Tough Day

I was working on the book cover when my phone rang. It was Jacky, my neighbor up the street. Ronda, my neighbor across the street's dog had been run over by a car and was laying in the road in front of her house. I went to the living room window and could see the little dog laying there, unmoving. My neighbor up the street was at work and couldn't do anything so I said I would take care of it. I went across the street, stopping to check on the dog and it looked like it was sleeping. No evidence that it had been run over but it wasn't breathing and I knew she was gone.

I knocked on Ronda's door and she was very upset and I really didn't know what to do. I'm a guy and guys really aren't well suited to deal with this kind of thing. She told me that the Radford Animal Clinic would take the dog but she couldn't do it. She was pretty broken up and that is something I can understand. I've had many cats that lived long lives and it was traumatic when the day came to put them down.

Ronda got a towel and I grabbed an empty box and went out to get the dog. I kneeled down on the street and wrapped her in the towel and carefully put her in the box. I noticed her neck was broken but I couldn't see anything that would tell me how it happened. Because the dog was laying in the road the assumption is she was hit by a car. But if that was the case the driver didn't stop. That makes me think the dog might have run into the side of the car, maybe chasing at the tire or something and somehow that's what did her in. Because there was no blood and no evidence a car ran over her it's likely the driver never felt anything and didn't know it happened.

I drove the dog over to the Animal Clinic and they were very compassionate and caring and said they would take care of it and if Ronda wanted to do anything she could call.

I went back to Ronda's in a feeble attempt to console her by telling her what I found out and what I thought might have happened. The broken neck meant the dog died instantly and didn't suffer. I'm not sure I consoled her much because as a clueless guy I stood an equal chance of making it worse than making it better.

It's never a good day when death is involved but, sad as it is, death is part of life. It makes me realize that every day is precious. I'll miss seeing that little dog wagging her tail at me from her front yard. Everyone in the neighborhood will miss her too.