Farewell for Now

Guapa wore a dog diaper for one night only. She had her pride to the end. Like Houdini she escaped from her binds in the night. Guapa had her pride and a bit of entitlement. She had been a lost lady of Jacksonville, Florida. She had pranced around the country with The Marvelous Mutts rescued dogs performing sports team of upstate New York. When she was ready to retire, she was bestowed on a nice quiet couple in Kansas.

Empty nesters, they gave Guapa everything she wanted. She did not want to travel anymore – except maybe to the next block. She just wanted to stay in her house and yard, and protect her people. And eat treats. And jump the fence. And own the off leash park.

Which Guapa did. She was a very good dog for just the right family for eight years. Recently, she noticed they were even sweeter to her when this year she started having trouble walking … then eating … then standing. Even the home cooked liver cubes, slowly hand fed, no longer tempted her.

Her boy, who was visiting, carried her to the car. His girl stroked her head.

The old couple in the front seat cried.

Then she was carried again to a fuzzy blanket with a soaring eagle. She remembered seeing that bird at the lake where she refused to stay in the kayak. They laid her on the blanket. She looked up at the sky. Her number one knelt near. She felt a little pinch above her paw. It made her want to get up and go run in the off leash park again. Maybe jump on a couple puppies or old small dogs and make their owners scream.

Then she felt warm and woozy. She dropped to the blanket. Her number one whispered, I love you, in her ear. Another pinch. The sky was bright and then brighter.

A teardrop fell on her nose.

Guapa saw colors and she followed them.