August 1996

Hi, my name is Samson. Samson is such a strong name, don't you think? It's quite appropriate, if I say so myself. I'm 125 lbs and five years old now. This picture to the right is me asking very nicely for a biscuit. Don't I have a great smile?

Let me tell you a little bit about myself. My first caretakers (and I use that word loosely) were an unmarried couple living together who had problems. When they split up, I continued to live with "The Woman" and "The Man" had to move out and live with friends. He didn't have a home and didn't have a job, so The Woman kept custody of me. I don't think she liked me very much. She hardly ever fed me. "The Man" had to sneak into her apartment one day when she wasn't there to get me out — someone had told him how frail I looked. I was only 85 lbs and I barely had a waist — I was basically skin and bones. Being starved was not the worst thing they did to me...Let's just say The Woman and her friends left a lot of emotional scars that I carry to this day, and just leave it at that.

The Man then did a something I will forever be grateful for — he contacted a Rottweiler Rescue. And lucky me, my  parents (the people whom I will now protect with my life) had just called the same day that I went on the list. Even though I was well past the age that most "puppies" are adopted, my parents took a chance on meeting me once they found out that I was a quiet, gentle dog, who was more submissive than aggressive.

I was hiding behind The Man's legs when I first heard a sweet voice saying, "Chaos, come." — 'Chaos' was the name The Man and The Woman had given me. Awful name, wasn't it? — I loved that voice. It was gentle and happy and tender...Of course, I went towards it. Then the voice came nearer and nearer, "What a good boy, Chaos," until the voice was next to my ear, murmuring, "What a handsome boy you are," and a pair of arms went around me and gentle hands were stroking my back. Until that moment I had never felt so safe or so loved...That pair of arms was "Home."

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Against All Odds
by Phil Collins

How can I just let you walk away
Just let you leave without a trace
When I stand here taking every breath with you
You're the only one who really knew me at all

How could you just walk away from me
When all I can do is watch you leave
'Cause we shared the laughter and the pain
And even shared the tears
You're the only one who really knew me at all…

So take a look at me now
There's just an empty space
There's nothing left here to remind me
Just the memory of your face
Take a good look at me now
There's just an empty space
And you coming back to me
Is against the odds
And that's what I got to take

I wish I could just make you turn around
Turn around and see me cry
There's so much I need to say to you
So many reasons why
You're the only one
Who really knew me at all…

So take a look at me now
There's just an empty space
There's nothing left here to remind me
Just the memory of your face
Take a look at me now
There's just an empty space
And you coming back to me
Is against all the odds
And that's what I got to take

So take a look at me now
There's just an empty space
But to wait for you is all I can do
And that's what I've got to face

Take a good look at me now…