One Smart Puppy

Boss Lady agreed to take me for an adventure today, and so she did. Off we went to Pine Hill Park this afternoon and it was quite pleasant. I sniffed sniffs, peed on plants, and rolled in rotten stuff. We encountered hikers and bikers and puppy dogs, one of which was even a puppy. And that puppy might have been the smartest dog I've ever encountered, which would be quite a surprise considering it was a yellow lab. And labs are generally more better known for their enthusiasm than their brains.

This little pup, though, came barreling towards me in a puppy gallop, only to stop short about 4 feet away. Boss Lady was attempting to convince me to sit, or down, or at least hold still on the side of the trail. I agreed to the hold still part. And I puffed myself up to my bestest Big Scary Don't Mess With Me Dog look and stared down that vicious little puppy. As I said, it stopped short a few feet away and considered me. It tilted it's head to better understand the situation, tilted a little further, and concluded that perhaps I was not the dog to be messing with. Then it happily trotted by me with it's owner in tow and continued on. I'm telling you, that's the smartest dog I've ever met. That's one pup that knew enough not to mess with me. *puff puff puff* <--- That's my ego growing, there.

Boss Lady, being the lover of puppies that she is, chose to interpret the entire event in a completely different light. And I think there was a little bit of emotion shining from her lamp. She saw the whole thing as the wonderful beginnings of a great lifelong bond between master and dog, perfectly experienced through grand outdoor adventures. Shared lunches on the trail. Shared sunsets on a porch. Blah blah blah. It all stems from the foolish memorial she spied stapled to the back of a tree during our hike. We were just coming down Overlook trail to the rocky ledge overlooking Rocky Pond. We've traveled that trail a few times, but today was the first time she noticed something stapled to the back of a tree further down the trail. Being the curious person she is, she insisted we wander over to investigate. And this is what she found.

It is a bit difficult to read, so let me tell you what it says.

"Near this place lies one who possessed beauty without vanity, strength without insolence, courage without ferocity, and all the virtues of man without his vices.

To sit on a hillside with a dog on a glorious afternoon is to be at peace. For dogs are our link to paradise.

The one absolutely unselfish friend that man can have in this world, the one that never deserts, the one that never proves ungrateful or treacherous, is his dog. She will kiss the hand that offers no food. She will lick the wounds that come with encounters in the world. When all friends desert, she remains.

She is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are her life, her love, her leader. She will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of her heart. You owe it to her to be worthy of such devotion.

I adored her."

Now, if your eyes are still dry, you did better than her. She's read this 4 or 5 times since we got home and she cries each time. You can't tell from the picture, but there was originally what we assume was a picture of the beloved dog posted above the memorial. Sadly, the picture has been ravaged by the elements. It's quite surprising that the memorial has survived. Take a look at when this is dated: May 7, 2006. Two and half years this has been hanging on this tree. When Boss Lady realized that, right after she finished reading it the first time, the tears just poured down her face. What a stirring memorial for what can only have been a perfect dog.

I hope she realizes that now that I'm aware that such things are done, I expect a similar type memorial.