4-21-09
Cody is gone. I thought I had been preparing myself the past couple of years for this day. Not so much. It's sad being at home. Sad seeing her dog bowl with this mornings food in it. Sad seeing the sprinkler out in the yard that she played in this weekend. Sad seeing the dog pool.
Wondering what it will be like to eat a meal and not have her waiting for me to drop something. Wondering what it will be like when her dog friends come to stay with me and she is not here.
Working and not thinking I need to get home to let her out.
She lived a crummy life at the end of a dog chain until I stole her in May of 1993. The night I took her I was scared because she was barking like crazy and her neighbors came outside to investigate. Thank goodness they were happy to see some crazy chick cared enough. They told me her name and asked that I give her a good life. Every now and then one of those neighbors would stop in the restaurant where I worked to inquire how Cody was doing. I always thought that was pretty cool and I always had happy stories for her.
Cody and I always did neat things together. Hiking at Alum Creek was one of our faves. But the best story is how she and I took a trip to Charleston, SC after my folks passed away. At the time, I had no idea why I felt the need to go there.
So I pack me and Cody up and we head to Charleston. A million potty breaks later, we finally get there. She looked so gleeful in the ocean. That made the trip worthwhile initself. We planned on staying 10 days. I think it was like 5 days into the trip and we were sitting at a traffic light and a SUV rolls by us with pawprints all over it and For Pet's Sake Petsitting on it. Total epiphany.
"Epiphany: a sudden, intuitive perception of or insight into the reality or essential meaning of something, usually initiated by some simple, homely, or commonplace occurrence or experience."
That's exactly what happened. I looked at Cody and told her we were headed home early because I finally realized what I was meant to do with my life.
I came home, made it happen and have never looked back. I am happy she was by my side during that meaningful trip.