Pups on Ice!

Another fun trip up to San Francisco with my dear friend Coy has given me more fond memories and experiences.  It was a short weekend, but a fun and interesting one nonetheless!

Saturday afternoon we were in the air, as we always fly up to San Francisco, and I really enjoy flying.  I had a bit of a negative clash with a neighbor this past week and I was feeling like the scum of the Earth directly afterward.  I tend to harbor guilt for a while, feeling absolutely terrible and ashamed at what had transpired, so seeing the world fall away below us reminded me just how petty human conflicts can be in comparison to the size of our planet, and to try to keep things in perspective.

We landed and unloaded in our hotel, relaxing for a little while.  I made my way to the window and gazed out across the night-drenched city, a flashing old-fashioned Coca Cola billboard in the distance reminded me of all those movies with "big city" as their settings and the montage of flashing neon signs that play in the beginning.  It made me feel so thankful I could be in a hotel with a dear friend on a trip to see our K-9 Unit.  I looked over at Coy and he was already setting up our next trip up in December.  I tear up and smile every time I think of all that he's so generously given me.  Of course when I start welling up with joyful tears he smiles and says "Oh don't start bawling like a girl!"

I love you pup!

That evening we were meeting for a pizza dinner with some of the K-9 Unit and then going ice skating, when we were getting dressed Coy asked me if I would wear something for him, and he brought out a hockey jersey.  It was a real Vancouver Canucks jersey that he held in his hands, and he pointed to a discolored spot on the top left shoulder.  "Do you know what that is?" he asked.  I shook my head no, and inquired what it was.

"It's a blood stain."  Woah.  "It's my blood." Woah!  "Would you wear this for me?"  Of course I eagerly said yes, and went to try it on.  I looked at myself in the mirror and felt stronger, more powerful.  I was wearing a real, used, hockey jersey, with my best friend's bloodstain on it.

Awesome!

When the time came, we left the hockey gear in the room and headed out for dinner.  Due to some reservation mishap we ended up leaving to a different restaurant once the K-9 Unit showed up.  So we all headed to a place called Chevy's instead.  While we were waiting, I learned that Spencer, the hot slim young man whom I had a very enjoyable encounter with when I came up for Folsom Weekend had not only remembered me, but was thrilled that I was coming up again.  I was touched, I didn't really expect him to remember me, let alone be so excited ("Chasing his tail in excitement" as Brue put it) to see me again.  I love being remembered, it makes me feel...important.  That I am important enough to someone in order to be remembered.  An enjoyable and amusing dinner later, and we were at the ice rink, Coy ran back to the room to grab the hockey gear and I waited outside the rink in the rain for him for a little while before realizing that he probably would have come up and scolded me for staying out in the wet cold instead of heading inside to join the others.

I went inside and got a pair of size nine skates (they didn't have half-sizes and I'm an 8.5) and asked where the others had gone, I was told that I would know I was in the right place if I went over to the second set of bleachers.  I headed over and was met with Brue and Wolf both in pup headgear looking adorable.  I was anxious, I hoped Coy would be back in time to skate with us, as it was already around 10:12pm and the rink closed at 11:00pm, until I saw Cockpit come up the other side already geared and ready!  He wore a light blue jersey and his red-tongued dog mask.  After swapping my skates out for size 8's (Coy said that skates should be tight enough to the point that they come close to hurting), I donned my pup's Canuck's jersey, and snapped on my neoprene faceguard before wobbling over to the door to the ice.

The moment I stepped out on the ice I was confounded, my legs had forgotten everything I had learned in my figure skating classes so many years ago.  It all suddenly made sense, when someone says it's so incredibly hard to learn how to walk again, it was like learning how to skate for the first time all over again.  Nothing is more humbling than looking like a fool on the ice, I was so glad I chose to wear my faceguard that night, and not to wear my title vest.  The more I tried to focus on remembering, the more frustrated I became, why wasn't I remembering how to do this?  "It's like riding a bike!" someone said. 

Bullshit, I disproved that statement several times that night! Hahaha!

During my very painful trial and error learning process, the K-9 Unit was so incredibly supportive.  Cockpit never left my side, he was constantly holding my hand with his leather fist mitts, offering an arm to steady me, skating just behind me, or giving me a supportive gaze from inside his puppy hood, head cocked to one side, red tongue wagging, and his soft icy blue eyes smiling with encouragement.  The other members there that night helped me too.  Skyy offered a bounty of supportive energy, Spike helped me return to the floor at one point by letting me grab hold of his hips, and Brue and Wolf shouted their support to me and inspired me to keep it up and keep going.  When I did fall, and it did hurt...a lot...I got right back up and started again.  I didn't want to stop!  I wanted to learn, god damn it!  Reflecting on what was happening around me while I was on the ice, I was so thankful and grateful.  I was surrounded by great friends, all with an arm out to help me, I felt not only encouragement, support, but dear love.

