Copper: Day One

Memory Lane Fridays

Copper had been with us since Valentines Day.  Moon had wandered in off the mountain in August (a whole new story).  It was now November.  It was getting cold here in the Hollow.  I came home from work and my husband told me that he hadn't seen Copper all day.  "Moon was around all day," he said "but I haven't seen Copper...not since you left for work this morning."

As I wondered what he'd done about him being missing, I knew better than to ask.  I knew that his approach to something like this, was simply...wait until he came home on his own when he's hungry.  I, on the other hand, couldn't do that.  That just wasn't good enough for me.  That was simply not good enough for my dog...a dog who had had five homes...a dog who had been so misunderstood.  Copper needs companionship and we had developed a close bond.  I knew he needed special handling and that I was the one who was going to give it to him!!  But I couldn't love him if he wasn't here with me.

I kept going outside in the dark.  First in the front yard and then over on the side of the house facing the trail I frequented with both Moon and my boy, Copper.  I called and called and called...over and over again.  I swear I kept hearing a bark but couldn't make out from which direction it came.  As I've told you before, here in the Hollow, sounds bounce off of the hills making it very hard to determine the origin.

I remember going to sleep that night hearing  faint barking in the distance.  Was I just imagining the barking.  Where was he?

It was Day One.  I HATED DAY ONE.

(to be continued)