When the steps came down, Theta Charles walked me to the stairs and I bounded up them. I had my service animal vest on, plus that stupid collar. Patrick handed the dog kennel up, it was still in pieces to fit through the door, then he joined us. His parents had brought the suitcases with most of his stuff, as we were flying to Moscow next to see him off on his new job.

It took an hour before the pilots were ready for takeoff, and I laid between the facing seats of the Learjet III as we taxied out to the runway. "You look cute with that collar," Beta...