I would like to adopt!
Number: One. :3
Picture:
Name: Skipper (keepinng the name the same, the name Skipper is awesome. <3)
Species: Mostly Jack Russel Terrier, but his family tree contains a large number of mutts with un-identified breeds.
Personality: When you say "Jack Russel Terrier", the immediate words that come into people's minds are "energy", "athletic" or "hyperactive." It's true that most Jack Rusells are little balls of scruffy energy, but all that physical exercise is beyond Skipper now. Though he hates to face it, he's not the young pup that once roamed the streets. However, he's still left with his phenominal mind, in which the gears are always turning. Skipper never back down on a new mental challenge. He knows that even though his age limits him physically, he mustn't let that be a road block.
Skipper's glass (or bowl, in this case) is always half full. Everywhere he goes, he manages to lighten the mood. He has a pleasant aura about him that makes people at ease. He's always one to look on the bright side of life, even at the times when all his life was was street dog fights, a cardboard box to sleep in, and Kraft Dinner leftovers from the dumpsters. Skipper believes that every hardship will amount to something good in the end. Perhaps he's right, since in his miserable life, he's always managed to have a few pockets of goodness here and there. The world isn't so rotten after all when you look at it in a positive point of view.
However, in no way did Skipper enjoy his rough street-life. The only times you will see him angry are when someone glorifies the street life, in a story or movie especially. Living homeless is hard. Either you barely survive, or you die. The toughest, quickest, strongest and smartest are the only ones to survive in the end. Well, there are also the unbelievably lucky, but you only come upon those every once in a while.
Skipper gets attached to items easily, even things such as pebbles and pretty-looking scraps of wrapping paper. It may sound odd, considering his life on the streets. You'd think that you wouldn't get attached to things when you're always on the move. However, it's quite the opposite. When you feel you don't belong to this world, it's quite nice to know that at least, there's something in this world that belongs to you. His most beloved belonging is his worn and tattered red collar.
Skipper may have a positive and upbeat attitude, but when put under pressure by others, he turns bitter and sarcastic. He has never been able to work with a team as he automaticaly tries to please everyone, which makes him stressed and put him under a lot of pressure.
Likes: While Skipper is a street dog, he will always be at his happiest near the sea. His heart longs for the smell of salty water and the cool spray tickling his nostrils. His best experience in life happened near big water sources, and this may explain why the sea leaves such good memories in his mind.
Skipper also finds joy in cheering other's up. He strives to help others in life and guide them to the right path. He's been viewed as a "guardian angel" by some, helping someone out through tough times, then disapearing when he knows they will be safe. He's helped many that are astray find the way again, and is held in many's heart.
Dislikes: As mentioned before, Skipper does not easily lose his temper, but will if you "prettify" life on the streets or an orphan's life, etc. He cannot stand this total ignorance and will lash out. He thinks it absolutely idiotic and moronic. You glorify the street life and you're the lowest of the pack, in Skipper's eye.
Skipper doesn't care for working in a group. It stresses him out and he believes it puts him in dangerous situations. He also gets very attached to others, which is your downfall if you want to survive. Skipper feels the need to help everyone out and cheer everyone up so much that he feels put under pressure and loses control of himself. He becomes a bitter, sarcastic dog not worthy of the name Skipper.
Background:
"Skipper...
Of all names, never thought that I'd end up being called Skipper. I've always yearned for a heroic name; let's say Wilhelm, or Alexander; names that just ooze of glory and confidence, of leadership. Skipper, however, is quite the opposite."
Skipper chuckled to himself. Talking to himself again, eh? Well, he had been pretty sure he'd gone barmy for a while now. The steady drip-drop of rain made Skip stray from his thoughts for a while. His mind was gone with the rain, flowing down the streets and into the gutters. How he longed for that grace, that fluidity that water posessed. He was far from graceful now, with his creaky, arthritic joints and limbs.
A squirrel peered at Skipper curiously with big, dark brown eyes. Perched on a high branch right above Skipper, he chattered noisily, twitching his bushy tail this way and that. Skipper chuckled once again.
"You can come down, little 'un. I ain't gonna hurt you."
The squirrel gazed down at Skip once again, before half sliding, half scampering down the wet trunk of the tree. Warily, he kept his distance from Skipper, observing the terrier shyly. Slowly, he extended a paw outawrds as a greeting. Skipper's eyes twinkled and he gave the squirrel a big, slobbery, love-filled lick. That was enough to win the squirrel over and he skittered over to Skip, giving him a slightly annoyed look before plopping down next to him.
Normally, the squirrel wouldn't have trusted a dog, let alone a hungry looking street terrier. However, Skipper gave off a sort of aura; there was something positive about him. The squirrel wanted to trust him.
Skipper inhaled with a long, wheezy breath and turned to his new little friend, who was busy grooming Skip's mangy fur.
"You're pretty lonely too eh, to be out here by yourself. Nice of you to keep an old loony dog company, anyway."
Skipper's gaze turned distant once again.
