Thursday, August 27, 2009
OLD STORIES
Booker and I were walking tonight and we met a woman who I sort of know but give a wide berth to. We have history.
A few other neighbors and I interceded with the animal officer about her treatment of her very old golden lab. We had brought it home several times between us. She "didn't know it was out".
Well, I believe that.
Anyway, we have been meeting up a lot lately on the evening walk. She throws balls for her remaining dog up at the top of the hill.
Tonight, somehow, she figured out that Booker is not Franklin who died in April. Booker has been with us since mid May.
It was unavoidable. I went through the whole story again. Franklin's melanoma. Booker's Mom dying, his dad distraught and copeless. All the sad stuff. Then I get to the happy stuff which is Booker with us now.
It is a well practiced routine.
I have done it many many times. So has John. We see and know, casually, a lot of people.
Some, who are close, knew the story from the first days. Now we are down to the way distant people. Even the ones that we "have history with".
It doesn't hurt anymore to tell about Franklin. I do get sad and miss him at times but the sharp pains are gone.
I suppose that it isn't really going to raise emotions by telling someone I feel pretty distant from in the first place.
Anyway, it is a progress.
It is still clear, by the way, that Franklin's memory is not really linked to Booker's presence. They are two different dogs with totally different relations with us.
Franklin's loss is as great as it was the first day but it is now acceptable and the happy times outway the few bad days of losing him.
Soon, the snowbirds will be coming back and I am sure there are a few of them who will need to hear the stories too. They start leaving in May so some of them do not know about Booker. And all.
It is OK. The telling eases the pain over time and it is good to connect with people no matter what the subject. A good spiritual exercise.
I have to admit that I feel a lot more kindly toward the woman tonight than I did before. She was receptive and interested and reactive in a nice way. Very good. Kindness is in short supply these days. I am happy to find it wherever it lurks.
