I have a really old dog.
She’s pushing 15-16 years old (not exactly sure of her age as she was a rescue from the pound 12 years ago). She’s creaky, tired and generally distrusting of people. So … she’s a lot like me.
Over the years, I’ve been fortunate to live close enough to work to be able to run home fairly regularly for lunch. Madison is, for all intents and purposes, an indoor dog, and I’ve always felt guilty of her being cooped up for the 8-12 hours a day that I’m at work. This arrangement has actually been good for both of us over the years. Her bladder doesn’t explode from having to hold it forever (plus she gets a little extra companionship during the day), and I get a mini vacation from the office, which is always a good thing.
As she’s gotten older, I worry about her more and more. She healthy, but she’s definitely in the twilight of her life. And I feel more and more guilty every day for whatever time I spend away from her.
That’s where Misfit comes in.
Since making the move to reunite with David and Matt last year, I’ve taken to bringing Madison to the office a few afternoons a week after running home for lunch. We hang out at the house and chase some squirrels (ok, I chase them, she looks on with mild incredulity), we have a fun ride to the office (any ride that isn’t to the vet is pretty fun for her) and then she chills out in the Creative department while I finish my day.
This has really been great for both of us. First, I’m freed of some of my ever-growing guilt about her being alone all day. More importantly, I’m able to focus on my work without the little voice in my head screaming at me to go home. Finally, Madison is able to get out of the house, go on a little adventure a few times a week, and hang with some new friends that are all amazingly welcoming and very happy to see her.
I’ve worked at a number of places over the years and had really great experiences at most. While they all felt like home, I think that had primarily to do with the amount of time I was spending in the office. Misfit, however, feels more like an extension of my actual home.
And having Madison here makes it so much better.