My wife, Priscilla, was out for a walk the other day when a neighbor stopped her to chat. We live in a neighborhood that’s like that, think “Happy Days” or “Leave It To Beaver.” Everybody looks out for everybody and we talk in the street when we’re out. It’s always funny in the spring: we don’t see each other all winter so on the first warm day we all have to catch up.
Anyway—- the other day our neighbor asked how Baxter was and she said she really missed “Woof Wednesday” since Oscar the Beagle died and she was hoping that Baxter would take it up and write the column.
In case you don’t know, “Woof Wednesday” was a weekly column of the world through the eyes of my rascally beagle Oscar. When Oscar died I did think about writing it through the eyes of Baxter but Priscilla and I decided it would be difficult because Baxter rarely does anything wrong. He’s a good boy who really doesn’t get into mischief. Basically what I’m saying is he would have nothing to write about.
I thought this would give me a chance to give you an update on our lovable Golden. “Bax” is doing okay but he does miss his little buddy. We think he went through a period of depression when Oscar died. He just wasn’t himself and seemed to lay around just being quiet. Maybe he was fine and we were just projecting our grief on him.
He eats slower now, more like “grazing,” but we’ve realized that he HAD to eat fast before or Oscar would steal his food. Maybe he prefers this slower pace.
He still goes for daily walks but it feels like something is missing.
Recently Priscilla wanted to sit in the front yard instead of the back and she wanted Baxter to be with her. We had Oscar’s lead in the shed so she decided to put Baxter on that. When she hooked him up he must have smelled Oscar’s scent and he was all hyper looking for him. No I’m not crying. There’s something in my eye.
Oscar is buried in the backyard and the kids made a nice marker for him.
Sometimes Baxter walks over there and just sits. Darn! I got something in my eye again.
He’s a fluffy old Golden living out his years. The arthritis is getting worse and he needs help getting up the stairs, but then again so do I somedays. He sleeps later now which, again, proves Oscar was the instigator of “Your eyes are open? Good! Feed me!”
F.Y.I. I’m taking the advice of my friend Frank who always said I should write a book about Oscar. I’m going through all the past “Woof Wednesday” columns and adding to it. It might not be done for Christmas but look for “The Oscar Chronicles” (working title, might change) coming soon.
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