Monday we "put him down."
Its Friday.
Living without the click of his nails,
The old man cough,
a wrap-around hug at my knee.
I miss him most at night.
reaching out my hand
to pet his head,
whisper in his too-deaf ear
what a good boy he is and
before I head to bed
say, "Goodnight, Chester."
Ah.. The loss of a four-legged companion is like no other. Thank you for naming that grief.