Just this side of
heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.
When an animal dies
that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow
Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can
run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our
friends are warm and comfortable.
It’s been a month since the Saturday that began with such
great promise. I’d managed to get myself
up early and got in a good run; 40 minutes, pouring sweat and feeling
exhausted. Not the “I think I’m going
to die,” exhausted. It was the kind of exhaustion that makes you feel great knowing it was damned good effort. Longest
run in as far back as I could recall. It was going to be a good day. Changed into a dry shirt and headed for
Starbuck’s for morning coffee. The
Starbuck’s drill on a Saturday morning is to cruise by and peek inside. Yeah, lined up to the door. Never mind the coffee I needed to get home to
see how our dog Rainey did overnight. When I walked in she was lying in the downstairs
bedroom. She sensed that I was home and
struggled to get up on her three legs to greet me; a good sign.
Then came the screams.
