The story of the dog named Stitch

The Story of Stitch from an outsider and not the biggest animal lover to boot.

A little over a year ago in my search for writers for my job as marketing director for The Next Family I found a blogger named Hollye. She fit the bill. Her stories were true and heartfelt with a sense of humor. I approached her thru email and she agreed to write something for us. It was a story about her Dad and brothers and how they came to be called a family. Our readers loved her so I asked for more and she never disappointed me or our readers.
I came to find out that Hollye was much more than just the writer I had found on the internet and we started a friendship. We exchanged emails and eventually I met her in person and she was just as thoughtful and loving as I thought when I first read her story. As the months went by we became closer and closer and started sharing some life stories through our writing and I feel she is 6 degrees from all the fabulous people that I have met from that first leap of faith. Hollye and her family speak their truth, they don't bullshit and they care deeply about family. Are they perfect absolutely not but are they driven to be as fair as one can be and expose themselves to their foibles and daily struggles, absolutely yes. I would trust Hollye's word and her deeds above many that I consider family or friends. She is a winner.

As the last year has unfolded the Dexter's have had many ups and downs but they have stood steadfast with their family and friends and took those waves like champion surfers. They continued to smile and continued to do everything right. And then I start to hear rumblings that Stitch, their beloved dog who they adopted fair and square (from as it turns out a nutcase) could be taken away in a very weird lawsuit. I immediately asked if there is anything I can do as a friend (remember I don't love animals) and they start talking about a fund raiser to Save Stitch. I donate and rally my forces and one day find myself in court watching a trial that I still to this day believe was almost a slam dunk. Of course having been a mediator not every case can you say will go your way as their are always surprises in the law and outside it but to me I was indeed on the winning side.

The troops were rallied, the lawyer was great and the court was ready to hear the case. While we wait outside on the first morning we see the plaintiff doing handstands in the cafeteria, throwing a ball around and just generally acting like assholes (spoiled rich kid assholes). Their lawyer is late, comes with no pen and borrows one from our attorney (using Our as it is now a case against me) and seemingly brash and a jerk in too many ways to mention. He is sure this is a slam dunk for him. We are relieved when it is our turn as his case is weak and twisted and full of lies which are brought out on our side. Our witnesses have no mohawks, no slip off the shoulder clothes to look sexy and no baby talk voices with barely a whisper. We stand firm, polite, well clothed and showing respect for the court and judge (okay so sometimes we (I) shrugged a little at the outlandishness of the plaintiffs). It was like a three ring circus on their side. One of their witnesses was wearing a wristband from the hospital that must have given him a day pass from his rehab (no joke). But back to our side. I listened carefully because having been in many mediations it is important to watch the judge as he has the final say and this one was a rising star for sure. He was engaging but not too engaging. He asked good questions and took good notes and made sure to point that out at every turn. He was the old white boy surfer type with the slick backed hair, the suave Republican with conservative leanings (all my observations) and full of himself and his authority. I didn't like him from the start but I was cautious to say anything because we were the winning side or so I thought. I am a realist and sometimes my reality doesn't jive with the rest of the world but it is mine and mine alone. But to tell the truth even though some parts of the case were sketchy I still thought about 95% for us and 5% for the other guys. Boy was I wrong. Even with a little doubt we proceeded to tell our side and it was wonderful. The Dexter's (I step out of myself for a moment) were brilliant. The judge in his final judgement basically said the same thing. They did everything right (he said that too). They were respectful and told their side with truth and honesty. They never lied or twisted the story, Dragnet would have been proud, just the answers mam and nothing else. They did it with grace and truthfulness. They were fair and were poised, respectful and truly presented the best defense for Stitch to stay with them. They really did and they can be so proud of their defense, their lawyers, and their family of supporters who hung on every word. But in the end with everything said and done, THEY LOST. We cried in shocked dismay as the judge handed down his written decision just last Friday. He was very careful to show he really had listened but in the end as difficult as he says this case was he basically said that possession is 9 10ths of the law and the plaintiff had the winning possession. Is it right or fair, I think not. Will Stitch have a better home than the Dexter's I think not, will he probably lose his life in an untimely death, definitely a possibility but in the end and even after the appeal (which I think is a hard one to win) the Dexter's did their absolute best, they fought with all their heart and soul for a family member, Stitch. I, who once couldn't understand the love of an animal in a family has learned a most valuable lesson. It exists and it is just as fragile as the love of a child for some people and it is their avenue to the world. I saw a different world as I sat in that courthouse where a family fought for something so precious that it was really a new truth for me.

Hollye and Troy and Stitch are a family and in less something drastically changes Stitch will be torn away from a family who loves him and turned over as a possession (like a bicycle) as the judge and law thinks to a spoiled brat. It is not fair or just. And there are no more words to say.