When I took my break, after Spike had so graciously helped me back to the floor, I felt impatient.  What was I doing just sitting there?  I couldn't just sit and rest! I had to get back out there and learn again!  I got back out on the ice and as Spike so gently put it, I was "like a newborn baby deer.  Legs all wobbly and scared out of my mind".  I love you too, Spike.  I finally was able to go around the rink half way by myself without touching the walls, and it felt like a great victory!  Next time I'll keep my balance better and make it around twice!

The walk back to the hotel with the pups was hilarious, as my legs couldn't differentiate between ice and land, my boots felt like they had blades on their soles, and I was afraid I would have to learn how to walk again!  The unit humorously jabbed and teased me, but I adored every minute of it.  Like pups nipping each other's ears and play wrestling, I felt like part of a pack.  We eventually made it back to our hotel and the K-9 Unit crashed there with us, everyone together.


Sunday morning I woke with two men in the bed with me, my happy self sandwiched between Coy and Brue.  I fucking love that, as there is no better way to start your day than to be surrounded by handsome guys.  When the guys were heading out for breakfast the weekend took a nasty turn, when Spike leaned down to kiss us goodbye, I leaned upward to hug him and something in my back twisted or popped and a horrific pain shot through my body.

The other guys were unaware of it, except for Brue who stayed behind in bed with me.  Thank god he believed in sleeping in on Sunday mornings.  I couldn't move without my body being wracked with pain, I had thrown my back out and was in terrible suffering.  Even breathing hurt, and sent my muscles into spasms.  Brue called Coy back, as he looked after me, and Coy picked up some painkillers and breakfast in the hotel lobby.  For the rest of the day I was in terrible pain, imprisoned in one position on the bed, moving not even a finger lest my body punish me severely for it.  One of the thoughts that went through my mind was how I wouldn't be able to distract Spencer at work, and I felt awful at disappointing him.  Soon Wolf and Spike returned from breakfast and they brainstormed on how to help me.  Spike called a Gold's Gym and asked about medical advice for a hurt back, and the guys even went so far as to look for an erotic masseuse to help me who was certified and available on weekends.

When I was finally able to get up, Coy helped me over and into the bathtub where he sat with me the entire time, watching over me with those gentle, caring eyes of his.  Those same eyes that lifted my spirit at the ice rink as I slid around, scared out of my mind.  As the bathroom went silent, I became aware of another noise in the hotel room.  I looked at Coy and he smiled, "Spike and Wolf are humping."  Two very handsome, very awesome, and tall men were going at it on my hotel bed.  I didn't know which I wanted more, to feel better or to watch!  When it came time to get me out, Coy and Brue helped me over to the armchair and prepped the floor so I could lay with my feet up and relax my back.  Wolf and Spike were still in the throes of passion as we walked by, and even though I wasn't able to view the spectacle being performed on my bed, I was able to enjoy the sounds of the two wolves howling when they peaked.  Spike was even generous enough to get dressed in front of me, as I lay helpless on the floor, so I could admire his beautiful ebony legs and his fantastic comic-book-superhero-quality ass.

Eventually the pack said their goodbyes and left, and later that day Coy got us both to the airport, through security, and on the plane, demonstrating time and time and time again of how pups take care of their handlers.  From taking care of all the luggage, to swapping shoes with me so I didn't have to bend over to take mine off for security, to getting me food and water while we waited for our flight, to seating me in the least turbulent zone so my body could survive the flight with little suffering.  It didn't stop there, he also waited to be the last two on board to leave the plane so I could take my time getting out and not be rushed by the rest, he stood a few steps behind me on the escalator so if I stopped short he would be ready to help me, and he even reserved a shuttle bus for me and tipped the driver to help me with my luggage when he had to head to his own hotel and couldn't come with me. 

Thank you, puppy.  You are several times overqualified for the title of "Golden Retriever".  I love you.

When I arrived home, the driver took care of my bags, and my neighbor helped me upstairs and into my apartment, whom I thanked repeatedly. And so concluded a short, painful, but nonetheless enjoyable short weekend in San Francisco.

Thank you my dear friends, and may all of you play safe out there.