A Time for Everything

Tippy wagged his tail as he zigged and zagged up the pathway. The black lab sniffed the ground and looked at the tall trees and short bushes as he made his way to the large and bright opening that promised a clearing ahead.

The pain in his hips was gone. And he could see clearly and hear all the forested sounds that came from around him.

Once he broke into the clearing he was surprised; dogs everywhere that he could see and they were all stopped, looking at him. Tippy was puzzled though, he’d been chased off and he’d been sniffed and he’d even been ignored, but now he found himself completely disregarded as each dog returned to whatever they had been doing before he arrived.

Slowly he made his way through the throng of mutts, well-breeded champions, house-pets and the abandoned. He could see straight ahead, an opening in a wall that led into a bright city, where the people were.

People, that’s what was missing: specifically his people. Where were they and exactly where was he. Tippy stood before the opening and looked in, where he could see both humans and dogs moving about.

Suddenly he was aware that he had company, a short and shaggy poodle that insisted on sniffing at his collar. She refused to leave him alone, even when he backed away from her.

“You belong to them,” the poodle said, “I can smell them.”

“Them?” Tippy questioned.

“Yes, my people,” she answered.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Of course you don’t. Let me explain. But first, my name is Susy.”

“Tippy,” he returned.

“I used to live with the same people you lived with.”

“Huh, I don’t remember you.”

“No, you wouldn’t. I was before your time. They had to go away and couldn’t take me with them, so they gave me to the nice lady down stairs. She fed me hamburger and cheese.”

“So, I’m like a replacement?”

“No, nothing like that. Humans love us and they probably saw you and fell in love, like they did me.”

“Well, they gave me to the garbage man.”

“Did you have a good life?” Susy asked.

“He had two boys that took me hunting and fishing all the time, so yes.”

“See? So now you’re here and you, along with all of us, are waiting for which ever family or child we are supposed to spend eternity with to come up that trail, the same one you came up. Do you understand?”

Suddenly, the dogs stopped and looked down towards the opening in the woods and watched as a little child came up the trail and into the clearing. They waited in the quiet as what turned out to be a little girl made her way into the mass of dogs.

“Ah,” Susy said, “She never had a dog of her own and now we’ll get to see some real magic, because there are some dogs who never had a child of their own either. Watch, they’ll find each other in a minute or so.”

And like Susy said, a small tan and black mutt came bounding up to the child and as if they’d known one another for ever, they loved on each other; her petting and giggling, he licking and bouncing about her feet. Then they walked up the rest of the trail and entered the opening into the city.

“But how will I know which of me people to go with?” Tippy asked.

“Oh, you’ll know, it’s instinct, now come on, Tippy,” Susy said, “Let’s go find a place to lay down and rest.”

Together, and with each other to lean on, they found a quiet spot in the green grass, under a shade tree, then with muzzles between their paws, watched for their people to finally come home to them.