by Nancy Mann
On Christmas Eve 1991 someone dropped off a puppy down by my house along the road. Of course I thought Santa Clause put it there for me for Christmas after The Grinch dropped it off to fend for itself. He was JUST old enough to leave his Mom. A small black ball of fur in all that snow. Thank God I discovered him.
I took him home and wrapped him in my finest bathrobe and held him so compassionatly. He looked in my eyes as if he was saying thank you. I put him in my bed and he slept comfortably all night long being almost exausted. Infact he slept there close to me for the next 6 years. Night after night after night.
When I went through trauma one year after another,Pepsi seemed to know of my depression and I could always count on him to be my best friend.
Three days before Thanksgiving 1997, I went to work, leaving Pepsi's added family members through the years, inside my home because of it being the 1st day of Bear Season and where I live, one can never be to careful. I received the phone call at 9:52 a.m. saying my home was on fire and I needed to go home NOW! My boss drove me home and as we arrived, my signifigant other came running down over the hill with Pepsi in his arms. I dropped to my knees and snatched Pepsi into my arms not allowing anyone to invade or intrude. I held him like I did when I first saved him years ago and now I couldn't save him again. His fur was hard and stiff and he smelled of smoke. Not like years ago when he smelled so good and his fur was as soft as cotten.
It took alot of effort and time for anyone to pry my baby Pepsi from me.
Unfortanatly, it was litterally imposible to hold my other 2 dogs, 2 cats and 10 kittens for they were much to damaged by the smoke and flames.
Months and months later I happen to meet the men who discovered the fire in the first place. They opened up the back door to our home that morning and all the pets were huddled together with Pepsi laying on top of them. It's all they could do to pull Pepsi out just in time before the explosion occured and the windows started spitting glass. I totally believe that Pepsi tried to save the others as I tried to save him on Christmas Eve years ago.
With work crews and endless hours of compassionate people, they pulled together, as morbid as it may seem to any of you, and they placed the pets together after finding them in the rubble after the fire was out and buried them proudly.
No one would allow me to hold my babies that were wrapped in blankets so I never really had that closure except with Pepsi.
Three years after the fire I discovered Rainbows Bridge and have spent every day there for the past 3 weeks and I can honestly say I don't feel as alone as I did the last three years. I know I have come a long way and passing Pepsi to the Bridge is only a beginning for I still have to write and work through 14 more pet stories.
This story is dedicated to Pepsi, Einstein, Cody, Marsh, Jesse, Mallow, James, Natasha, Chelsie Ann, Warble, Mallissa, Josephine, Annie, Missy and Sissy. Every breath I take, I'm missing you more and more. You will never be forgotten. Love MOM
Pepsi is a resident at Rainbows Bridge if you'd like to visit with a picture to be added very soon. Thank you.