When I got back to Ecuador from my extended visit to the States, I was told by my regret filled friend Julio, who had been watching my dog, the Yana was pregnant. Yes, she was knocked-up out of wedlock and approaching her first birthday. I was angry put I was able to pull off the "surprised face", instead of the "I´m gonna kill you sucker" face and I slowly grew to accept the fact the Yana was going to be a baby raising baby.

Part of my acceptance was realizing that Yana was one of eleven puppies, so that I should prepare for a apartment full of little bundles of illegitamite joy. I began preparing; I asked every gringo and responsible person how many puppies they would take. I hadn´t done so much pushing since trying Boy Scout fundraising, trying to sell chocolate bars, before I inevitably ate them all. Even though I wasn´t worried about eating the puppies, I was still selling like crazy.

"Do you want a puppy?"

"No, we already have one."

"Yes, but do you have a gringo puppy? They can teach you English and I´m pretty sure they are born with citizenship to the US."

"No, we really can´t"

"You say that, but it seems that you really want one"

"No."

"Umm, if you take one I´ll give you five dollars and a piece of my lemonade gum that I brought back from the states."

"Well, okay"

"How about two"

So after having about seven of these conversations, I felt reassured that I could find homes for the others.

On February 13, 2007 I woke up around 1AM because Yana was being noisey. I went into my kitchen and saw that there was a bunch of blood on the floor, I paniced slightly then went to my room to get towels and other birthing materials. I thought about boiling water, but who the hell knows what the use boiling water for, I brainstormed and after deciding that I had no idea and no desire to scald puppies that I better leave boiling water out. I returned to put the towels down and found that Yana had already given birth. There was a black mess in the corner. I put the black mess on the towel and sat in one of my lawn chairs next to Yana, assuring her that she´d be okay. I waited until three, still no more puppies. I waited until 5, then decided that I needed to sleep and that she could have the other puppies on her own. Twenty-four hours later, she still only had one. I don´t know much about dog breeding, but I have come to think that they don´t normally have one puppy only. Yana only had one puppy. One little girl.

Now there are six people expecting a puppy and I only have one to give away. I´m thinking of holding a raffle.