An Unexpected Companion
Enjoying every minute of it.
Walking along the lake, for me, is a magical time. I’ve seen muskrat babies playing around the roots of a fallen tree, wild yellow iris growing tall at the water’s edge, fishermen in rowboats in the summer and ice fishing tents in the winter.
Usually all is quiet and I enjoy the solitude!
Recently I went out for my usual walk. No one was around. Then all of a sudden, up trots a large golden retriever as if she knew me. I felt privileged that an unknown critter would want to spend some time just walking with me, not talking at all.
As we passed some tree branches which had fallen, she grabbed a large branch in her mouth and kept trotting beside me, offering to play. As she dropped the brittle branch at my feet, some of it broke off. I could now throw a portion of it.
Nope, that’s not what she had in mind. Tug of War was the game. I easily lost. Every. Single. Time. She outweighed me and could tug ME down to the ground if she wanted.
I wondered who she belonged to so told her a couple of times in a stern voice — although I hated to lose her companionship, “GO HOME”. She looked down the road as if to ask, “WHY?” She made no move to leave.
All of a sudden, around the nearest corner careened an old red car.
Ahhhh, now I knew who was looking for her.
Soon, a young girl jumped out of the car, began calling her dog and off they walked toward home which turned out to be right across the road. Apparently the girl had gone inside of the house, the dog got tired of waiting and decided to have her own adventure.
I came home from that particular walk with such a warmth in my heart.
I recalled the preciousness of a dog’s companionship from days long ago!
**********(
Thank you for reading. If you want more to read more from me, please SUBSCRIBE.
Dawn Ulmer, a retired Registered Nurse, has enjoyed writing since the age of 19 when she wrote ‘My Philosophy of Nursing’. Presently, she is enjoying writing on Medium, her favorite platform.
If you would like to be added or deleted from my ‘special list, please let me know.
Alma Curry Órla K. Lu Skerdoo Ken Van Camp Sharon Hillam Susie Winfield Haley K.
