Filling the Void

I've neglected posting for a few days,since loosing our special companion,Sarah. Of all the pets we have lost in our 33 years together, this has hurt the most. We had Dixie for much much longer, but she was getting really old and we were expecting to loose her at any time. That's only natural,but Sarah was only 4 and she was a house dog. That alone makes a big difference.She slept with us, she ate with us, she went on most vacations with us.She was a constant comfort and companion.Every minute of every day.No sleeping outdoors in the heat or cold. No long days at the end of a chain with little attention. Everyone loved Sarah and if you ever showed her your love, it was returned tenfold.

Pop had her with him just about every minute of every day. There were a few times he would take her along in the new truck, but most of the time he would drive one of the other vehicles just so she could go along.If it was necessary to use the new truck, he would leave her in his "pouting room" where the temperature was always controlled, but she was never chained out in the yard somewhere, in the hot sun or the cold.She always knew she could not go, if he took the new truck, so she would head to her bed,Pop's recliner.That's why Pop is having so much trouble using his "pouting room" yet.When Pop would return in the new truck, he would always make up for leaving her behind, by taking her for a ride on the 4-wheeler or in one of the other trucks.Every morning,after breakfast,she would watch Pop to see which pair of boots he would put on. If they were his everyday boots, she was jumping with joy. She knew she would be going with him. If they were his shiny boots, she would lie on the sofa with her head hung down. She knew that meant she could not go.There are so many things that Sarah would do, that made her seem almost human.She had only one weakness,which in most cases, for a dog,was a great quality,but for our household pet, it was a indeed a bad thing.She was a hunting dog, with the best nose in the world,and to a hunting dog, the instinct to hunt wins out over anything else.That is what cost her her life.Pop had taken her for a ride down the lane, which he did on many occasions. Most days their daily excursion would be through the woods behind our property or on our property.But this day, he had gone down the lane to visit with neighbors or simply take in the beauty of the outdoors.Pop loves the outdoors. They had parked in a vacant lot that had been cleared of undergrowth several years ago, but the owner decided not to build there. The wooded lot is sitting there vacant now.While they were stopped, taking in the view,Sarah spotted a squirrel across the road in another neighbor's yard.She  was after the squirrel before Pop realized he had let go of her collar.He always kept a collar on her for just that reason.When she went for a ride in his truck,she wanted her head and body,out the window as far as she could stretch. Usually one of her hind feet would be in Pop's pocket,she was so far out the window,but he always had her by the collar.This was only on our lane he would allow her to do that.When it came to the big roads,she knew she would have to get down in the seat beside of Pop.She was content with that.

Pop said he heard a couple of cars coming, about the time Sarah leaped off the 4-wheeler,and they were moving fast. He said he started screaming as loud as he could for her to stop, but the hunting instinct was too strong. She ran out in front of one of the cars. I doubt the driver ever saw Pop sitting there in the vacant lot. They didn't stop. Pop said he was so terrified at Sarah being hit, he never even looked up to see who it might be or what kind of car it was. It didn't matter at that moment. Only getting to Sarah was important. Pop said she took a couple of breaths ,then she was gone. If there is anything good about this case, it was that. She didn't linger on in suffering.It was quick.She was gone.But now the void of not having her is almost unbearable.We know,this too,will pass,as does any other heart breaking event,but it hurts so bad now.