Daphne

Daphne sat looking up at the sky. It was a beautiful sea of blue with fluffy whitecaps shimmering across the surface. She could hear birds singing. She could feel the warm sun on her face. It was a beautiful day.

She had spent the morning playing down by the pond. It was her favorite place. Especially on warm summer days like today. It was always a little cooler in the shade near the water. Sometimes she would play in the water or swim but today she was content to relax and enjoy the day.

She walked slowly back towards the house. Enjoying the fresh air and just being outside. She squeezed through the doggie door into the kitchen. Hmmm, she frowned, I am packing too much junk in my trunk. She knew that age came with a few extra pounds and she accepted it.

She barked, “I'm home!”, but there was no answer. Oh, boy! Hide and seek was her favorite game. She loved playing it. She always pretended it was difficult to find him because it delighted him so.

She searched the entire downstairs of the old farmhouse to no avail. She raced up the stairs as fast as her old bones could carry her. Again, room to room in vain. Now, she was getting worried. She went back to the living room and looked out the window.

Yep, the old pickup truck was there. Parked right where he always left it. She had spent so many wonderful hours together with him in that truck. He rarely left home without her. She loved riding in that old truck more than anything. She would stick her head out of the window, close her eyes, and pretend she was flying.

Where could he be? Now, she was starting to panic. She had looked everywhere. Except… The Basement. The Dreaded Basement. He would never hide down there because he knew how much it scared her to go down there. He would never make her go down into The Basement.

But, she had looked everywhere else. Could he be down there for some reason? She gathered all the courage she could muster and started slowly down the stairs into the darkness. Even with her aging eyes she still had some remaining night vision.

As she got to the bottom of the stairs, she almost panicked and ran back up. But, she had no choice but to go on. She couldn’t really see much. Just shapes in the dark. She searched every corner despite her rising fear.

She caught a very faint, but strangely familiar, scent coming from a cardboard box in the corner. It wasn't taped shut so she stuck her nose into it. A wave of emotion came over her. The box was full of her old toys! He had been too sentimental to throw them out so he had neatly packed them away in this box.

She had completely forgotten about her fear of The Dreaded Basement. She began excitedly digging through the box as she was flooded with memories. Each toy had a special place in her heart.

Suddenly, there it was! Her beloved Binky Baby. It was the first toy that he ever got her when he brought her home on that wonderful day. Even though it was enormously painful to be separated from her mother and brothers and sisters, she quickly adapted to her new loving home.

Binky was just an old frayed and worn out teddy bear. But, it was her Binky. He had given it to her. She loved it as much as riding in the old truck. She had chewed up many toys in her long life but never Binky.

She took Binky in her mouth and started back up the stairs. She no longer felt any fear or anxiety. She could see at the top of the stairs a bright light. She was drawn to the light. As she slowly walked into the kitchen it was the brightest light that she had ever seen. But strangely, as bright as it was, it didn't hurt her eyes.

As Daphne's eyes adjusted to the light, she saw her. Sitting on the floor to put herself at Daphne's level. Where had she been all these years? It was the saddest day of Daphne’s life the day that she had left. Daphne had been so painfully confused and didn't understand why she would ever leave her.

Daphne walked over and laid down, putting her head in her lap. She comforted Daphne and gently stroked her fur, streaked with gray.

Now, Daphne understood why she had left and where she had gone. And why she had come back. She stood up, cradling Daphne in her loving arms. She spread her wings and gently wrapped them around Daphne. It was like being enclosed in a translucent cocoon of light. There was no more pain. Only peace.

Now, Daphne understood that he was never coming home again. She understood that the intensity of the pain of her loss was a measure of the intensity of her love for him. She knew that someday they would be together in another place.

Daphne woke up on the kitchen floor. She heard the front door. She heard his daughter calling her name, “Daphne!”.

This story came to me in a dream last night. It is dedicated to my beloved Tex the Wonder Dog. He is still with me now but our time together on earth is coming to a close.

It's Just A Dog