I'LL BE BACK. Pt. 2

You, oh Lord, preserve both people and animals. Psalm 36:6

I am in the process of publishing a book entitled, “A Man’s Tribute to His Devoted Dogs.” While I have owned four precious pooches throughout the decades, this particular volume recounts my love for and life with the second and third of the four. And the story I am now telling you recounts several of my experiences which occurred after the death of the second.

I can so relate to Jimmy Stewart’s poem about his dog, “Beau.”

He would wake up at night
And he would have this fear
Of the dark, of life, of lots of things,
And he'd be glad to have me near.

Perhaps a week before my little Shih Tzu crossed the Rainbow Bridge we laid down for a nap. At the time she was in ill health, but was not actively dying. Suddenly, Buddy began to shiver. And for the life of me, at the time, I could not understand why.

(But I think I know now).

My little pooch experienced a comparatively quick, but difficult passage. She and I kept the ‘night watch’ together, as she labored to cross that dark bridge which awaits all of God’s creatures. My wife had gone to her room, as she could not tolerate our little Buddy’s respiratory pattern. As our little tyke lay on her pillow at the end of the bed, her breaths came in fits and starts. Slow and shallow. Quick and labored. For hours on end. At some point, I must have fallen asleep. When I awoke I soon noticed the pasty, white color of her tongue. It was almost time. 

Just hours later Buddy’s personal angel escorted her across the Rainbow Bridge.

… Jimmy tells it so well.

And now he's dead.
And there are nights when I think I feel him
Climb upon our bed and lie between us,
And I pat his head.

And there are nights when I think
I feel that stare
And I reach out my hand to stroke his hair,
But he's not there.

(to be continued)

By William McDonald, PhD. Excerpt from "(Mc)Donald's Daily Diary" Vol. 51. Copyright pending

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