rodriga..the stray that found her way into my heart

(beginning MARCH2009)I was eating dinner at one of the local hostel/restaurants, sitting at my table watching the people stroll by what is really the only sandy street in Montanita. The hostel opened right out onto the street, with surfers and beach-goers always coming and going, the filmy dust of sand never quite being washed off from people or floor. 

What caught my eye next was the audacity of one of the local strays. Now, stray dogs in South America had become nothing out of the ordinary for me, because, well they were almost as common as the people! But this one dog, she had some pretty big guts, for she just came waltzing in right off the street, plopped her brown self on one of the couches, and looked as though she had every right to be there. 

I thought that the waitress and owner would surely yell at the dog to get out of the place, but all she said to my quizzical look was "that's Rodriga," as though that would explain everything. Rodriga? Ok, she obviously had way too much class to lower herself to scrounge for food off the streets, and had won the hearts of the charming locals.

So, of course, Rodriga comes over to my table, looking at me with those adorable brown eyes, and, well, how could I resist her charm? 

After that night, I doubt there was a day I went without seeing Rodriga, because she always seemed to know where I was. She would pop up under my table at any given time, looking at me, and of course knowing that I would feed her, wait until I was done eating so she could have her scraps. Now, at first I thought Rodriga was a simply clever dog who knew exactly where the food was and who would give it to her - me. But, then she started showing up when food wasn't involved. She would find me walking around the tiny village and trot along side me. And, what would really get me, was that she would spontaneously show up sleeping under my beach chair when I had returned from venturing into the waves. 

The last time I saw her was in March, during my last night in Montanita, where she again showed up by my side as I was walking along the town, and, as usual, I fed her what I was eating that night - cheesecake.