It cost him $20 and he's never showing his face there again!
In the scorching heat of a warm sunny day, Gabe, the unsuspecting hero of our office, embarked on a mission to walk the boss' dogs. You've seen them on Instagram: Charlie, the husky, and Bruno, the golden retriever. By all accounts, very good dogs. They don't bark, they don't destroy things, perfect walkers. They're so good we even offer to take them out rather than see it as a hassle.
With his music blasting in his headphones and the two furry friends by his side, he strolled through the streets near our building, enjoying the serene atmosphere. The dogs, behaving like perfect gentlemen, trotted along, taking in the sights and sounds of the neighborhood. It was a peaceful scene, with the warm sun casting a golden glow over the moment.
And speaking of golden, little did Gabey know, disaster was moments away.
As Gabe turned a corner, he was greeted by a group of kids, their faces aglow with creativity as they colored the sidewalk with vibrant chalk designs. The artwork was a testament to their imagination, with swirling patterns, colorful shapes and even a few masterpieces that would put the greats to shame. The kids, noticing Gabe and his canine companions approaching, quickly scrambled to move their supplies, clearing a path for the trio to pass. (Such respectful kids, right?)
Charlie, seemingly oblivious to the masterpiece unfolding before him, decided to leave his mark on the sidewalk. And, by mark, I mean a rather large and unfortunate piss puddle right in the middle of the kids' artwork. The children's faces fell, their eyes wide with disappointment, as they watched their creations being desecrated.
What's strange about this is the dogs don't usually stop and go to the bathroom on walks. They know that our power walks are a mission: we're keeping a good pace and they're not stopping and sniffing and lifting their legs on everything. So, for Charlie to make a pit stop -- and time the placement at the worst possible moment -- was strange indeed.
Gabe, feeling embarrassed and terrible about the situation, quickly sprang into action. He offered to sit down with the kids and help them recreate their design on a different part of the sidewalk. And so, for about 10 minutes, Gabe sat amidst the children, chalk in hand, as they worked together to create a new masterpiece. The dogs, sensing their human's distress, lay patiently on the grass beside the group, enjoying the commotion.
As Gabe finished his impromptu art session, he stood up, took a step back to admire their handiwork. He even whipped out his phone to take a couple of selfies with it. (He didn't include the kids in the shots for fear of it being creepy that a random stranger was taking pics of them.) He gave each of the kids a high-five and prepared to depart after saving the day by fixing what Charlie ruined.
Are you ready for disaster 2?
In a moment of clumsiness, he knocked over his water bottle that was filled with a colored sports drink, spilling the red contents all over another one of the kids' designs. The children's faces fell once again, and Gabe's embarrassment reached new heights.
Feeling the need to get out of there ASAP, Gabe decided to make amends. He pulled out his wallet and handed one of the kids a $20 bill, apologizing profusely for his canine companion's mischief and his own clumsiness. With a sheepish grin, he gathered the dogs and made a hasty exit, leaving behind a group of kids who were probably still trying to process the whirlwind of events that had just transpired.
When Gabey returned back to Buff Loft, his mood was significantly different. Because we've all walked the dogs, we didn't believe such an incident could've occured. Confident in his storytelling, Gabe told us the exact street and what the chalk drawings were for us to see the devastation for ourselves. Initially, we considered it but then thought it was too much work so we didn't bother. Why would he lie about making himself look stupid?
So, in the end, Gabe's attempt at righting a wrong ended wrongly, right? But kudos to the Gabester for getting on the ground and trying to fix something rather than just apologizing in the moment and walking away. (Although, that seems like it was the better option now, doesn't it?)