I do remember driving to visit Fawn and Batsy - I remember most the drive home, but not the drive there, and I remember meeting Fawn and Batsy for the first time.

Dennis actually called Karen Jones, and talked goofy - she called him back and they chatted - she had played cello I think and did movie scores in her "Free time" when she wasn't rescuing basenjis.  Josh, Dennis and I drove up to Hollywood - through Los Angeles, near Burbank, and found Karen's houses.

At that time she had two small houses, next to one another, filled with basenjis in crates, in the living room, bedrooms, garage.  When Dennis had talked to her on Wednesday she had said there was a pair coming in that she felt would be right for us. And older pair of dogs, mother and son.  It was October 1995 that we got Bastion and Fawn.  Seems longer that they were with us. It struck me that Karen said solemnly, that these two did not belong at the rescue - they needed to be rehomed quickly. 

When we got to her house, she greeted us and I was surprised I didn't see dogs running around - she led us to the back and she had a nice yard area, fenced off with benches.  She explained how she paired rescues up with a buddy basenji and made sure each had their time to run and play every day, while she would work with the dogs to overcome any social problems they may have so that when they are rehomed, they would not "boomerang" back to her. 

She introduced us to basenji mixes (Ba-wawas - basenji Chihuahua mixes, basenji pit bulls). Showed us basenjis that would yodel. She brought out Charley, a tri color - oh, he knew how to work the crowd. He would leap up next to you, sit and lean into you, head tilted up and give you that melted chocolate eyes that said "yeah, you want to love me, I know it, you know it, just take me home and then we can have some real fun!".  I liked Charley - Karen said no, he isn't right for you guys - he needs to work more on his separation anxiety. When he was led away, you could see him freaking out just a little, and Karen told him, just a little more work, then you can go home with someone, not now. 

Fawn and Bastion came out last - they had been there two or three days. Bastion ran around like a little kid hyped up on sugar, bouncing off of everyone - Fawn slinked over to the corner at the fence, hung her head low, and just watched us - staring mainly at me. Dennis and Josh played with Batsy - and I went over to Fawn and talked to her - she seemed to relax, and was so tiny. Batsy was 35 pounds, a big boy - she was 24 or so - very dainty. 

We had been concerned that Josh's allergies to dogs would be a problem, Karen worked with Josh, told him to rub his wrists on Batsy, then watched to see if there would be a reaction - and there wasn't. We had the medical green light to adopt them  After an hour or so with Batsy and Fawn, she asked if we would take the pair. Of course we would - she warned us, Fawn was a notorious runaway - had runaway from several homes.  A Houdini dog.  Horrid, but I remember thinking that at 8, well - we would take her, but pashaw - I just wont get attached to her. 

We told Karen we were up for it. She took our pictures - kneeling with our new adoptee's - I remember Bastion stood on my leg - his paw pushing hard into my thigh - he stood proud like he belonged with us, head high.  We paid the adoption fees, got our crates, instruction fliers, collars, leashes, tags, a whole basenji care kit and loaded into the van to drive home. Fawn sat in my lap the whole way home - Bastion in back with Josh.  After we were on the freeway, Fawn washed my arms, then put her head down, and sighed - then slept as if she had not slept in days.  So my idea, not getting attached to her, oh, that lasted like ten minutes.  Josh tried to pick up Bastion to put Bastion in his lap, and I remember Bastion growled at him - and Josh put his hands up in the air as if he was being held up at gun point.  I asked Josh, are you afraid of him and Josh said "oh, a little bit" - soon thereafter, Bastion laid down at Josh's feet and slept too.  When we got home, we "let them loose" in the house - and they did the basenji 500 - every time they went to sit down, we thought they were going to pee - and dived towards them to shove a newspaper below them - they looked at us like we were daffy - its just the funny way their legs bend, it looked like a normal dog squatting to pee.

Anyway - they were home - Fawn never ran away - she had lots of opportunities. I guess her running days were over.