TWO HAPPY CAMPERS

Altavista, Nayarit  //

At dawn, I step outside to use the bathroom, and the puppy is still right outside our door. She follows me around, but the moment I try to pet her, she retracts instantly. When I turn around to go back inside the camper, she paws gently at the back of my leg and then whimpers when I close the door. My heart aches knowing she spent the entire night by our truck, and she most likely has nowhere to go.  

While I’m inside the camper writing, I hear her begin to growl from beneath the truck. Two of the property owners’ dogs are outside, circling the truck, curious about the newcomer on their property. The poor puppy is trying so hard to sound tough, but she’s obviously terrified. I stay inside listening to barking and growling for a few minutes, and then it all stops. I go outside, and the puppy is gone. I imagine her terrified somewhere in the trees not far from here, and I’m sad she won’t be on the receiving end of our food and affection today.  

We go about our regular routine this morning and settle in for a second full day here at Altavista RV Park. There are three days left until we board the ferry in Mazatlán, and this is a nice, quiet place to pass the time. As José approaches on his morning rounds, his three dogs lead the way, and trailing behind them is a very happy puppy dog. I point to the puppy and ask José if it’s his, to which he replies, “no, it just showed up here.” Her fearful demeanor has evaporated, and instead, she looks elated to have been accepted into a pack. I have no idea what her fate is, if José will keep her or take her back out to the street. But for now, she’s looking like the lottery winner of a new home, and I smile as she prances off with her newfound friends.  

I’m sure José would let us keep her if we asked, but Mark and I are both happy to delay the responsibilities of dog ownership a while longer. Not to mention the inevitable tasks and hoops that I’m certain come with bringing a dog back to the US from Mexico. Though I do spend the day imagining what it would be like having a dog in our lives once again, and I realize just how much I miss the companionship. One of these days we’ll have a dog again, just not today.  

At dusk, José passes by again while turning on all the lights. Again, the puppy appears fully integrated with the pack, and if I didn’t know any better, I would assume she’s been here since birth. With a tinge of envy, I watch the four dogs follow José around the property. If there’s one argument for living in one location, it would be the ability to surround yourself with animals. However, Mark and I can’t imagine a life in one place all year long. For some mysterious reason, the freedom to roam brings out the best in us.  

Tomorrow we’ll get back on the road and do what we do best. Navigate unfamiliar places, see new sights, and learn a little something more about this beautiful world that we love so much.  And, of course, love on any dogs we meet along the way.

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