Zimbabwe Absurdity

Just the two of us – my last photo of Jenni

I walked past your grave the other day and stopped to chat but you were not there. So I called you, and you came to me like you always did; cheerful, a wide expectant doggy grin, tail high and gently wagging. You lent against me and looked up at me in the prime of your life – beautiful and sleek. So I took you for a run and you waited for my command of “Come!” and powered out of the gate past the pickup delighting in the strength of your stride, the wind blowing your ears back. You loped easily ahead of the truck tail circling for balance occasionally looking back to see why I was so slow. Then you spotted a francolin and the chase was on. Tail straight and steady, your driving legs accelerating you at  a rate that I loved to watch and envy. A whir of feathers and the francolin was gone and you stopped and turned on full alert, always hoping for a second chance that never came.

My gentle Jen taking a biscuit out of my mouth. Always ready for some affection – leaping half into the truck when I came home, demanding some love which you always got. Snuggling up to me on the bed if I came to lie down with you before bed time. Rolling over onto me if I sat down by the hi-fi to put on some music and then pawing me away. Nibbling my ear without hurting me.