A Promise to the Dying

This one might be long so bear with me. Last year, a church member and dear friend of my husband's became ill. He was the same age as my husband. One day he passed out while driving and wrecked his beautiful vintage turquoise truck. Ray was okay but the truck was no longer driveable besides the fact that Ray didn't need to be driving anymore. Because Ray was no longer driving, it ended up that it was either me or Buddy toting him back and forth to the doctor and various appointments. His cigarette smoke about knocked me over but Ray was, of course, very respectful of not smoking in my truck so I never pushed the issue of suggesting quitting to him. And at the point, why would I? Shortly, after the first of the year, Ray was diagnosed as terminal and died in April. Now, after all that, comes my story. Ray had one stone deaf little dog, a wild dog that no one could get near and was elusive because the entire time Ray was alive, I never saw her, and four cats as old as dirt. Ray found Jesus as his Savior the last year or so of his life and never doubted for once where he was going after death. He had time to make arrangements for the deaf dog but was worried sick about Sarah because no one could get near her. Of course, in the last few weeks of Ray's life, Buddy promised Ray he would take care of Sarah and to quit worrying. Shortly thereafter, Ray died. Ray's family all lives out of town so now we (get the "we" part?) were committed to taking care of this dog. To say the very least, I have been after Buddy to do something about that dog! We tried finding her a home but we didn't know a thing about her except that Ray had all his pets neutered and immunized.
We did know that Ray had her and her littermate since puppies and Sarah saw her littermate mauled by another dog and has been shy ever since...well, duh...I think I would be too.

Once I did spy Sarah, I saw that she had on a tag but getting close to her was another thing. Four months later...yes, I said four months, I told Buddy I was going to sit and wait it out in the heat and get Sarah. Ray's neice had provided us (way back at the time of the funeral) with sedatives to use for her. Now was the time. Mind you, everything has been shut off over at this house since Ray's death so we've been toting water over there...and it was hot! To shorten this story, the sedative never took affect but I finally got her....yes! The dog tag was from a clinic in a nearby town. It was Monday and they didn't open til Wednesday. Since it's been 110 here, my dogs have been coming in and so did Sarah...and always on a long leash while outside. She's been with me constantly. Wednesday comes and I call the clinic..wouldn't you know it? The tag on Sarah belongs to one of the cats! What?! I still know nothing about this dog except that she is one of the sweetest dogs I've ever been around in my life...and I've been around a few...ha! This dogs does not want me out of her sight! And I need to add, she is no longer on a leash. Of all the dogs that I have had to be "compadres", this one has chosen me. All because of granting a dear, sweet man a dying wish and letting him go in peace. Now, why is that? Neither Buddy or I can take Ray's phone number out of our cell phones. Maybe one day but for right now... we have Sarah Ray.
Happy Trails,

Berte