“Um, there is foaming at the mouth, diarrhea, eyes rolling back in his head, and his stomach is moving like crazy.”
“Is he up to date on his shots?” The lady on the phone seemed to not understand the emergency situation here and was speaking slowly, as if she thought Elly was 10 years old.
“Can I just answer these questions when I bring him in?”
The woman sighed. “I suppose.”
Witch! thought Elly.
“Bring him in and we’ll get to him as soon as we can.”
“Thank you,” said Elly, snapping the phone shut. She grabbed Cadbury’s leash and ran back to the bathroom. He was still in the same position, his eyes on her, looking like the saddest dog she had ever seen. Elly hooked his leash to his collar and pulled slightly.
“Cadbury, you have to walk. C’mon,” she urged.
He didn’t move.
“Get up sweetheart. We’re going somewhere to make you feel better.”
Cadbury put his front feet down and attempted to push off the rug. His giant paws shook, and he collapsed again. Elly started to hum frantically to herself to hold off true panic. Cadbury weighed 90 pounds, and she could never carry him down the stairs.
“Isaac.” She looked at Cadbury. “I’ll be right back.”
As she ran out of the apartment, she heard Cadbury cry. Her heart wrenched. She ran down the stairs, through her studio and out to the street. She passed Keith’s deli, and went up the stairs to the left of his store. At his door she could hear pulsating music coming from the apartment – piano and guitars wailing, along with the erratic banging of drums. She banged on the door.
“ISAAC!!!” she yelled. She waited a beat and knocked again, harder. “ISAAC!!! IT’S ELLY!!” The music had not ceased, not even for a minute. They had not heard her. “Arggggh!” She banged again, with both hands. She could hear her fists blending in with the drums. Tears welled up in her eyes. She turned down the stairs, taking them two at a time. Sean. She could call Kim and have Sean come over. That would take forever. Oh no. As she turned the corner, she saw Keith locking his door.
“KEITH!” she screamed. Keith jumped. Elly felt momentarily embarrassed that she had reacted so dramatically. “Keith, I need help, I mean, I’m okay, but my dog is sick, and I can’t carry him, I have to take him to the vet, I think he’s having a seizure, and I left him to go get Isaac, but he can’t hear me and I hope Cadbury doesn’t die and then I’ll have to eat myself to death…” She was rambling, tears streaming down her face.
Keith grabbed her shoulder. “Elly. I need you to be calm. Where is Cadbury?”
Elly felt instantly steadied. Thank God someone was in charge here. “Upstairs in my apartment,” she answered. They ran to her apartment together.
Keith followed the poo trail into the bathroom.
“Hey buddy” he said softly. He knelt down beside Cadbury, and placed his arms under the dog. Elly stood awkwardly beside him.
“Should I help you? I can carry half of him.”
“Nope. Just hold the doors.” Keith counted. “One, two, three…” and then he quickly lifted Cadbury into his arms. Elly grabbed her purse and held the door for Keith, who was walking quickly with Cadbury whining. The stairs were the tough part. Narrow and wooden, Keith took each stair very slowly, his arms shaking under Cadbury’s weight.
“Your dog needs to go on a diet,” he huffed. When they got to the bottom, Elly ran to her car – her little Toyota Tercel – and brought it to the front. Keith gently lowered Cadbury into the backseat. Cadbury licked his arm.
Keith turned to Elly. “Do you want me to go with you? How are you going to get him into the vet?”
“No,” Elly said, “They have vet techs there that can carry him, I’m sure. Thank you so much Keith. I don’t know what we would have done without you.”
“It’s nothing,” replied Keith. “Hey – are you sure you don’t want me to come? It’s not a big deal, really. No big plans or anything tonight.”