Goodwill Hunting For Coonhounds

Good Will Hunting For Coonhounds

A few weeks ago, I flew to Tulsa at the invitation of the American Dog Breeders Association, to speak at their 2005 Nationals , to give my presentation, "America's Secret War On Dogs -  The Five Threats To Dog Ownership - What Every Dog Owner Should Know". I felt honored that the ADBA, a single-breed registry devoted to the endangered American Pit Bull Terrier, thought my speech to be of critical importance to their members.

Planes, Trains & Automobiles I had driven to Newark Airport in plenty of time.  Parked the car and jumped on the monorail to Terminal C in order to catch my plane to Tulsa.  It was a sunny afternoon - a great day for flying.

But the Continental Terminal was so crazy - were they GIVING flights away? The oh-so-helpful (not) helpful TSA agents in red jackets - almost identical to the red jackets worn by Continental staff  - had me in 4 different lines  - 4 WRONG LINES.  At least I was wearing the right shoes.

My Glass Is Always Half Full When I made it to the front of  right line, the Continental agent told me I would not make my flight  to Tulsa - the only direct flight to Tulsa.  Now I would have fly to Atlanta, and hang there until 1o:30 PM for a flight to Tulsa. It was mid-afternoon & Iwas not a happy camper - but I had no choice. 

But my glass is always half-full, and I remembered the good news..........  Just before I left for the  airport, I received confirmation that a very well known dog magazine would start publishing the My Dog Votes Voter Awareness Campaign - a public service campaign designed to raise awareness and voter participation by dog owners in local elections. The magazine's art director confirmed the deadlines, and then asked if I had a Coonhound in my series.  Unfortunately I did not, but sent her three ads featuring really great dog owners and dogs.

What's A Coonhound?   Now I'm from North Jersey - and I had to say that I didn't have a photograph of a Coonhound because I had never actually seen a Coonhound.  Now that's probably blasphemy in some parts of the country, but the only hunting trips this Jersey Girl has ever been on were to The Mall At Short Hills for a really great sale.  I was ashamed to say that I probably wouldn't know a Coonhound if I tripped over one.  Do people have Coonhounds here, and if so, where are they??? Coonhounds, it seems, are in short supply in North Jersey.

All Dogs Are Voters I board the flight to Atlanta wearing my My Dog Votes campaign pin. As I slide into my row, an older gentleman across the aisle winks at me says, "I hope it's a conservative dog".  I smile back and tell him that My Dog Votes has a nonpartisan mission (from Dog) of getting out the dog vote.  Gotta love that pin.

Two young ladies are seated to my right. Twins.  The each weigh about 98 lbs and hail from New York - very arty.   Now we strike up a conversation.  The first twin has a dog.  Oh, what kind?  She hesitates....... and looks at me, then says, "I have a Pit Bull".  She braces herself for the usual reaction.  I tell her I ADORE pit bulls and she whips out her cell phone to show me pictures of her dog.  We chat happily about her  dog, she looooves getting baths and her nails done, and Grandma spoils her to death.  I don't ask, but I'd guess her dog is a Liberal.

Do Fashionable Dogs Vote? Then I tell her I'm headed to Tulsa to speak at the ADBA Nationals, and in return, I whip out the My Dog Votes "Get Out The Vote" campaign, showing her each of the portraits of dog owners.  We chat about the issues - about Denver. It  turns out she works in advertising.  For Ralph Lauren. Maybe Ralph would like to co-sponsor the My Dog Votes campaign? :-))  After all, what could be more American than dogs AND voting? The young lady agrees to pose for me when we get back to New York. Her dog definitely votes.

Are We There Yet?  If this is Atlanta, then it must be my bedtime.  The gate agent takes my ticket and I walk down the jetway, down stairs and out onto the tarmac??  Whoa.  That's a really teeny jet.  But hey - it ain't raining & I gotta get to Tulsa, and I board the plane.

My seatmate for this flight sits down and we chat. Her name is Jamie Geneva - she's in sales for a textbook company  - and she's going home. She's returning from the big annual teacher's convention in Atlantic City, and has been on the road for ten days. I tell her I've never been to Oklahoma, and  ever the closest I've been was playing Ado Annie in the school production.

Okie?  She and her husband are true Okies, she says, and we talk of her family history, local foods and of Native American casinos.  She misses her boys. They've been with her mom and hubby's been away on a hunting trip in Iowa.  She lives 2 hours from Tulsa.

She asks where I'm headed.  Tulsa, I tell her -  the ADBA Nationals - Getting out the dog vote. She looks at my button - My Dog Votes, and smiles. I ask if she has a dog. Yes, Jamie says, we have thirteen Coonhounds. That's thirteen Tree Walking Coonhounds.

Good Will Hunting For Coonhounds  Amazingly - all in the space of one day  - a series of missed connections connected me with what I was missing - a Coonhound. And to new friends - with dogs.  Coonhounds. It was my own magical mystery tour.

When I finally did make it to Tulsa, and arrived at the hotel  - at 1:30 am - Kate Greenwood, ADBA's president, was waiting up for me.  And I was welcomed warmly by the good folks at the American Dog Breeders Association and the Greenwood Family.

So listen up all you Democrats, Republicans, Okies, New Yorkies, Proud Pit Bull Mammas & Pappas, Mall Rats From Jersey Parking Lots, and Coon Huntin' Girls n Boys With Good Tree Spots - no matter where you are, or who you're with - it's hunting season.  Good will hunting season.

Comments

[Joan Sinden]

Neat! What a small world! You've never heard of coonhounds and my uncle breeds blue tick coonhounds up in Ontario! I've got a slightly political, but mostly pictorial dog-blog in Nova Scotia - but had to leave a comment when you talked about coon-hounds! We talked back in August about the BSL vigils organization - hello again! - bye again! Thanks for a great blog!

[B. G. McGee]

Those beautiful people own coon-hounds? However, I'll bet that coonhound has a beautiful place to live. Great story.

[Jade, OK Companion Animal Coalition]

When you fight for the common good, the universe will help you along. So glad I asked you to attend! Please have your coon hound people contact me. Keep up the great work. You gotta love Karma!
Jade
www.StopOklahomaBSL.com