But make no mistake, my dog was a hockey fan in a very metaphorical, very literal and very real way.
On Wednesday January 26, 2011 Chloe, my close companion for 13 years, passed away.
While thinking of what to blog about that was hockey oriented, all I could think about was my dog. Then, it hits me. My dog was a hockey fan.
Each night following a UCO or Oklahoma City Barons' hockey game I would return home hungry and tired, in no particular order, having most likely skipped dinner and normal sleep hours.
I would come home and sit on my couch, trying to relax and unwind while everyone else around me slept.
That is when Chloe would waddle over in her old age to see who was coming home so late and if they had any food to share.
She would lay her head on my lap and stare at me for seconds, minutes, hours at a time and she would listen.
She would listen as I told her about my day, but she would listen most intently as I described the night's hockey game in detail. She almost seemed to show emotion in her glazed over, old dog baby-brown eyes.
She was my escape from a long day and my conversation buddy when no one else felt like talking hockey until two in the morning.
Now I come home and all there will be is the television and an empty square of carpet where my dog used to be. No one to listen to hockey stories and no one to enjoy the sport with me while everyone else slept.
Perhaps it is foolish of me to believe that my dog was a hockey fan. But then again, Chloe never acted like a dog. She was very much a person, and I loved her as such.
The sport of hockey lost a fan yesterday.
In Loving Memory of Chloe Wescott
Chris, this post left me near tears. Like I told you yesterday, been there, done this, and you just said everything I've ever felt in my heart about my Kiwi.
ReplyDeleteIf I'm not mistaken, it's almost to the day 10 years since she's been gone; yes, it happened the same day as the OSU plane crash. I still remember being in the throes of grief over my Chihuahua dying, and listening to the news most of the night.
I'd say it gets easier, but I've had people in my life die that haven't affected me quite like this did. I have yet to get another dog, 'cause they just wouldn't be quite the same...and I can't bear the thought of going through the same with them someday.
Hang in there, and keep talking to her. She may not be there in body, but I have firm belief she's still listening. And she wouldn't want to miss any details. :-)