Rescue Companion

Surf pounded as Roberto meandered down the beach, his companion Sam by his side. Suddenly, Roberto collapsed, gasping for breath, in a heap on the sand. Sam circled, anxious, then hurried off to fetch Roberto’s uncle Tomás, a little ways up the beach. At first, his uncle assumed Roberto had just fallen and would rally to his feet. When that didn’t happen, Tomás darted back to check.

“Hey, Berto, what happened?” When his nephew only groaned in response, Tomás hastened to reassure him. “I’ll get the car and meet you in the parking lot.”

Roberto moaned again, while Sam continued to pace around his master, licking his face. As Roberto struggled to lift his weight in the soft sand, Sam nudged him, then grasped his shirt and began to drag his comrade up the slope. With Sam’s help, Tomás managed to get Roberto situated in the passenger seat and later, into the beach cottage where their family was vacationing.

His mother and aunt fussed over Roberto, asking about his symptoms and the cause of his mysterious ailment. “Sweat was pouring off me,” he recalled. “I felt dizzy and shaky.” Tomás affirmed that his nephew’s skin was cold and clammy when he maneuvered him into the car. After further questioning, they determined Roberto had experienced a sudden drop in blood sugar due to his diabetes.

For the following two days, Roberto rarely left the couch, as his body recuperated and he regained his strength. During that time, Sam lingered close, more subdued than Roberto had ever seen him. Roberto wondered if Sam would become a more loyal companion in days to come or if he would revert to his previously independent ways.