charley the chocolate lab

i never loved a dog.  i have had many dogs during my short 55 years, good dogs, bad dogs, but i never actually loved any of them.  oh i was nice enough, and the kids loved them, and my late husband, the bear, loved them but i never loved them.  don't tell the sister but i never even loved her dog chester, of blessed memory, even though i referred to him as my nephew.   

and then there was Charley.  Charley is a long story and i will begin with the beginning because that always works for me.  i want everyone to stop right now and realize with me that for the first time i used a capital.  by mistake.  or maybe a freudian slip.  is charley the only one who in my mind's eye deserves a capital.  it's possible.  

suffice to say that we needed a dog simply because our home was empty without one.   as a. said, who doesn't love a puppy.  it was a quick decision ending with a road trip to nowhere, to a breeder, home with a puppy wrapped in a towel.  love at first sight, not so much for me, but for everyone else.  my youngest son named her charley.

the very first day we walked this little dog at the dog park my business partner called and begged me to come to her father's home and have my fortune told by a fortune teller.  she said this several times, "a real fortune teller".  

the actual telling of my fortune was astonishing, this woman was very accurate.  near the end she looked at me and said who is charley?  my puppy.  odd, she said, i don't usually see animals but this is something different.  this dog, she said, is very different, she is your guardian angel, you must try and keep her with you at all times.  she kept shaking her head, telling me she couldn't see what it was but this was a very different, very special dog.

being responsible dog owners we took charley early one morning to be spayed.  several hours later the vet called with a post operative report, charley was fine.  why does she have a boy's name? the vet asked.  oh my teenage son didn't want her to have a girl name, simple as that. well it turns out the name was more than just a little appropriate.  charley is a hermaphrodite. that's right, a boychick, half boy and half girl on the inside, girl on the outside.  

this news was greeted with shock, disbelief, and finally laughter.  it was not viewed as a flaw by the kids, more like a bonus.  two for the money as they say.

she seemed smart enough, she learned the tricks of the trade very quickly.  a good dog needs to understand how to please each individual in the home, and even visitors to the home.  she was such a wonderful addition to my life in particular

charley and i slowly attached to each other like something, i don't exactly know what, i had never loved a dog before.  a conversation with an elderly aboriginal woman led to the discussion of hermaphrodite dogs.  she was astounded to hear that charley was such a dog and she proceeded to tell me that in aboriginal folklore these dogs were thought to have two souls and as a result were able to travel back and forth between this world and the afterlife.

and so, on july 14 last year, charley touched me all night long.  i was alone and having a stroke, she kept her head on me the entire night, she put herself between me and the stairs as i stumbled to the washroom so that i wouldn't fall.  

since that night, if i wake up for any reason, she gets up and immediately comes to see if i am okay.  she will stand beside me, her head resting on the side of the bed until i fall asleep.  i am vaguely aware of her going back to her dog bed.  if i go to the washroom she follows me, sitting in front of me, staring, waiting to make sure that i am okay.  my guardian angel. 

tomorrow i am having a little heart surgery.

so charley, just in case i need you, be ready to leave on a dime.  xoxo

 

 

 

Edited by Kath:  

At 12:52 I received this email:  "I qm done. Fine. ALl ok. Ghroggy. Xo"

All I can say is, "good dog, Charley, good dog." 

Comments

[Lan]

this post made me cry.
www.whatiseeclicks.blogspot.com

[Kath]

Lan, me too, me too. And if you ever met Charley, you'd know. She is a special special girl/boy/girl ... dog

Kath

[ciara]

i love this story...it's amazing how animals just 'know' us. hope everything is going well.

p.s. love the sign photo for the thematic photo.

[Julie]

SOBBING.....

[Leanne]

Oh boy. Maybe I need a dog after all. Glad to hear all is well, I've been thinking of you both...now that I know of Charley though, make that..all.

Hugs

[Meryl]

Good dog charley!

It's so amazing when you find that dog that you just connect with!

[robin bird]

this is not just a story but a prayer. i loved each word and i 'get' the slip into a CAP margie :)

[Carrie Hasson]

hope you are well...
found your blog from Me Ra's site, what a lovely blog you have here.
what a catch you have in Charley!

[Geri]

What a great post. I had a dog that was super special to me. I loved her to pieces. It took ten years to get another dog after she died. Sometimes, certain animals are just so special.

[Melissa]

I have chills! God bless Charlie! I often think while looking in my Tucker's eyes that he has a knowing soul. Now I know it's not my imagination. What a beautiful story.

I hope you're doing well!!!

Hugs,
Melissa

[elk]

thank you for sharing this moment ...such emotion they can draw from us like no other being...sigh and a smile as I go off to work!
...
elk

[Gayle]

Oh my gosh, this gave me the chills, too. I'm so glad you and Charley have each other!

Thank you for linking this to the Pet Parade!

[Meryl]

What a beautiful dog and a beautiful story....

[Jennifer]

Wonderful post about a very special dog.
Wishing you a speedy recovery.

[Toni]

Tears are flowing and I'm at work - not good!! What a wonderful, heartwarming story. Dogs just seem to know when we need them most.

[Puna]

Amazing story. So touching. There's so much to ask. Half male half female? How's that?

Best to you in your "little" heart surgery tomorrow.

[elizabeth]

I am all teary. I'm glad you found such a wonderful guardian pup.

I never even really liked dogs. Then I found my beloved Atlas. And I love him so much that I think sometimes my heart will burst with it.

[Lori]

Oh my. I have tears in my eyes after reading your beautiful story of Charley. You have touched my heart truly. I am glad that you have such a wonderful protector in your friend and I wish you well on your heart surgery. Charley WILL be there for you and protect you again as she did during your stroke.

[kath]

I just read this post again today and am crying.
xo to Charley