The first time I
saw Keisha she was running from her four
siblings with a food treat in her mouth. She
ran straight into my arms.
"This looks like
a cute one," I said, as I held the tiny
bundle of fur up and she licked my face.
"That one's
always getting into everything," the lady
said, as I held the five-week old
Doberman/Shepherd cross in my arms and
prepared to take her home.
It was February
2, 1997, our Canadian celebrated "Groundhog
Day", and the instantaneous lifelong bond
we'd formed would last almost 11 years and
Keisha's love would help me through some
very tough times in my life.
The lady's words
would prove prophetic. Keisha proved to be
such a bundle of energy that I had to tie
her up in the house sometimes because she
tended to get underfoot and knock things
over, especially with her tail that would
flail uncontrollably when she was happy
which seemed to be all the time.
She also turned
out to be an unrepentant thief. I was
forever sneaking shoes back onto the
neighbours porch across the street and she
sometimes showed up with stuffed animals and
other toys whose owners I never did find?
From the very
beginning, Keisha had a peculiar habit that
I found somewhat disturbing at first to say
the least.
She liked to
guard things, usually from me. Shoes,
bones, blankets, her bear, anything within
reach would do. She'd show her teeth and let
out the most hair raising snarls. People who
didn't know her thought she was going to
kill me but I was never afraid because I
knew she really loved me more than these
possessions that she guarded so ferociously.
She also seemed
to like wearing things on her head. I could
put a hat on her or even an empty yogurt
container. The more I laughed, the better
she seemed to like it. Dignity could be put
aside for a moment if it made me happy.
Gradually the
little dog grew into her huge feet, her
floppy ear straightened and she became an
impressively beautiful 90 pound Lap
Dog.
After a few
years, my relationship with my girlfriend
ended and Keisha and I moved into what I
called, "the little house under the hill".
It was probably
one of the oldest houses in the city, The
floors slanted crazily due to the shifting
ground, the basement had a dirt floor/walls
and the plumbing was always breaking down.
But it didn't
matter I and my best buddy were together and
that was enough. We spent time walking by
the river, also in the coulees and the wild
places where nobody goes. Both of us were
Free Spirits. Walkies, food and affection
were all that Keisha needed, The whispered
words "truck ride" would
wake her from a sound sleep!!!
Keisha had
several expensive and painful encounters
with porcupines. After the first time she
seemed to believe she could get revenge on
the species and I had to be careful to not
walk with her near dark in areas where the
spiny menaces frequented. Fortunately, she
only chased a skunk once!
The years
passed. One day I suffered a debilitating
injury. My income was drastically
reduced, plus the house owners decided they
wanted to renovate the old house. Keisha and
I found ourselves homeless. We moved back to
my home town and for the next four months we
lived in my old camper while we searched for
an affordable house.
Keisha didn't
mind. In fact she loved being able to jump
out the camper door and be right beside the
river. Her look seemed to suggest that maybe
we should have tried being homeless a long
time ago?
She also
developed a new passion: Beavers.
She would swim after them for hours. They
would tease her unmercifully, swimming in
front of her before slapping their tails and
diving, leaving the poor bewildered dog to
wonder where they had gone.
Gophers also
fascinated her. She never caught any but
would dig at the last gopher hole as
enthusiastically as the first. I guess
that's where the term "Dogged Determination"
comes from?
Then on November 4, when we were
walking across the river at our favourite
place, Keisha lay down like she was going to
roll in the snow. A few seconds later she
died in my arms of a heart attack.
It was the worst
day of my life. I had been through
break-ups, lost friends and family, suffered
broken bones, torn muscles and been burned
with molten metal. Nothing could compare
with the pain I felt with Keisha's death.
NOTHING!
I screamed, I
cried uncontrollably, I could not work, eat
or sleep. At times I thought I was going
insane. Gradually though, the pain eased
somewhat although I still have some bad
moments.
I take great
comfort from the fact that Keisha didn't
suffer and she passed over with me present
and doing something she loved.
Even though
she's not here anymore, my best buddy still
continues to teach me life lessons. I have
a greater capacity for empathy and my
relationships with family members, I have
grown closer because I had to lean on them
during my grief.
People
often say that Keisha was lucky to have me.
I say it's the other way around.
I know now that
Keisha was not only my best friend, she was
my guardian Angel and when my time on earth
is through, she will greet me with barks
and sloppy dog kisses when I pass over to
the other side. I don't know if my
circumstances will let me get another dog
but I believe I'll know when and if the
right time comes.
After all that
Keisha has given me. I believe it's my duty
to help other dogs who need love, walkies
and maybe even a truck ride.
Keisha,
I Love You Forever And A Day! Chris.
