by Pierre Laberge
This story is inspired by a man called Dave in Australia.
Dave's site is through: MsMegabyteComputerSupport@groups.msn.com
(All Message Boards, Pets)
I hope you can get to it. I found the Rainbow Bridge Poem there, and the web link to this site (www.rainbowsbridge.com).
I hope you all understand this, because I'n very new to the web.
I came I saw, I cried all night, but it was a good cry.
Here's why below....
TO: Wawa Dave (in Australia):
What a lovely dog! I hope that Rainbow Bridge poem is true. I cried when I read all this. You see, I often suffer from depression, and I have several friends waiting for me at that bridge, And I miss them so! I don't think I was cruel or bad, but I wish I had taken better care of them when I could have... OH THE MEMORIES THAT CAME BACK !!! !!! !!! !!! I know it hurts! To be ALONE! But please read the story below. It's all true stuff.
Blackie, a mutt, would have looked similar to the dog in the photo. I was 5 when he was stolen....
Rocky, a German Shepherd, used to tow me in a sleigh in the snow, when I was a kid. Rocky was my sister's dog, but, well, what does a kid know?
Napoleon, a little French Poodle. Red nose, peach to white fur, loyal, brave, lasted 13 years. Might have lasted longer, but I was too young and stupid and ignorant to give all the proper care. But the LOVE we had! He was so smart! I still miss him.....
Brutus, another Shepherd. Napoleon had just died. I couldn't, and my mom couldn't, face another dog. And we did not have the room for a big dog. My sister took the left over dog food, and said, it's OK Pete. He's 1/2 yours. (She had just rescued him from a bad home.)
When my niece and goddaughter was born, she was on the back deck at my sister's farm, in a playpen. Brutus guarded her. My mom and I arrived. You should have seen the face off! Grandma wants child. (Uncle too.) Dog protects child. The NOISE! My sister came running. See, we didn't have the proper "security clearance". He guarded her till she was about 6. Then the farmhouse burnt down. He was old and got run over by a fire truck. He was still on duty, to his last breath. How many dogs do YOU know that can fetch any tool by name from a tool box? Oh B!
Jake. Similar to blackie, but brain dead. Loving, but stupid. (Enough to run for politics!) Loyal as an angel. Just didn't wake up one morning. By now there were 2 nieces. Never more than 100 feet away from them.....
Woof. Another Shepherd. Might have been a great cow dog, too. Got kidnapped by a criminal. Died fighting to get home. If I ever get my hands on that guy, I'll have him sent to Australia. You folks will know what to do, and thank you very much for it.
Francis. A cat. Smarter than some dogs. Used to walk with me day or night, snow or rain or shine, just like a dog. He came into my life as my nephew's cat -- when my nephew moved in with me. I tolerated the cat, because of the nephew. LATER, I learned to tolerate the nephew... because of the cat. When my nephew left 2 years later, I cried. NOT because I missed my nephew. The cat, was infinitely better than.... Later Francis ran away from my nephew. For over a year, I ran the streets all over town at night. The cops nearly arrested me. After all, there's the guy walking around calling Francis! Reer-oww! Reer-oww! Come on chum! He never made it back home. If he ever does -- it's been 4 years -- the door is open. And, if he shows up, he'll have a brother...... (See below.)
My last guardian angel is grey. Smarter than me... (Not a hard job.) He came into my life with my fiancee Noella. He has 4 paws, and a beautiful tail. I didn't want him at first, the poor devil. He reminded me of Francis. Life was hard for him, but he was so loving, and such a cute kitten (a heart breaker), that he wore me down. It's been 3 years now. I could not live without him. And, through the depression, the troubles, the poverty, and so on, he has kept me alive, and going. He takes good care of his dad. I try take care of him, but he's better than I'll ever be. I must have done something right in my life. How else to explain this gift from God? His birth name was "Swede", but now he's Sweedie. I hate cats. I'm a dog man. OK. I was a dog man. So there are some good cats in the world. But I'm still a dog man. And yeah, now a cat man too. Isn't CatManDo a mountain in Africa?
I'm sorry, but I had to try end with some kind of humor.
Yes, I hope that rainbow bridge is there. No Ceasar ever crossed the Rubicon with better company than I will have! In the meantime, God, take care, and You know where to rub. Yeah, there, right behind the ears. Do animals have souls? More than some people deserve. So the answer MUST be yes. Because those people have souls.
I think, I shall not fear to cross that bridge, but not yet. I have several someones who need me here. One, has whiskers. The others don't.
Thanks for letting me get this all out. I hope you get another guardian angel in the future Dave. Don't try to compare them. They are each unique. Just like the rest of your family. Why? They are gifts from God.
PML (Sudbury Ontario Canada)
I know they all deserved a better memorial story than I could write, but this was the best I could do. But now, I have to go take care of Sweedie, because he can't understand why I am crying. I'm crying, because I nearly gave Sweedie away when I first got him. I had this pain still in my heart. But God saved me from my stupidity. The pain is a little better now, thanks. Please forgive all my typing mistakes. (Could you fix them please? I can't see to type right now.) Thanks God, I never deserved anything so good.
PML