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I can never forget what that dog did for me. It was in the
freezing winter of 1988. I was serving in my National Army
Service that year. I was 18 years old and the duty I
pulled that freezing night was to patrol the border between
Macedonia and Albania. The temperature that night was
-30c. My uniform and freeze proof grease didn't seem to
help any at all. I was freezing and badly equipped for my
duty I had no radio, no map, and not even a light. As I
was walking through the woods I became lost, I had totally
lost my sense of direction. I soon noticed someone or
something was following me. I suddenly stopped walking and
loaded my rifle. I was scared and very cold. I kept
looking in the direction the sound was coming from and
pointed my rifle towards whatever it was. All of a sudden
I noticed it was a dog, my first thought was this is a
wolf. So I remained very still just in case it decided to
attack me that way I could shoot it. The animal stood
still just like me. All I could see was its shadow against
the snow and cold moonlit night. I started to make
friendly sounds toward the animal and said to it come on
doggy, come on. It moved slowly towards me and then there
it was. It was a very large Sarplaninac with a full winter
coat. He was wagging his tail happy to see me. I was very
tired and relieved; all I wanted to do was sleep. I gave
the dog a big hug, and felt his nice warm fur against me.
I knew somehow that I needed to find my army base as
quickly as possible, however I was tired, weak and a very
inexperienced soldier. As I walked the dog followed me it
felt good to have a companion by my side. My fear was much
diminished by his presence. As I walked I came up on a
house that had been abandoned. It was in ruins it did not
have any doors or windows on it. I was so tired that I
decided to go in and sleep there. I just couldn't carry
what little equipment I had anymore. I laid on the frozen
floor, and this big dog just laid down beside me, he curled
up very close and I put myself against him. His winter
coat kept me warm. I could feel his bones through his fur
and I knew he had not eaten in a long time, evidently he
had been abandoned by his owners but oh he kept me warm.
His eyes were sad and he never barked when we were together
alone. Soon I fell asleep beside him I don't know for how
long I was sleeping but it must have been hours. All of a
sudden I heard sounds and shouting. It was my patrol!
However I was so weak I couldn't move. I shouted weakly
and the dog began barking. As my patrol came upon me the
dog started growling to protect me from them. I asked if I
could take the dog with me and the answer was No! I asked
if I could give him food, again the answer was No! It was
to be the last I ever saw of that dog, my lonely hungry
friend. I was in the Yugoslav National Service for another
three weeks. I decided then to desert the military and
went to live in the United Kingdom. That dog saved my
life, and I never had the chance to thank him or hug him.
I didn't even get to give him a bone or take him home and
save him as he had saved me. It was my wish that he would
never be alone.
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Note: Frank E-mailed me this story and I just had to put
it on the Web-Site. Frank is a friend that I have never
met but have spoken to through E-mails. I think this
story is well worth telling. It is just sad that Frank was
unable to save his friend. This is our way of honoring
Frank and his friend.
Thank you Frank!
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