When you have a service dog, it's hard not to be noticed or recognized. It seems like at least once a week, usually when I am on campus, I will have someone say "Oh, I saw you at the gym/library/parking lot the other day". I would be a very bad criminal-people tend to remember when they see a person with a dog someplace where they aren't expecting it. Sometimes it comes from someone I know, and sometimes it's a relative stranger-a student who has seen me in my office (we have over 1,800 students registered with the Services for Students with Disabilities office at UT so although I try, I still don't recognize all of them) or a staff member who attended a presentation I gave. Each time it happens I am reminded that whenever Morey and I go out we are ambassadors for all people with service dogs. No pressure there!
Sometimes these encounters happen in places where you would never expect. When I arrived at the Indianapolis airport at 11pm for my Thanksgiving visit, I was waiting at the curb for my mom to pick me up. All of a sudden a car pulls up in front of me and the person rolls down the window and says "I was at the ICAN golf outing this summer when you spoke. Enjoy your trip in Indiana!" Wow! I hadn't been in Indiana for more than 20 minutes and Morey and I were already recognized. I guess that is the price you pay for being "famous"!
: )
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