Moment of Truth

Guess was our friend. She was ever so loyal to those who loved her and needed a companion for a walk around the block. She never failed to defend you in case of harm or when approached by someone she did not know. She was old and tired, but she was a survivor. Some days with no food or drink available at hand, she would find a means to eat and drink. She was always welcome at our place, and whenever she would drop by, we would have something ready for her to eat and so did others on our block. Not only was she our friend, but that friendship was shared with those who would care to love her, including those who worked at the SDA Clinic, which is just a minute away from our house. She lived humbly and moved around the block often. If she wasn't staying at a neighbors, she had a cozy spot outside our porch or she lived under the clinic's chapel. Either way, she appeared comfortable.

You see, Guess was a boonie dog, a stray living on whatever she could get. Fortunately, she lived on the clinic's compound, got pretty comfortable and never left. The people living here treated her as their own and that's how she has survived throughout the years. It had been weeks since we had last seen Guess. It seemed quite unusual for her not to pay us a visit. Her usual time to greet us was in the evenings just in time for dinner or we would find her loitering around outside the front of the house midday.

Just this afternoon my husband informed me that Guess was hit by a car and died. I cried as tho she were my own dog. I never did own one before, but I feel sensitive to those who know what it may feel like to have owned a dog, or a pet for that matter. It was her time to go.

Although it is so sad to say goodbye to her I know that this death is just temporary until we see her again.