Fifteen years ago, Maria bought a squeaky rubber toy for her dog Frieda, a Shepherd/Rottweiler mix (Second Chance Dog). Frieda eventually ate the squeaker, but we often saw her out in the yard tossing the battered thing into the air, catching it and  racing around the yard. It was her favorite toy.

After she died, Lenore carried it around, and then  Fate. Now, Gus has taken it over. How curious to have one battered old toy connect us to the spirits of the wonderful dogs, we were so lucky to have all of them. Gus is very serious about this ball, although he can barely get his mouth around it.

He picks it up, marches back and forth in the yard, teases Fate with it, and then grows and barks at it. I often think of Frieda, I called her the Dog Who Kept Men Away, and she was determined to keep me a way from Maria. I spent a year training her and we bonded, but she was always Maria’s dog, and always protected her. I am happy her old ball (it has feet) has survived all these years of dog history, and is still just as beloved as ever. No other dog toy of ours has survived nearly as long.

Perhaps it is is her spirit that continues to watch over Maria.