One Last Thing to Say

I hav had a rough couple of days. On Sunday afternoon, I started to colick. Mah Editor was there rubbing mah head. The veterinarian cam right out to see me and gave me a big shot of bananamine. He felt all around me inside and out and put som mineral oil down into mah stomach. I felt som what better, though a little woozy, when he left.

It rained all night that night, I heard it from inside, where I was waiting in a stall to start to feel better. Mah Editor cam out early the next morning. I was sleeping into the stall with my feets tucked up beside me. We go out and she brushes the shavings out of mah hair and wipes off mah face with a cool cloth. I am still not hungry or thirsty. I am not interested of the water or fresh hay. Mah belleh still hurt. I has not yet pooed.

The vet coms out again. Mah Editor drove fast from work to be there and coms over to rub mah head again. I feel so bad. I get more bananamine. There is a discussion, but I don’t care to listen in. I can not concentrate. What ever it is, it is important, for every one is gathered around. In a minute, Mah Editor leads me into the round pen.

I remember it now. Every body coms up to hug onto me. I get so many kisses. Every body tells me what a good boy I am. It is like every other day, except this time every body is crying. Then every body leaves except the veterinarian and Mah Editor. She says to me, “Thank you, Paul” and som other mushy private things. Now they are quiet with each other and close their eyes for just a minute. There is not one single sound any where. The veterinarian gives me one needle, then another, then another one. I am sleepy now and close my eyes, too.

I want all of you to know that I am on this other side now. There is so much to do, I has not been all around the place yet. When you walk in, all you can see is big grass and rolling hills. Look up and you see mountains in the distance, when I get time I am going to walk over to them. Did you know that every single animal I has ever known is here? Mah own mother is here, I have not seen her in so long. There are so many horses and mules, I did not think I ever met so many, but I did. Dogs, cats, all kinds of animals, som of whom belong to som of you. They are waiting for you. If you are an animal and you go to the other side before the people who love you, this is the place where you wait for them. When your human person gets here, then you go over to them and pick right up where you left off when you were onto the earth, except this time neither one of you has an ache or pain, or has trouble communicating, or runs short on time because you has to go to work and pay the bills.

So I will wait for you here, right where the grass is high and the clover is mixed into it, close to the shade trees. When I see you coming across that field, I will be right over to meet you at the gate, just like always.

I bleev I will see you all again. In the mean time, I remain,

Your Friend,
Paul