I hadn’t seen any ghosts lately so I was probably due. One day last week I was working in my front yard when I heard someone call my name. I turned towards the street, and standing on the sidewalk there was a neighbour with her beautiful black lab by her side. What threw my sense of sight into shock was the fact that her dog died a year ago and yet, there stood the two of them, just like old times.
Her dog Summer was a beautiful animal, both in body and soul. Till the day she died, she would always bring her cancer-filled body over to see me when she was out for a walk. And now, here she was again. Not only was I seeing her for the first time since she died, I hadn’t seen my neighbour out and about either, except on occasion as she drove by in her car.
I wandered over to her and her dark apparition and leaned down to pet the beautiful animal’s big head with the same gorgeous eyes that had greeted me so often. I awaited some sort of explanation.
“This is Wynter,” said my neighbour. “She is seven months old.” Back in my neighbour’s eyes was the same pride and happiness she always had with Summer by her side. After we visited for awhile and Wynter and I became fast friends, I said to her as she walked away, “I hope you’ll never need an Autymn or a Spryng.” She laughed and wandered down the street, faithful dog by her side.
A few days later, she came by again and wondered if Wynter could meet our dog Toby as Toby and Summer had always been best friends. I took Toby out and the cranky little poodle yelled at Wynter for awhile just to establish who was boss, then sniffed her a bit and lay down on the grass beside her.
All is right with the world.
©2014 Jim Hagarty
