Please Help Ace

 

     This is Ace. 

     Ace is a sweet little dog who now lives in Roxbury, Massachusetts with his mistress, Tianna Sawers. But when I still lived in Hudson, I got to know Tianna and her pup, Ace. She used to work at a local gas station on Tower Street and, for a time, simultaneously at the little Dunkin' Donuts at the other end of the building.

     Because she and Ace were so close, she'd often bring him into the building with her and set up his little dog bed behind the counter so people could see and interact with him. Tianna, Ace and I got so close, in fact, that we swapped numbers and when she was in town working, she'd text me to let Barb and I know. So we'd get in the car and make a special trip where people would make a big deal over him. Back then, he was a hurricane of activity. He loved people and just couldn't get enough of them. I'd frequently bring over boxes of Milk Bones for Ace and, if Tianna didn't watch him, he'd go through the whole box in one sitting.

     It was a highlight of mine and Barbara's day when we got to see Ace and I'm sure the same applied to everyone else who worked there or walked in to see Ace holding court. 

     Since I left Massachusetts last March, we've all been on the downswing. Ace's health took a turn for the worse. Tianna lost her job through no fault of her own, then she lost her apartment in Clinton when the old owner sold and the new scumbag who took over decided to evict everyone wholesale (sound familiar?) And, as she's still out of job, she can no longer afford his vet bills. His kidney functions are bottoming out and he needs medical intervention soon.

     Tianna and I spoke for the first time in years on Christmas and it broke my heart to hear her describe Ace's low energy. He now sounds so little like the energetic dog who charmed everyone he met. And, considering how much Barbara loved him, I can't think of Ace without thinking of her.

 

     This morning, she texted me to let me know that she'd finally set up a Gofundme for Ace's veterinary bills. I've pinned it to my Facebook wall and will put up the link to my other social media accounts. I refuse to believe that Ace has hit the end of the road and that there's noting that can be done about it. It's just a matter of money and a little bit of money can make a huge difference in the life of this sweet little dog who just needs a break.