Pepper

I dreamed about Pepper last night.

Pepper wondered into Arline and Sid’s summer job site once day. He was obviously a well bred dog and they did their best to find his owner, but it was not to be.

A year or so later they moved to Walla Walla, where we were living and Pepper and I were guarded friends. Then they moved into a house that required a hefty deposit if they had a dog, so they offered him to me.

Now I know that the idea was that he would be with me on a temporary basis, but he and I bonded so throughly and so wonderfully that I had him the rest of his life. I did not know remember the temporary idea until I was reminded recently.

I never wanted a Dalmatian for a pet. They are beautiful, a bit high strung when young, but make very fine pets once they reach adulthood.

I would drop the tail gate on the pickup and he would jump in. The pickup had a back window that opened and he would put his nose inside, delighted to go any where. We hiked a lot of trails, we drove a lot of miles.

We made winter trips with him in the back, covered with a canvas, but with his head sticking inside the warm cab. He loved it.

In time he arthritis got him down. He got so he could not jump into the pickup. I would have to lift him. He would cry from the pain. Then he got so he could not keep up with us when we went on hikes in the desert.

Finally we had to put him down.

It was a sad day. He was a good pet.

Thanks for being part of my life my friend.