Hill_Paul+Harvey+Rough+Draft

Tara Hill ECI 430- Paul Harvey Story Rough Draft 10/14/10

The Perfect Friend
Most of us can rightly say that we have had a best friend at one time or another. Actually, most of probably claim to have a best friend today. Perhaps we call this special someone our best friend because he/she never tells anyone our deepest secrets, biggest regrets, or private hopes and desires for the future. Perhaps this friend possesses certain qualities or characteristics that make him/her the perfect companion. These desired characteristics typically include being kind, gentle, caring, loyal, trustworthy, and supportive. Maybe this friend never left our side and was there at a time when no one else really was. It is unmistakably true that we naturally look for certain qualities in a friend or companion that we admire or wish to possess ourselves. After all, there has to be a substantial reason why we label this certain someone our //best// friend. Somehow, our best friend is there for us at exactly the right moment. Sometimes, our best friends can even save our lives…

There is no question that Debbie is very fond of her best friend, Toby. Debbie is a jewelry artist who lives in Calvert, Maryland. Her friend Toby often keeps her company when she is not busy working. The two of them had shared many memories together, but one day, something extraordinary happened, making their friendship grow even deeper. One day, Debbie was at home on a Friday afternoon eating a snack of sliced apples. Suddenly, one became lodged in her windpipe, and she found that she couldn’t breathe. She instinctively began hitting her body against a chair in hopes to dislodge it. When that didn’t work, she began beating herself on her chest. Toby was nearby, and heard the loud racket that was going on in the other room. He immediately rushed to Debbie’s side, worried that something was wrong. Toby found Debbie choking and immediately put weight on her shoulders so that she would go to the ground. Once Toby got Debbie on her back, he began putting pressure on Debbie’s chest. Toby successfully completed the Heimlich maneuver on Debbie and suddenly, the piece of apple became loose. Debbie was finally able to breathe again. To this day, Debbie considers Toby responsible for saving her life. Although she may have bruises on her chest from all of the pressure Toby exerted on her, she constantly finds herself looking at Toby and saying: “You’re amazing” (Fox News, 2007).

Now, for the rest of the story…

It turns out that Debbie’s best friend, Toby was not at all a human being, but no other than her beloved canine companion. Specifically, Toby is a two and half year old Golden Retriever that is now famous for his heroic act. The dog received the ASPCA Dog of The Year Award in 2007 for performing a modified Heimlich maneuver on Debbie Parkhurst when she was choking on the piece of apple (The Associated Press, 2007).

It is truly amazing how dogs have an instinctive way of knowing when we are sad and when we need someone to lean on. It seems that dogs can sense the moment when we are in desperate need of help and they come to our rescue just at the right moment. According to an article on dogs by S. Elliot: "Dogs have the ability to feel deep affection and project unfailing good will. They are often good natured, accepting partners of our domestic circumstances. Dogs seldom complain, never threaten to leave us, and always forgive our failings. Their constancy can be a comforting presence as we maneuver our way through the obstacle course of modern life" (2008, Section 3). Although scientists are still searching for answers of exactly how and when dogs became our companions, it is evident that dogs are considered to be “man’s best friend” in today’s culture. Perhaps this is because dogs can easily be described as team players. Not only can they take direction, but they naturally follow a social hierarchy, as well as readily accept human beings as a part of their pack (Elliot, 2008, section 2).

In today’s society, even commercial advertisers take advantage of the notion of dogs as “man’s best friend.” Dogs are known as the ultimate companion animal and are usually considered part of our families. Advertisers are certainly aware of this and as a result, many of them choose to use dogs as the main subjects in their commercials in hopes that consumers will more readily buy their products and/or services. Some examples of dogs used in advertising include the Cottonelle puppy, the K9 Advantix puppy, and the Bush’s Baked beans dog. The evidence is clear: in American culture, dogs are part of our families and sometimes even our best friends. After reading the true heartwarming story above, I think anyone can see why this is the case.

** References **
Associated Press. (2007). //Life-saving dog, cat honored for heroic acts//. Retrieved October 13, 2010, from http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21595558/

Elliot, S. (2008, July 28). //Why Are Dog’s Man’s Best Friend?: The Relationship Between Humans and Dogs.// Retrieved October 12, 2010, from http://www.suite101.com/content/why-are-dogs-mans-best-friend

Fox News. (2007). //Woman Says Dog Saved Her by Performing Heimlich Maneuver//. Retrieved October 13, 2010, from http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,261702,00.html