her whatever she wants. She deserves it!

Beth On September 17, 2007 at 12:19 pm

Ha! that’s just what Mike (my husband Mike, not the Mike who comments on this blog – so many Mikes in the world!) said after I told him about our near miss – “Let’s buy her a steak!” She settled for belly rubs instead. You know, she has to stay fit, ready for the next heroic adventure!

Shelley Finke On September 17, 2007 at 12:24 pm

Terrific Hanni stories, Beth. But are there any other kind? So smart and obedient, shows good judgment. She should be added to the list of Finke Homemade Christmas participants.

I sense a compilation coming from these stories someday — The Hanni Chronicles?

Beth On September 17, 2007 at 12:47 pm

“Smart and obedient, shows good judgment.”
Oh, you mean Hanni. I thought you were talking about me!

Teej On September 17, 2007 at 3:48 pm

I still feel a little anxious, even after getting to the happy end of this story. But mostly, I’m just relieved. Thank you, Hanni! Now if you can only train her to attack and subdue reckless cab drivers.

Beth On September 17, 2007 at 9:25 pm

Hanni would have to *catch* the reckless cab drivers in order to attack and subdue them. Hmm. Maybe I should travel with a Greyyhound on one leash, Hanni on the other?

Katie On September 18, 2007 at 1:56 pm

Hanni is a treasure. Look forward to visiting with you again!

Beth On September 18, 2007 at 2:15 pm

Thanks, Katie! For the two or three of you who are following this long trail of comments, I met Katie in Arkansas two years ago when I was promoting my first book, Long Time, No See” at the Arkansas Literary Festival http://www.arkansasliteraryfestival.org Katie is the Developmental Director of the fest and does a terrific job. We’ve kept in touch since our first meeting and it looks like Hanni and I will be returning to Little Rock for the 2008 festival from April 4 to 6. Katie has a blog, too – check it out at
http://piankay.blogspot.com/
You can read about Grace, the dog from the humane society that Katie and her husband are fostering at home.

Katie On September 18, 2007 at 7:25 pm

Thanks for the plug, Beth. I so enjoyed having Beth at the fest for LONG TIME NO SEE and anxiously awaited the arrival of SAFE AND SOUND. Of course we encourage everyone to visit http://www.ArkansasLiteraryFestival.org the official web site of the Ar Lit Fest. The other blog Beth so kindly pointed you to is my personal blog…

Idetrorce On December 15, 2007 at 2:32 pm

very interesting, but I don’t agree with you
Idetrorce

Beth On December 15, 2007 at 3:33 pm

Huh? What don’t you agree with? You don’t think Hanni is heroic? Hmm.

Animal translation « Safe & Sound blog On January 9, 2012 at 9:35 am

[…] third Seeing Eye dog, retired in 2011. I didn’t tell Rachel that, though. I knew I already had a post written about Hanni that would fill Rachel’s requirements, and laziness won the day. After making just a few tweaks, […]

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