Ruby, where art thou?

Several years ago, I canceled my AOL account — I'd switched to broadband service and bought a couple of domains, so I just didn't need AOL anymore. Then came Gmail and Gtalk, which eliminated the need to even have an AIM client. But the funny thing about AOL's business model (I assume they have a business model — ???) is that they allow you to keep your AOL screen name and e-mail even after you cancel your account. There is literally no need to pay for AOL.

But once in a while (i.e., when it crosses my mind every few months), I check my AOL e-mail on the off-chance that something of relevance has been languishing in my inbox. (I mean, hey, 2009 was the year I found my birth family, you know?)

And usually, I'm not surprised by what's there: lots of junk mail, forwards about Islamic law (???), and a few new e-mails about Ruby. Over the past year, I've only learned a little bit about Ruby. I know she's an orphaned dog who lives in SoCal, and I know her foster family accidentally used my e-mail address instead of their own for e-mail inquiries.

I've often wondered if poor Ruby's owners think nobody wants her because nobody has e-mailed them about her. Actually, the opposite is true. I've received nearly 30 e-mails about Ruby in the past year. I responded to the first two or three with a polite note to the effect of, "You have the wrong e-mail address. If you happen to find out more about Ruby, please let me know so I can pass it on." Nobody e-mailed back. I couldn't even find the website for the people fostering Ruby.

I've since found one picture that might be her. She's a cutie. No wonder people from all over the country — families, retirees, college professors — wanted to adopt her. But I got this pic off an "adoption alumni" site, which means Ruby now has a "forever home."

Her happy ending makes me smile.

And now there's absolutely no reason to waste my time checking my AOL mail again.