A Visit From Chico the Wonder Dog...

It has been a while since Chico the Wonder Dog left us to go to Doggie Heaven and I guess it's time to bring everyone up to date on the Heavenly Happenings around here.

At first I thought I was hearing things. While lying in bed early one morning, I heard a very familiar sound; the sound of Chico the Wonder Dog's ears being flopped back and forth. I sat upright in the bed. It was very early in the morning.

"What the hell," I muttered very lowly. It was just breaking daylight outside and I thought I might be dreaming. Then I realized I had been awake, lying there waiting for it to be at least 6 o'clock before I got up.
I usually awoke in my chair in the great room, having migrated there after not being able to sleep well in the bed after the initial hour or two. But this night I had fallen asleep in the bed, arisen at 1;30, had my usual coftee and peanut butter and graham cracker repast while watching the Shepherd's Chapel, became once again drowsy and decided to retreat back to the bed and give sleep a shot there. It worked this time (strangely) and I did fall back into the arms of Morpheus for an adventure or two.

But now I was awake, waiting to arise when I heard the noise. I did arise and I looked around for whatever might make such a sound, even slid open the glass door to the porch and checked outside. There was nothing about on which I could blame this sound. I didn't mention this to mi espousa. (id est; my wife,- a little Mex lingo there )

Is this spooky yet? OK, here is more:

I heard the sound again a short time later while I was sitting in my chair in the middle of the day; not dozing but fully awake:-and for the third time while sitting in front of my computer one evening when Donna was off to the market.

Until now I had agonized about these happenings, not wanting to tell Donna for fear she would think my mental arrangement had been compromised by my grief in losing our boy, even though I knew without a doubt that Chico the Wonder Dog had been visiting me, announcing his presence by his ear flapping. But I bit the bullet and told her. She looked askance at me, a pronounced aura engulfed question mark appearing above her head, and did, indeed, make the expected utterences, eg; are you sure you weren't dreaming?- maybe you imagined it because you miss him;- et al and etc,-etc,- and, oh yes, did I mention,'etc'?
I told her I didn't imagine it and, after a brief exchange of maybes, I discontinued our conversation.

It ain't over yet!

When Chico the Wonder Dog was alive and needed to go outside in a hurry at night, he came to my side of the bed and barked, not loudly but sharply. I always awoke and got up and let him out. He never went to Donna's side to go out, only mine.
On this fateful night, I awoke to hear that bark; because of that bark. I knew immediately it was Chico the Wonder Dog talking to me from his station in Doggie Heaven and I did the expected ritual, I arose and walked to the sliding glass door and pushed it open. I was awake and aware he wasn't really there, at least not in the flesh, but I felt much better after doing the expected.

I mentioned this to mi espousa (a bit more Mex lingo there) after we de-bedded that morning and she said, "uh-huh," and let it go at that.

Now for the good part.-

A few mornings later, Donna and I were sitting before our 36" Sony HD TV, watching the national news being repeated almost verbatim for the third day. I detected a slightly faraway like look about her expected comportment and queried her as to the root of her unusually vague and reticent demeanor.

Donna looked at me almost quizzically and said, "I heard Chico the Wonder Dog whine at the side of my bed this morning." If she expected me to be surprised, she was paddling in the wrong pool. I asked her what happened and she reminded me about what our boy usually did after I left our bed and headed for the chair for the night.

He would wait to see that I meant to stay in the chair for the balance of the night, then he would go to Donna's side of the bed and whine softly until she helped him into the bed with her.

I feel better now, since Donnas revelation about her own visit from Chico the Wonder Dog. Now I know she believes me and doesn't think I am a screwball or worse.

That was more than two weeks ago and Chico the Wonder Dog hasn't been back again. I guess he got his visit in.

This all is true and really happened but you can take it as you wish. I feel better now, having related it openly.

Later...