"You know, I never thought I'd lay side by side with a squirrel. Never thought a lot of things, when I was a youngster. I never thought that I'd have to leave my warm little den with Mama, never thought I'd be left alone to fend for myself."
A look of immense sadness washed over Skipper's face. He shook his head and the squirrel looked up from his grooming session to meet his eye.
"You don't think anything at all when you're a young 'un, really. To you, the world is as big as your den, may that be a shed, cardboard box, abandoned car... Anything beyond that is too big for your little brain to take. But then, one day, everything in your perfect illusion shatters. It happens to the best of us. Suddenly, Mama's too exhausted to take care of hungry, demanding puppies and she kicks you out. Every little birdie's got to leave the nest some time."
At Skipper's mention of nest, the squirrel's ears perked up. Perhaps he should have stayed back at his own nest....What kind of squirrel has a conversation with a dog? However, he feeld lonely too. Perhaps it's best for both of them that he had ended up here. Skipper took another wheezy breath, preparing himself to talk some more.
"Soon, the world's not a pretty place anymore. You experience your first fight, your first deception. You learn that you can't trust nobody and nobody can trust you. It's a dog-eat-dog world out there, in these ruthless streets. Literally. You wouldn't believe the things I've seen...
And then, there come the humans. You have your first love; you think that this is your master. You'll do anything for them, even if that involves getting dressed up in doll cloths and transported in baby carriages. You get your first name too. Usually unsignificant; Dolly, Fido, Spots, the list goes on. However, your new little master is forced to kick you out when their own Mamas and Papas find it a problem that you think peeing on the couch is fun.Eventually, you grow to learn that these little interludes in your tough life don't last. You're incredibly lucky if it lasts more than a week.
Finally, you stop getting little masters all-together. You're all grown up and completely on your own. You're not cute, or scruffy, or loveable; you're a terrifying, mangy stray. You have to learn to be ruthless to survive."
Skipper turned to the squirrel, who was now cozily curled up right next to him.
"I was never good at that, y'know. Being ruthless. I used my smarts more. I was pretty fast back then too; could outrun any dog in town. But soon enough, I had enough of this place. I wanted something new. I wanted excitement. The next sunny day, I trotted off without saying good-bye to my very own birthplace. Didn't even look back."
Skipper's eyes glistened with tears. Mumbling something about being an old softy now, he painfully shifted his position and accidentaly ruffled his new friend's tail, much to the squirrel's indingation. When they were both settled down again, Skipper continued on.
"I was headed to the sea. I had heard wonders about it; apparently it glistened like a million jewels. It was a million times deeper than them skyscrapers were tall. Pretty darn amazing if you ask me. I soon arrived at my dream; the loveliest town I had ever seen, bordered by the sea. That was the most water I had ever seen in my life. I was breathless; so it did glisten like a million jewels! It was too amazing for me to describe in words, I don't even think I could now.
Though I lived in the town next to that sea, Sandtown, I liked to call it, I made it a habit to visit the sea every day. Right before the sun rose, I would trot off to the Sand Stretch, watching the sun rise and alight the water. I felt special being the only one to see this beautiful sight; however, I soon learned I wasn't the only one.
There was another being who enjoyed this spectacle, a human too, of all things. Due to past experiences, saying I was wary of humans was an understatement. I was terrified of them. However, I'd sacrifice my early morning spectacle for no one, not even a human. I was happy to ignore the human; he, however, did not feel the same way. Every morning he would bribe me with a bit of fish, a scrap of meat, a kind word. I soon fell into his little trap and let him slip a collar aroundmy neck. I still wear it to this day.
That was how I met Jerad. I now got up early in the mornings, but for an entirely different reason. He was a young fisherman looking for the love of his life, I was a young terrier looking for adventure. What a perfect pair we made! I should have known that good things couldn't last forever. A year later, Jerad did find the love of his life. He was head over heels with her; so much that he seemed to forget about me. He no longer met up with me in the mornings, I only saw him about twice a week. I cherished those meetings, when we would go out on his boat as if nothing had happened. One day, though, my heart could no longer stand it. With mixed feelings, I left Sandtown. I was glad Jerad was happy, but heart broken that he had no longer any time for me."
This time, Skipper did shed a tear. He quickly wiped it away with his paw so the squirrel wouldn't notice.
"Blasted shed, must be a leak somewhere. Rain's gettin' in," he muttered. "Now, where was I? Ah, yes.
I went back to my life of roaming the streets, though nothing was ever the same. I strived to make everything and everyone that crossed my path happy; it was the only way I could feel close to Jerad once again.
Yes, Jerad was a good lad. Gave me this collar you see here. Pretty thing, ain't it? However, most importantly, he gave me my name. And that, my dear friend, will stay with my till the end of my days..."
With that, Skipper closed his eyes.
Surprised was the man the next morning who found an arthritic old terrier with a tattered and dirty collar dozing with a squirrel by his side,all curled up in his garden shed.
And yes, I know he's not spunky or anything. x3 Sorry wibeke!
