,swimm+
 ,0 ,h} ,pas.n6
                                
 0,toni ,eames
 
    7,$itor's note3  ,? >ticle 0
 previ|sly publi%$ 9 ,dog ,_w1
 ,janu>y1 #bjjj47
 
    ,i didn't want 6face ! fact
 t ,ivy1 my fai?;l ,gold5
 ,retriev}
 guide = elev5 ye>s1 0 gr{+ old4
 ,s9ce ,i cd n see !
 :it5+ ( my ,gold5 girl's
 muzzle1 ,i 0 n 3front$ 0!
 visual
 image ( h} ag+4  ,%e _h sl{$
 d{n1 b s _h ,i & we 7 l
 p}fectly mat*$ book 5ds4
 
    ,ov} ! ye>s1 ,ivy _h
 develop$ 96a meticul|s guide1
 ,9tuitively
 recogniz+ my p}vasive fe> (
 los+ my bal.e & fall+4  ,feel+
 h} subtle signals "? ! h>;s
 h&le1 ,i 3fid5tly negotiat$
 5viron;ts z div}se z ! subway
 sy/em 9 ,new ,york ,c;y1 !
 buses
 9 ,tel ,aviv & major airports
 "?|t ! _w4  ,h} cauti|s
 approa* 6/airs1 curbs & unev5
 foot+ 0 ! hallm>k (!
 e6ective;s ( |r "w+ "pn}%ip4
 
    ,:5 h} cau;n bord}$ on
 hesitancy1 ,i 2came uneasy &
 knew "!
 0 "s?+ dra/ic,y wr;g4  ,ivy1 !
 3summate profes.nal1 2gan
 o3a.n,y fail+ 6/op at curbs &
 appe>$ 3fus$ :5 5t}+
 a d>k5$ !at} f a well- lit
 lo2y4  ,fe>+ = my safety1 ,i
 3sult$ )a vet}9>y oph?almologi/
 & rcvd ! deva/at+
 news t ,ivy _h -pletely lo/
 vi.n 9 "o eye4  ,? #aiic ,delta
 ,society ,guide ,dog (! ,ye>
 aw>d w9n} _h 3t9u$ 6exp}tly
 p}=m h} duties ) s* brilli.e1
 ,i 0 unaw>e %e 0 func;n+
 ) limit$ vi.n4
 
    ,unwill+ 6prematurely br1k !
 bond1 ,i 3t9u$ 6"w ) ,ivy1
 ,unr1li/ic,y hop+ h} vi.n wd
 /abilize & we wd 3t9ue
 |r "pn}%ip = _m m mon?s4  ,) ?
 ?"|1 my husb& ,$
 & ,i flew 6,wa%+ton1 ,,dc
 6att5d ! jo9t  3f};e (!
 ,9t}n,nal ,associ,n ( ,assi/.e
 ,dog ,"pn}s & ,assi/.e ,dogs
 ,9t}n,nal4  ,liv+ up 6my
 expect,ns1 ,ivy exp}tly guid$
 me on
 ! cr{d$ metropolitan /reets &
 )9 ! hotel4  ,h{"e1 on !
 ?ird "d (! 3f};e1 ,ivy's rema9+
 vi.n dra/ic,y
 det}iorat$1 & ,i felt my _w 0
 crumbl+4  ,al? %e 0 a#
 6safely guide me 9 ! n>r{ hotel
 corridors1 :5 5t}+ ! op5
 lo2y1 %e appe>$ 3fus$ &
 4ori5t$4  ,:5 ,i took h} | =
 relief at dusk1 %e seem$
 "picul>ly unsure ( h}f4  ,n
 want+
 6put pressure on or 5dang} myf1
 ,i reli$ on si<t$ human guides
 & did n ask my fai?;l ,gold5
 ,retriev} 6guide me =! re/ (
 ! trip4
 
    ,foll{+ ! 3f};e1 we 7 s*$ul$
 6visit ,ann ,/ra!rn1 a
 l;g-t}m fr 9 ne>by ,m>yl&4  ,my
 _ss 7 "s:at lift$
 "k+ ,ivy1 a pas.nate wat} lov}1
 wd h ! *.e 6swim 9
 ,ann's pool4
 
    ,s"eal ye>s e>li}1 :5 ,ann &
 h} family pur*as$ _! prop}ty
 9 ,m>yl&1 /rict rules 7
 e/abli%$ ab wat} "rs4  ,! pool
 0 =! exclusive use ( humans1
 :ile ! pond 0 =! can9e
 corps4  ,%ortly af ,ivy 2came
 my guide1 we took a trip 6visit
 ,ann4
 ,:ile ,i cavort$ 9 ! pool )
 ,ann's *n1 ,ivy jo9$ ,ann's
 ,gold5
 ,retriev}s 9 a f$ pa4ock
 adjac5t 6! pool4  ,su45ly1 ,i
 he>d a
 l|d spla% z ,ivy1 n recogniz+ !
 rules (! h|se1 jump$ !
 five foot f;e 6get h} %>e (
 wat} aerobics4  ,hav+ be5 plac$
 back 9 ! pa4ock1 ,ivy's wat}
 pas.n 0 n 6be d5i$6  ,if !
 pool 0 (f limits1 ! pond 0 n6
 ,jump+ ! f;e 9 ! o!r
 direc;n1 ,ivy 9dulg$ h} swimm+
 pas.n 9 ! designat$ dog >ea4
 ,=! re/ ( t visit & subsequ5t
 visits 6,ann's home1 :5 ,ivy
 0 (f l1%1 ,i all{$ h} 6cavort 9
 ! wat}4
 
