Sad Words

22^nd September 2012

Dear Cassi,

This morning a man told me the story of how his dog had died. I can’t say if he thought it was good conversation or if it was a pain he needed to rub, but he spent time he should have put to better use like sleep as he works two jobs.

       

In any case, he had said that the dog was his first real companion here in America as he came from another country and had left his family behind. This was a dog that chewed and swallowed just about anything that was left about and so he was a sickly dog.

       

This fellow told me of the expense of the animal vet bills and the fact that he had little money for this but would pay because of the love he felt for the animal. He said that he changed vets trying to find someone who honestly care for his dog.

       

Then he took the dog with him to a fishing spot and the thing got lost. He got a call from the animal control people who said he would have to pay a fee for animal recovery.  They took the dog to the veterinarian and the animal was in so poor a state that it was put down.

       

This end was inevitable. No dog lives forever and this one had never had much time in this world. Still, some folks never give up on something they love and others simply have no idea when to give up. Some of us, my dear Cassi, bravely stand against the storm. Our sacrifice is admirable in its own way but in the end will amount to nothing.

No when to come out of the rain, little sister,

Richard Leland Neal