Requiem for Chester

I lost a friend of 13 years tonight. Chester was my Golden Retriever.
He was a kind of retro-hippie type dog, happy go lucky. He was always willing to forgive the errors of my ways. I met him when I ran over him with my VW bus in 1992. I went back to check on him, and when I opened the door to the VW bus, he jumped in. He was covered with ticks, burs, was wet and stunk like hell. More like a sasquatch than a dog. It appeared he had been living on his own for quite a while. I took him to the vet, patched him up, ran an ad in the newspaper. Nobody answered, so we became pals and he decided to move in.
He lived with me, watched over me, tried to steer me right, and taught me the value of love and devotion for thirteen years. He picked out my wife for me, and he protected my daughter from what he feared most, thunder. He was innately everything I would like to be remembered for. Brave, intelligent, loving. A noble beast.

My daughter and I composed a song for him a few years back.

He's Chester the Wonder Dog,
He goes through rain or sleet or fog.
He never gives up,
He never gets down,
He's Chester the Wonder Dog!

He was indeed a wonder. While I was typing up my last entry in this blog, Chester placed his head on my knee to say goodbye. The old "golden nudge". Then he went and laid down beside my wife and daughter. He died quietly and without pain. After he died tonight, I buried him. Outside our window, so he will always be near. He would like that. I need that. He was my Dog.

"Tears & Laughter" by Gene Hill.

He's just my dog. He is my other eyes that can see above the clouds; my other ears that hear above the winds.

He has told me more than a thousand times over that I am his reason for being -- by the way he rests against my leg, by the way he thumps his tail at my smallest smile, by the way he shows his hurt when I leave without taking him. (I think it makes him sick with worry when he is not along
to care for me).

When I am wrong, he is delighted to forgive.
When I am angry he clowns to make me smile.
When I am happy, he is joy unbounded.
When I am a fool, he ignores it.
When I succeed, he brags.
Without him, I am only another person.

With him, I am all powerful. He has taught me the meaning of devotion in loyalty itself. With him, I know a secret comfort and a private peace.

He has brought me understanding where before I was ignorant. His head on my knee can heal my human hurts. His presence by my side is protection against my fears of dark and unknown things.

He has promised to wait for me ... whenever ... wherever ... in case I need him, and I expect I will, as I always have.

Who is he?

He's just MY DOG!