BOOM! September 2022

The Mayor of BOOMTOWN

By Greg Budell

“THE DOG DAYS OF AUGUST”"A true story from the Greg files"

Last month delivered more than heat, humidity, and monsoons.

The rain was so prolific at month’s end, Rich Thomas was doing a 40 Day, 40 Night forecast! That’s usually what the “dog days” mean- slugging through syrupy humidity baking us at 95 degrees, into human casseroles.

My Dog Days were literally thatfeaturing actual dogs that made the heat a mere nuisance and kept me enervated.

In March, I celebrated my “baby boy” Hershey’s Sweet 16 birthday, complete with a custom cake. The “Manshtaweenie could still sit up and beg for a treat!

Hershey's Sweet 16 Birthday Party!

As August began, Hershey’s health had begun to deteriorate. The vet said he had an enlarged heart, and fluid. Prescriptions kept him going but one by one his ability to do routine things declined. He stopped using his favorite bed, a massive cream-colored cushion. I always thought he looked like a little raisin in a puddle of vanilla pudding. The powerlessness of being able to do nothing more was my great, painful frustration.

"Greg's little raisin"

Then God sent me a message via my

daughter Janelle that gave me a perfect situation to channel my frustration. It was a link to a GoFundMe set up to help a dog named Bingo. Janelle’s friend Whitney found him hobbling alone (he’d been hit by a car) on a Miami Street. Whitney checked Bingo’s tags which listed a home address. She took Bingo to that location and was told by the owners “we don’t want him”. Whitney then delivered Bingo to a veterinary ER where she was told he’d need considerable medical help- at a price beyond her means. Whitney didn’t hesitate to authorize themedical attention. The bills ran to

Bingo with Cone

$4500, far more than she had, so she set up the fund page. How could she not want to help this lovable boy?

I made a donation. I also kept an eye on the fund, which was growing slowly. I brought Bingo’s story to the Newstalk 93.1FM audience and that added several hundred dollars. However, we’re living in a time where people are watching their money carefully. An economy like the current one is a disaster for all fundraising efforts. By this time, I’d become “attached” to Bingo, who ultimately would lose a leg (repairs didn’t take).

Through it all, this dog wanted to live. From an environment of abuse, he’d found the love of Whitney, Janelle and their friends. I was sent video clips featuring Bingo’s huge tail swishing back and forth with happiness. He was no longer tied to a pole in the Miami heat. He was tethered to some genuine (and airconditioned) human love!

While Hershey sat and watched in the

kitchen, I began making and selling Bingo Key Lime Pies. They’re good. VERY good. I put my stepson through a year at AUM selling them. Over the next several weeks, I made and sold over 80 pies which easily helped Whitney meet the $4500 fundraising goal. They’re still selling, and when I meet Bingo this month, I’ll be delivering additional

funds to cover additional care.

Here's Bingo posing in Fruit Loop undies (so he didn’t pick out sutures from the leg removal). What a handsome model!

Bingo in undies

Bingo has adapted to his 3-legged life with lots of love and no self-pity (a human killer). My daughter has been over to visit every day and Bingo knows a beauty when he sees one!

Greg's daughter, Janelle with Bingo

Greg and Tammy Burkhalter selling Key Lime Pies

Rescuer Whitney w/Bingo

The generosity of listeners and strangers for this far-away dog was my emotional sustenance as it became clearI’d have to make the heart-breaking decision on Hershey. When the

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medicines could not keep his oxygen levels up, and he’d be existing at the mercy of medicine, we knew it was time. Surrounded by Roz, friends Teri and Maryann who’d “babysit” Hersh for many of his 16+ years, we let him go. We prayed, cried and held him as he left this life for the next. I held him in my arms as I whispered words of love to Hershey and gratitude to God.

The vet came to our home and was wonderful. The day we adopt a dog or cat we know one day our hearts will hurt as they pass on. I’ve been through it many times. As he crossed the Rainbow Bridge, I hope he ran to join his longtime friends- Bailey, Carla, Maggie, Zeus, and Zack. A listener named Perry Green was kind enough to imagine and create it for me.

Why not? They, better than any human, teach us God’s unconditional love. They bring out the best in us, when it comes to caring, nurturing and helping.

It’s Bingo’s turn to give and receive those gifts. More than money, I’ll be delivering a huge helping of Alabama’s heart.

The truth be told, more than Bingo and his “angels”, being the middleman in this miracle benefitted someone more than anything or anyone.

Me.

And as August ends, Hershey is back home with us.

(If you have a comment on this column, email me at gregbudell@aol.com. It's still fun to hear from new people!)

Greg Budell lives in Montgomery with his wife, Roz, Stepson, Sho, and dogs Hershey and Briscoe. He’s been in radio since 1970, and has marked 16 years in the River Region. He hosts the Newstalk 93.1FM Morning Show with Rich Thomas, Jay Scott & Jessie Lynn, 6-9 AM Monday-Friday. He returns weekday afternoons from 3-6 PM for Happy Hour with sidekick Rosie Brock. Greg can be reached at gregbudell@aol.com.

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