    ,>riv+ 9 ,m>yl& af ! 3f};e1
 ,i 0 surpris$ 6le>n !
 rules at ,ann's _h be5 relax$1
 & dogs 7 n{ 9vit$ 6jo9 humans
 9 ! pool4  ,dur+ ? late/ visit1
 ,i 0 3c}n$ ,ivy1 ) h}
 limit$ vi.n1 mi<t 9jure h}f
 try+ 6get 6! wat}4  ,n
 6worry6  ,s9ce ,ivy 0 famili>
 )! h|se & prop}ty1 %e us$
 h} residual vi.n 6run >.d ! y>d
 & qkly f.d ! pool4
 ,6my 4may1 :5 a float+ boat
 bump} 0 ?r{n1 ,ivy dove af x
 b (t5 swam "r by4  ,ev5tu,y
 sc5t+ ! bump}1 %e retriev$ x
 & br"| x 6u on ! patio4  ,h{"e1
 :5 dusk fell1 ,ann not$ 9
 4tress t ,ivy 0 una# 6locate !
 patio /eps & tri$ 6r1*
 u 0cra%+ "? ! bu%es4  ,ann's
 obs}v,ns 3firm$ my wor/
 fe>s ab ,ivy's 3t9u+ vi.n loss4
 
   ,|r trip home 0 bitt}sweet4
 ,i knew ! prognosis 0 n gd &
 plans wd soon h 6be made 6tra9
 ) ,ivy's su3essor4  ,%e _h
 be5 my loyal guide = #aa ye>s &
 _h a3umulat$ ?|s&s ( fly+
 miles4  ,i 0 te>y "?|t ! fli<t
 "k+ ,ivy's retire;t wd
 soon 2 (ficial4
 
    ,0! "t ,escort1 my new
 ,gold5 ,retriev} guide dog 5t}$
 |r
 family1 ,ivy _h 2come tot,y bl4
 ,al? %e adapt$ qkly 6h}
 bl;s1 my emo;ns 7 rock$ he>+ h}
 bump 96walls z %e
 ru%$ 6greet visitors at ! door4
 ,! f/ "t %e tri$ 6race
 d{n ! /airs at m1l "t1 %e /um#d
 & slid d{n s"eal /eps4
 ,h{"e1 f t "t on1 %e adju/$ h}
 pace & n"e _h ano!r
 close call4
 
    ,ivy le>n$ 6heel on my "r z
 ,escort assum$ ! guid+ role at
 my left side4  ,:5"e possi#1
 ,ivy a3ompani$ me 6meet+s1
 re/aurants1 !at} produc;ns &
 frs' homes4  ,h{"e1 :5 ,$ &
 ,i 7 away f home ov}ni<t1 a
 corps ( dog sitt}s _h 6be f.d
 = ,ivy :o cd n a3ompany u4  ,:5
 ,hel5 ,%ea 0 ! designat$
 dog sitt}1 ,ivy 0 9 ec/asy4  ,l
 ,ann1 ,aunt ,hel5 _h a pool &
 dogs
 7 all{$ 6use x6  ,al? ,ivy wd h
 pref}r$ 6use ! pool
 dur+ |r ,fresno w9t}1 %e 0 n
 all{$ 69dulge h} swimm+
 pas.n until ! w1!r w>m$ up4
 
    ,f9,y1 t magic "d >riv$ :5
 air & wat} temp}ature 7
 "r4  ,fe>+ = h} safety1 ,i set
 ab re-9troduc+ ,ivy 6!
 pool4  ,$1 ,hel5's dau<t} ,be?
 & ,i got 96! wat} & call$ ,ivy
 6u4  ,%e cauti|sly negotiat$ !
 /eps 96! pool & swam s"eal
 feet away4  ,we call$ h} back
 6! /eps1 !n let h} swim fur!r
 away4  ,af two or ?ree lessons1
 ,ivy demon/rat$ h} 3fid;e
 0swimm+ ! l5g? (! pool4
 
    ,lat} t afn1 z we humans
 dri$ (f on ! patio1 ,ivy em}g$
 f ! pool & emb>k$ on an 9cr$i#
 9ve/ig,n4  ,9 awe1 ,be?
 describ$ ,ivy's move;ts4  ,us+
 h} nose z a bl p}son wd use a
 l;g cane1 ,ivy c>e;lly
 negotiat$ ! p}imet} (! pool1
 app>5tly
 m1sur+ & memoriz+ ! l5g? & wid?
 ( xs b.d>ies4  ,hav+
 -plet$ h} task1 %e return$ 6!
 /airs & ef=t.sly glid$
 back 96h} wat}y hav54  ,h}
 message 0 l|d & cle> 6me3 y
 h n"e all{$ yr bl;s 69t}f}e )
 yr abil;y 6foll{
 yr dr1ms1 & adopt+ yr attitude
 ( 9dep5d;e1 ,i too c pursue
 my pas.ns6