1st Life/A dog died at work today
A dog died at work today. It wasn't my dog. It was my neighbor's dog.
It had to be put to sleep.
The owner is a kind man; he runs the frame shop next door. He has two German Shepherds. He shares them with his wife.
I forget their names but I know they are the love of his life. He takes them for rides in his car. The seats fold down and are always covered in dog hair. He calls it the 'dog car.' His wife drives the human car.
I remember seeing a photo of his dogs. They were in full fur regalia, posed in front of the family's couch. Smiling. How proud their papa was.
They are brother and sister, those two. Never have they been spanked, or even yelled at. He calls them "perfect dogs."
The frame shop owner won't cuss in front of his dogs. Once, he'd accidentally let a curse word slip out, and before he knew it both dogs were following him around, acting mortified: What is wrong, Daddy? You never cuss.
A few months ago they rode to work in the 'dog car' and I got to see them in person. They were beautiful dogs. I tried getting their attention but they would have nothing to do with me. They paced back and forth. Daddy was inside.
A week ago the owner stopped by to tell me he had taken the female (the sister) to the vet because she had collided with her brother and was sore. The vet said the soreness would persist until she had an operation. This operation would cost thousands of dollars (dollars the shop owner didn't have). The injury was manageable, though, with massage. He would massage her every night. She wouldn't get better, but she wouldn't get any worse.
The sister is the smarter one. Her brother is dumber than "a box of rocks"--as the owner likes to joke. The brother is probably twice the size of his sister. Happy-go-lucky. His sister is more refined. More ladylike. And smarter. She is the oldest by a few minutes and guides her younger, dumber brother through life.
Driving into work today I saw the frame shop owner walk by so I flashed my high beams at him. No response. I flashed again. Nothing. He kept on walking (shuffling).
Later I found out the frame shop owner had stopped by to tell my manager that he was having one of his dogs put to sleep that day (today). Dear God. Which one? I asked. And why? My manager didn't know.
Outside, the shop owner's car was gone. The 'dog car' was missing.
He is a good man.
Keep him in your thoughts.