Rescuing Rags III LbNA #43659 (ARCHIVED)

Rescuing Rags III NOTE: I am pulling this series and archiving.

In this series, there is only TWO hand made stamps - #3 & #4. The others I bought on sale for only a $1.00 each. Couldn’t resist…..They were perfect for my story about Rags III, so why not?

Also there is a bonus box hidden in the area with its clue written inside #4 log book. The bonus box itself only has a stamp, no logbook.

Rescuing Rags III
When I decide to take responsibility for an animal, I do everything in my power, (even if it means changing my life and financial status); to care for that animal it’s entire life...until death due us part. I realize of course that there are extremely difficult situations that are out of our control...like long term hospitalization for instance that would make it impossible for me to care for my furry companions but I would still make arrangements until I healed. Rags III was rescued from the Champaign Humane Society. I am his third and LAST owner.

In that light, this is the story of how I rescued Rags III.
I moved from a cat friendly neighborhood in Urbana….lots of trees, porches to crawl under, bushes to hide...roofs to climb, (a wonderful cat jungle) with my four cats to a neighborhood just off of Prospect Avenue in Champaign IL... with a busy street, RR tracks, no trees, no bushes, no roofs, NOT a cat jungle, and a dangerous place for a cat. I decided to keep my cats inside. They did not like it one little bit. And at every chance they would burst outside in a flash when the door was open a crack.

Faline, a black tortoise shell cat, ruled the house. BJ, a black female, and Bear, a black male, were Faline’s children. Buddy was an orange and white stray that Faline never forgave for living. One evening BJ snuck out of the house as I was taking out the garbage and I didn’t notice. As soon as I got back in the house, I went to bed. In the morning, I was usually running late...rushing around and didn’t usually pamper my cats. But when I returned from work...we talked and played, relaxed, and I petted them and they “petted” me. When I returned from work the day after I put the garbage out, I only counted three cats. BJ was missing. She was the smallest and a curious climber, so I thought maybe she might be hiding in the house. I tore the house apart three times...NO BJ. I had to take 15 students on an Alternative Spring Break trip in three days, so I frantically searched the neighborhood.

Clue for Scotty Boy - Rags III #1 box in series
BJ loved to climb trees, so I went to Parkland College, where there are plenty of trees to climb in the Memorial Grove. I parked in the B-5 parking lot. I saw one of the original Red Barn's closest to the road, walked and stood by its SOUTHEAST corner. While standing there, I saw something black pass by the second light pole located SOUTH along the driveway. At the second light pole I stood SOUTHWEST and saw another flash of black whip by the light pole with the “No Parking on Grass” sign on it. WEST of that pole, I could see a smithering of black around the metal rectangular cabinet that says “Warning Buried Cable” and ran over there. From the SOUTHEAST corner of the metal box I looked close by and saw a many forked - trunked Maple Tree. I saw another flash of black and caught the black furry critter in the fork of that tree. It was a DOG named Scotty. “Geez, I thought you were a cat, Scotty”, I said. He says, “If’n yore lookin for a cat, try Alice, she lives dern the way, she does. She collects homeless cats too.” I asked, “Scotty can you direct me, so I won’t get lost?” “Surely I will,” he says.

NOTE: I propped up the box with a big piece of bark, hoping it wouldn’t fall down to the next level and then out of the tree. So please prop or block the access on the down side of the fork, so the box won’t slide down to the next level. The area is pretty quiet, but watch for students coming out of the back of the “S” building for breaks.

NOTE: For all these boxes: Please reseal these boxes extremely well...going over and over the edges and corners. Also please seal the baggie to within ½ inch of one corner, press all the air out, and then seal the corner. Fold the baggie tightly over the handmade log book with the excess of the baggie on top of the book. Put the stamp in the box wood side down, then the log book. In this order the box does seal. If it doesn’t seal, your order of replacement is off somewhere along the line or there is air in the baggie, try again.

Clue for Alice – Rags III #2 box in series
We went back to the metal box and stood on the WEST side looking down the fence row. Scotty says, “If’n you look, ya’ll see another light pole. Walk up to that light pole. Stand on the NORTH side of the pole. Take 4 steps forward. You’ll be beside a fence. To the left of ya is a little tiny Elm saplin tryin its best to grow against the fence. If’n ya pull up a handful of grass behind the Elm tree sapling, you’ll find Alice waiting fer ya." "Hey Alice", I say cheerfully, "I hear you collect homeless cats. I lost my BJ, a small black cat with round yellow eyes. Have you seen her?" "No, not seen any black cats at all for a week now", she answered, "when did you lose her?" "Three days ago", I said. “ I'm so sorry", Alice says, "but that dog Max, down by Bradley Avenue, might have seen her. He roams around the neighborhood day and night."

Clue for Max – Rag III #3 box in series
We walked EAST to the rectangular small stone pillar. I looked SOUTH toward Bradley Avenue. I could see there was a row of trees planted beside it. Scotty says, “Max lives with Daniel and Helen Curley and daughters. If you find their tree, then all you have to do is look on the EAST side of the tree, next to the little twig stump, pull up a big handful of mulch and you’ll find Max’s den." So they did and found Max. “Max, I have lost a cat." I said, "Have you seen any black cats in the neighborhood in the past three days?" "No I haven’t", he says. "so sorry.” "Thank you anyway Max. If you happen to see her, tell her to come on home", I said. I told Scotty and Max goodbye and left sad, discouraged, depressed, and totally bummed out.

This box has been pulled for maintenance. Clue for Rags III - Rags III #4 box in series
On the way back to the car, I walked by the pillar again, then walked NORTH to the light pole and looked WEST. I saw what looked to be a garage. Sometimes cats get into garages and then people shut the doors and they are trapped, so I decided to check for a regular door that was open. I walked to the right corner of the “garage”, then walked WEST following the building. At the end of the building, I heard whines...sorrowful sad whines...they were so sad I couldn't stop the tears from forming in my eyes. At the end of the building were two metal cages. I stood and listened and it seemed like the sound was coming from the second cage. I walked over to the second cage closest to the fence and heard it again. It was coming from under the cage, next to the fence pole, beside the wooden beam, behind some leaves, about 3 inches back. OMG, He was the most beautiful dog I have ever seen in my life. There was a pink sign on the cage that said. Rags III. Good with cats, children, and dogs. WOW!!! What a dog!! "Rags III", I said, "Is that you crying?" He saw me and immediately started wagging his tail. "Yes, it was me." he said, "I love people, but my two previous owners...well......both brought me to this cage place and left me here. I don’t know what I did wrong. I loved them very much." "Well I don’t know either Rags III", I exclaimed, "but you are looking at your new Momma and I will NEVER EVER bring you back here....once you are my dog...you will be with me until death due us part."

Conclusion
Unfortunately, I never did find BJ, but she led me to Rags III nevertheless. I was looking in the Humane Society for her, when a little voice told me to look in the dog section. Rags III passed over the rainbow bridge on September 10, 2010 at 4:30pm at the age of 15years 7months. I had the joy of living with him for 14 years. He had two owners before me. He won blue ribbons for Best Tricks, Best of Show, & Best Personality in different events in and around Champaign-Urbana. He earned his Title 1 in Rally-Obedience. He loved agility too. He was also a International Therapy Dog. We joined the ranks of Letterboxing in 2005 when we decided to go for our Letterboxing Merit Badge in Dog Scouts of America.

So that is how I rescued Rags III and how I started Letterboxing. See how everything is connected?
The END

As usual be discreet in finding and hiding the letterboxes and make sure all are sealed and hidden well behind bark, sticks, grass, mulch or pine needles. Bring your own pen and stamp pad.