Ode To Homey

Homey was the best three legged dog,
family member we loved dearly,
damn that car.


That haiku was for Homey, our golden lab what was part of our family for over ten years. He was my son's K1's best friend. He was the brown eyed- blond I always knew I would fall for- only in dog form, not human. Homey was fast, and loyal and strong. They say pets look like their owners, he was K1 in canine form. I ran over him once with the back tire of the wrangler and cracked his pelvis. Homey got up and ran and I had to chase him to take him to the vet. Last year a ignorant hunter shot his hind leg off. When we brought him home with only three legs left, and took him to a sitter while we were on vacation, Homey ran away and was found eleven miles away from were he started. After he was hit and left on the side of the road, at the neibhors house that my kids were playing at, I had numerous strangers stop at my house to tell me the bad news of Homeys demise. Friends stopped in to give their condolences. We buried our beloved companion at the edge of our lawn by the road were he would sit and wait for us to return home when we left. Amist the flowers that have appeared on his grave, solitary shoes have also shown up. He was a retriever and would steal one of your shoes when you took them off at our door to bring back to you. It takes a dog to raise a village.