One of my nearby neighbors and his lifelong mate lived about a mile from me, with "our" little country church between his house and mine. His wife was my first grade teacher. They were inseparable their whole lives, but ............ her death separated them. But, not for long. When he went to make her funeral arrangements he picked out his own casket and made his, too. He was not ill, but we buried him one month later. He pined away. The day after his funeral I passed by the church, with the cemetery in back, and could see the tent still up over the fresh grave. His white bulldog was lying on the fresh dirt directly above his master. He lay there all day, and night, and the next day and night, never leaving. The children finally found him there and took him away to live with them, I suppose, after several days of vigil. How did he know his beloved master was under the cold earth where he lay?
There is a bond between dog and man that does not exist with any other animal on the earth, I believe, a special understanding that transcends commands and obedience. It is the desire to please, to bring joy, and to just be in the presence of their beloved caretaker and friend.
I am seeing the "lights come on" for Cady, my black lab. She only hunted with me once last year, and retrieved her first duck, but yesterday (opening day of the first split season) she went with me to a little woody pond and I killed the limit. She retrieved them all on my command. Here I go again, giving my heart to something that will only break it someday. My last two labs have died sudden and untimely deaths .......... I'm hoping the 3rd time is the charm. She certainly is charming.
SRH
