One Single Impression #15 - One-of-a-kind

The prompt for Week 15 is Pets

second of the five
canine friends who've shared my life ...
one-of-a-kind pooch

~ ~ ~

Remembering Charly
(1972-1988)

I have no digital photos of Charly,
but this image is similar to how I remember him.

Charly's an old dog
who has shared our lives
for sixteen years.

With royal features
and princely bearing, this tri-colored beagle
consistently captured the hearts
of adults and children alike
though he didn't usually return the compliment.

Headstrong
impulsive
standoffish
independent
opinionated
and occasionally downright grumpy --
Charly was one-of-a-kind.

As a baby-dog
he weathered frequent misadventures --
suffering a thorn in his paw while camping at Oak Grove,
leaping from the window of the VW Bus at Bass Lake
landing heavily on the hard-packed dirt in a state of confusion
right in front of the Ranger,
getting stuck on the far side of the stream at White Wolf in Yosemite
and having to be rescued by Ralph, the wonder dog.

He loved his big brother Ralph
wanting to be with him more than with us
and maybe now he'll get what we wants.

Weak
Charly doesn't eat
sleeps almost constantly
seems confused and disoriented when he's awake
-- as if he isn't quite all there any more ...
and so
we're compelled once again
to break our hearts
doing what's 'right'

I wonder if he will miss us?

by storyteller
December, 1988

Click for other's participating in OSI this week.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Thought for Today
"Dogs' lives are too short. Their only fault, really." Agnes Sligh Turnbull