Philomena’s Great Break

by pam ashlund

 

On my way home from the Farmers Market, arms full of fresh free range eggs, Greek olives, broccoli and mangos, I saw a little dog walking toward me.  She was a dachshund mix with fluffy ears and pretty pink bows on her ears and she was wandering along by herself.  She was heading for a very busy intersection.  I sat down on a step and called her over.  She had tags with a phone number, so I dialed the number.  It was a recorded message for the Christ the King, the neighborhood Roman Catholic Church.  Her name was Philomena, the patron saint of lost causes.  I sat a moment thinking about what that meant about me and then decided that I’d have to carry her back to the church.  She had made herself quite a ways.  Lucky for me a woman had seen me carrying the little dog and all my produce and come out with a leash.  She and I set off towards the church.  After a few false leads we found a man who recognized her, “oh, that is Father’s dog”.  The woman and I looked at each other- we had found the Pastor, Father Antonio’s dog.