Wednesday, June 18, 2014

The Bond

Once upon a time we were walking in Jupiter, the dog Nice and me, when we met a Postal carrier along her route. I was balancing the World atop the rail of a drawbridge surrounded by a group of engineers. They were having some sort of meeting concerning the bridge when I began crossing. It's walkway too narrow I had to roll the ball, attached to the leashed stick and toggle, carefully on the rail. Mid way over the span the men came and stopped me for a photo. It was then that our postwoman and Nice first met. She helped take a group photo
Later that evening she gave us a ride. On this occasion we had to take the world with us as I had found myself alongside the beach with nowhere in the upscale area for a man and his dog to park for the night. She helped us get the World to the edge of Jupiter. There, at the fire station, we could store the world only, because of strict rules no overnighters were allowed.
Our new friend was very kind and let us stay in the parking area where she lived after retrieving the van, I followed in the van while Nice (the dog) rode with her in her white pickup truck. The next morning, when we returned to the fire station and begin walking, I was told there was no daytime parking...
Our new friend was very kind and drove to the next town so I could find a spot to park the van. I followed in the van while Nice (the dog) rode with her in her white pickup truck. During our return ride to Jupiter Nice (the dog) was relaxed and laying his head across her lap. I thought little of it when he barked and whimpered as she drove away, he reacts the way sometimes after spending a little time with someone.
I did not know then how special this bond would be for my canine companion.
During the following days I thought it amusing when Nice (the dog) would see a white pickup truck, or a postal delivery van and think it was our friend from Jupiter. He would jump and call to her as she drove past each day, looking downhearted each time.
As months, then years, passed Nice (the dog) kept up his searching while we walked in dozens of States and thousands of miles. Once we got an evening ride with a man in a white truck , we were in Oregon, the opposite side of the continent. nice (the dog) was excited to jump in the cab. when he settled his head across the man's lap he quickly turned his head , looked at me and sighed... In Nebraska a farmer in a white truck pulled slowly into his driveway from the highway. Nice (the dog) saw his blonde hair and the clatter of the same model engine, knew it had to be our friend from Jupiter and lay down to wait. He wouldn't get up until the truck disappeared in the. Arm a quarter of a mile down the driveway. At home, in Louisville, he would incessantly watching for his friend from Jupiter Florida. With ice and snow on the ground he would recognize the sound of that particular truck engine a strain to see if it was her,, his longing was palatable.
After the harsh winter, which seemed would not end, I resolved to drive to Florida to visit my dear friend who had been in the hospital for several months and finally reunite Nice with the woman of his dreams. I hoped to settle his searching by taking back to Jupiter. From there I had planned to walk somewhere warm and wait out the northern cold.
Sometimes resolutions cannot be kept. A week before I had planned to leave Nice (the dog) was running in the icy snow, leapt on some ice covered steps and hit his knee, it caused him to limp badly.The day we left I broke a tooth. The days of driving caused my back to stiffen, my sciatica returned with a vengeance
After the drive to Florida, stopping to visit my friend in Spring Hill, then across the state to visit Dennis for a few days fifty miles south of Jupiter, we were finally able to meet with Nice's long lost friend at the spot she had given us a ride years before.
The trip was worth it after seeing his reaction. He was so happy to see the truck, to get in and see it was really her. Meeting her at the beech after passing the drawbridge (which he noticed as we crossed over) helped to bring it together for him. Since then he has not given a white truck a second glance or pulled longingly after a postal van. He is content.
My bad tooth and back and his injured knee ended my plans to walk out the winter in the Florida sun but we eased Nice's weary mind.













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