I remember that special morning in July when I got my first dog.
For those of you lucky enough to have gotten a dog at some point in your life, you probably remember the emotions attached to it: the thrill, the pride, the sense of completeness and the tie to nature you feel when you get a dog.
The mountains make it easy to remember things in somewhat of a magical light. It was July; but it was cool (68 or so) like it can only be in the mountains. I got up about 10 after six that morning, poured myself a cup of coffee and stared out the kitchen window at my backyard.
Big as life, there it was...
It looked like a fairly playful and good tempered animal. It was among the biggest dogs I'd ever seen - it reminded me a lot of the dog from Dances with Wolves. The morning's mist added to the sense of excitement and, strangely, sharpens the memory of that event for me.
A rush went through my veins. I put on my boots and went out the front door and around the house to meet the new dog.
I guess he heard me, because as I trotted toward the backyard he came around the corner of the house toward me.
Our eyes met.
And with the morning's birds singing and the creek making its normal little babbling noise, the special quietness of that moment was broken only by the sound of my pump action 12 gauge Winchester discharging...
Fortunately or unfortunately (I'll let you pick), all I had at the time was bird shot. And since it was still early in the morning and I wasn't really prepared to go hunting, I didn't get a direct hit. I did, however, manage to fill one of his front legs with shot.
The dog let out a scream that would have made the hair fall off a possum's back. Then it lit out so fast that I'm sure it took its spirit 10 or 15 seconds to catch up with it's body....
I fired one more round at it, but missed entirely I'm ashamed to say.
Before you get too upset...
Now, I know that many of you are presently grinding your teeth and rehersing in your head the things you will say to me the next time we meet. But before you get too unhappy with me, let me add a little to the picture:
Go To Page: 1 2
