Long Day Into Night

Friday was one long day of exposures for Jam.  It all began with a local library conference that was held in our lower division library (photos forth coming as I don't have the connecting wire to download from a Nikon camera GRRR, but I have other things to post and I don't want to delay this.).  

Jam was very good throughout my presentation, staying mostly under the table and not snoring too loudly.  Most of the librarians already knew about Jam, but there were a few who needed the Harry Potter speech.  Jam did a little bit of jumping up, but I did some quick corrections and walked him away from big groups.  The key thing for me is that I can't greet anyone effusively.  If I want to go give someone a hug hello, Jam is going to jump up and hug them as well. Lesson: I can't hug anyone with Jam because he's not going to be left out of the greeting party.  So as long as I was pleasant and a bit distant with my greetings and stayed back from people, we were fine.  Jam was calm.  We even went through the buffet line with no problem.  Well, only one problem.

The gal in front of me was getting some pasta salad for her plate and dropped a pasta shell on the floor.  She laughed and looked at me and said, "I guess he can get that."

"Nope.  He can't have any people food."  I have Jam on sit stay and he is staring daggers at the pasta shell.

I think she made a small eeeek sound.  She immediately bent down to get the offending shell. Librarians are such nice people. I love what I do and who I work with.

After school Fred and I decided to go car shopping.  I am looking to trade in my Prius and get something new.  So went to Sun Toyota to try the Prius V. Now, I am sure that the last thing a car salesman wants to see is a big white fluffy, SHEDDING dog get out of someone's car, put on a service dog coat and then start walking around their lot.  That means that not only is that dog going to be able to come into the showroom, but that dog gets to RIDE IN THEIR CARS.  And how much time is going to be spent vacuuming every car after these people leave?

To Sun's Toyota's credit no one said a single word to us about Jam.  It was if he actually did have Harry Potter's cloak of invisibility.  He just didn't exist in their world.  It was quite extraordinary.  When it came time to go see some cars and possibly take a test drive, we had to get in a golf cart.

Woot! Golf cart exposure for Jam.

Photo of Jam looking out the golf cart's front windscreen.  You see the back of Jam's head.

Our salesman Ron just scooted over and made room for Jam in the front seat. I noticed that he drove super slow as if afraid that Jam would suddenly make a break for it and leap out of the golf cart, dragging me to my death and making Ron an accessory to murder.  But Jam wasn't going anywhere.  He was in the middle and staying put.  He had great view and I had him trapped on the outside.

Turns out, I wasn't going to actually put Jam in the Prius as we have had two Prius cars and know exactly how they drive, but it was great that Ron had no hesitation about it.  He was very nice and helpful.

After that it was time for dinner (Jam had his dinner much earlier). Sun Toyota is WAY up North, so we stopped at our favorite Greek restaurant Mykonos on the way back.  When we walked in the hostess/waitress asked us for our guide dog ID (which we always carry), so I took it out and showed it to her.  That was the first time that had ever happened to us.  After looking at it, she smiled and asked if we preferred a booth or a table.  We selected a booth at the back.

Photo of Jam completely asleep on Fred's foot underneath the booth at Mykonos.

I was a little worried after asking for ID that there would be some residual irritation or dislike regarding Jam, but I have to say, there was nothing but smiles and good service.  The chef even walked by and asked where the dog was.  Jam, of course, stayed silent and for the most part motionless, under the table. He had had such an active day that he fell fast asleep.  First on my foot, then on Fred's.

The food was so good, nothing fell to the floor!