Dog Days Are Over

"Kirby," I yelled from the deck into the seemingly endless mountainside of trees. "Come 'ere girl!" I jiggled a box of milk bones and then listened to the forest. The creek down the path was flowing strongly even though it only took two rocks to get to the other side. Birds were chirping as if the end of days was coming; however, they kept out of sight.

I sucked in my breath and paused. The bushes further up the mountain began rustling. I stood immovable. "Kirby?" I whispered quizzically. The shrubbery froze and then blue jays scattered into the air as my yellow Labrador cam bounding out of the brush. Her tongue lollied out of the right side of her panting mouth. She was smiling at me and I was the happiest I had ever been.

Two seconds too late did I realize that she was barreling at me, full speed. I toppled over in laughter as she threw her entire weight into rubbing against me. I laughed even harder as she gave me kisses on my knees and elbows, and face. I scratched her behind her ears and her hind leg started kicking uncontrollably. "Want a treat?"

With those words, Kirby because all business. I could see her trying to anticipate what I would have her do. She was already sitting pretty, but then would start to lay down if I shifted my eyes. I would raise my right hand and she would follow and then I would quickly switch it to the left. She saw my trickery coming though and beat me to the punch ready to shake like the best girl. I gave her the milk bone and she decimated it.

"Are they really that tasty?" I asked Kirby fully expecting a response. I lifted a biscuit to my nose and inhaled. "Doesn't smell great." I stuck out my tongue and squinted my eyes as I struggled to press the treat to my mouth. I licked it, icked, and then passed it to Kirby. "You're weird." I smiled as she took her second reward.

There were many times I was jealous of Kirby. She didn't need to ask permission to go outside. She was allowed to explore on her own. It didn't matter the weather, she was allowed to play in the creek and sun bathe on the deck. She was always being given free treats (even if I didn't see the appeal) and could lounge around all day. Needless to say, all I wanted to be when I grew up was a dog.

Kirby, our precious food vacuum cleaner has been gone for more than twenty years but I still miss her. She was a wonderful dog. She will forever be miss, but she will also forever be mine.