A sad day...

This morning I was on the phone with a friend around ten or so when a knock was heard on my door. Oh no, I thought. It must be my neighbor Mary. Slowly and with light feet I approached the door to peep through the peephole. It was Mary.

Being on the phone I felt I could open the door as that would give me an out from any extensive monologue that was about to possibly take place. She proceeded to tell me of a neighbor who was barbecuing and selling it for $5.00 today. Um, OK. Thanks for the info. I shut the door and laughed, telling my friend, this is the sort of thing she knocks on my door for.

Perhaps she wanted to tell me something else this morning. I don't know. I did not stay around long enough to listen.

Perhaps she wanted to tell me she was about to take her beloved dog in to be put to sleep. I don't know. Today Angel, her dog was put to rest at 11 am.

Tears are still in my eyes as I type this. Mary told me just a few minutes ago when I was outside doing important things like taking the trash out and retrieving the mail. She looked lost. She looked sad. She looked distraught. She looked like she had lost her best friend. She did I think. " I'm sorry Mary, I said. I am really sorry. I know how that feels. I have done it twice". I stood at my patio with a lump in my throat. Tears formed. There was no stopping it.

So I listened to anything she had to say which was not much and very out of character for Mary. My voice cracked and after reminding her that Angel is no longer suffering I said I want you to know I feel really sad for you right now. She thanked me and her voice cracked. We both started to cry.

For the first time in a long time Mary walked away first.