Goodbye to you my trusted friend, Pal

Our Pal died suddenly Tuesday night. He was in the office with me and Lola, the cutie-patootie I found walking down the road last February, while I was writing. I heard a commotion on the floor and when I looked around, Pal had slid over to the sling back chair, stiff, as if having a seizure.

I jumped up to comfort him, and tried to figure out what was going on, what I could do to help. If it was a seizure, I figured he'd get through it in a minute or so.

Then he howled like he was in pain and was gone. I grabbed the phone to call Tony, and Pal sort of choked and gagged, and vibrated so I thought he was coming around. But it was just the last of his body quitting. In recalling the events, and talking it over with Tony, and my paramedic brother, Pete, I think Pal was gone by the time I turned around to see what was going on.

For those who knew and experienced Pal, he was an irritating dog, but we truly loved him. He was fun, loving, and loved to play. He took Lola under his "wing" when she joined the family. With all the rain of late, I'd been letting him splash through puddles on our walks and he loved it.

So, Jesus has a new dog in heaven. I told Pal to say hey to Jack (his dad,) Blue and our old family dog, Bonnie.

I sat on the floor with him, crying, stroking his still warm and soft head, telling him we loved him and he was a good dog. Funny, even if he was still alive, he wouldn't have really understood, but it comforted me.