Image - Red, September 26, 2024
A faithful companion is gone. Red was at least 16 years old, having spent the last ten years in my household, but he was always my dad's dog. He came into my parents' life as a surprise--at least to Mom-- as Dad adopted one day while he was out shopping without any forewarning or conversation. They lived in the country, where he could run, and I'm sure Red would describe those days as perfect. He liked to chase deer, herd the neighbor's cows and get into as much mischief as possible. And he was a faithful companion for Dad.
It wasn't uncommon for Red to disappear for a day or two and then return, muddy, exhausted and happy with himself. Dad liked to take Red with him as he did chores in town, and he would make sure to go through the drive thru at Wendy's to get Red his own Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger.
Red was more of a working dog than a playful dog. While he loved chew toys, he was difficult to play with. Tug-of-war? Absolutely not. He wasn't going to let anyone take something from him, so you had to guard your hands and fingers to keep from being nipped. That rule even applied on the occasions my mom needed the EMTs to come out to the house to help with Dad. Red wasn't about to let a bunch of strangers walk off with Dad on a stretcher.
Red came to Denise and I when my parents moved out of their farmhouse and into a small apartment. He was too big to meet the pet guidelines--and would have been miserable without a big yard to patrol-- so he moved in with us. He had a bit of a difficult transition, but eventually he found his place in the household. As he got older, he really wanted to be left alone, but none of the other dogs were up for that. They all wanted him to play and cuddle. Eventually he would give in, but always grudgingly.
Image: Red and Poppy
When Denise and I moved back into the country, Red was in heaven. There were no houses within his line of sight, so he thought he owned the entire countryside. Red continued to work; while the other dogs played and ran around the yard, he would stand on the porch on guard, keeping everyone safe. He excelled in that role, and it filled him with purpose. He wasn't going to let any deer or other animal threaten his pack.
As he got older and slowed down, he stopped chasing the deer and only barked at them, and for the last year didn't even bother to bark. He did chase a deer this summer that wandered into our yard. The deer trotted ahead of him, his head turned back to watch Red, and never broke into a full run. I think he was giving Red a gift.
This has been a strange week. The same day Red passed on, our fourth grandson, Silas, was born. Joy and grief seem to intertwine so often in our lives.
This summer we spent a week in western North Carolina including a couple of days at Chimney Rock and Lake Lure. The devastation to that community from Hurricane Hellene is overwhelming. Please pray for the community's recovery and send a few dollars along with your prayers. I'm sure the folks there need them.
Comments