By Richard Mabey Jr.

When my beloved father was five years old, his Aunt Myrtle’s beagle had puppies. Aunt Myrtle was Dad’s father’s oldest sister. Aunt Myrtle gave Dad one of the puppies, to be his very own puppy to care for, to nurture, to play with, to love. Dad named the little puppy, Brownie, because of the brown spots that adorned his back. My grandmother once told me about how much Dad loved his little dog from the time of his childhood.

When a person thinks of men leaving home to join the service, during World War II, this perspective is hardly ever considered. That all so many men left home and said goodbye to their mom and dad, brothers and sisters, but also said goodbye to their beloved dog. Such was the case of my dad when he left his happy home at the end of Mabey Lane to join the United States Army.

After Dad completed his basic training at Fort McClellan in Alabama, he was given a week-long furlough to visit home, before being shipped to Hickam Air Field in Hawaii. During one of my visits with my grandmother, she told me how happy Dad was to be home again, during that time of leave.

I remember Grandma telling me how Dad worked on his train village, visited his brother Earl in Boonton, and spent all so much time with his beloved dog, during his furlough. Grandma told me how Dad cried when he had to leave home that early morning, to report to Hickam Air Field, how he hugged Brownie and told the pupper, how much he loved him.

Sadly, Brownie went Home to Rainbow Bridge while Dad was serving in the Seventh Army Air Corps at Hickam Air Field. That moment when Dad hugged Brownie, in his backyard before leaving for Hawaii, would be the last time Dad would ever see his endearing little dog.

In 1999, Dad was diagnosed with kidney cancer. The doctors all agreed that Dad’s right kidney needed to be removed. So, in January of 2000, Dad had surgery to have his right kidney taken out. Right after the surgery, when Dad was recovering, the doctors told us that Dad’s right kidney was overwhelmingly filled with cancer.

After Dad had his surgery, something changed about my beloved father. He became very close to our family sheltie, Foxy. I was working in the Editorial Department of an advertising agency at the time. But Mom often told me how Dad would spend hours sitting on the couch, watching his VCR tapes of old black and white movies, with Foxy on his lap.

I think in all so many ways, Dad saw a part of his childhood dog, Brownie, in Foxy. In fact, once in a while Dad would actually call Foxy, Brownie. In many ways, it was rather heart-warming. In many other ways, it brought a bit of sadness to my heart. But I think in a way, a long-time scar in my dad’s heart was healing, in the many hours he spent loving and caring for Foxy.

In early 2006, Dad was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Dad was now in the hospital. The head nurse, on the day shift, at the hospital had a kind heart. She allowed us to bring Foxy in to see Dad. Foxy would lie beside Dad in his hospital bed. She would be all so good. She would just lie there, by Dad’s side and gently whimper. Dad would continuously pet Foxy’s head. At one time, I just had to leave Dad’s hospital room, find a quiet spot alone, and cry my eyes out. It was all so very sad to see.

I am not a theologian. I read and study the Holy Bible, but I am not a scholar of the Bible. I am not an expert on the subject of religions. But I do believe in modern day miracles. And, I do believe that God cannot be limited, in any way at all. I earnestly believe that somehow and someway, the spirit of Dad’s beloved Brownie, showed Dad his care and love through Foxy.

How many of us have really looked into the heart and mind of our blessed father? Seen the sorrow in our father’s eyes. Felt their father’s sorrows and hidden pains. O’ ghosts of another time and another place, bring this golden truth to somehow comfort heart, mind and sinew. If your dad is still on this side of Heaven’s Gate, tell him you love him. Not tomorrow, not next week, but before the sun sets today. For none of us have a written guarantee for tomorrow.

Richard Mabey Jr. is a freelance writer. He can be reached at richardmabeyjr@hotmail.com. Please put on the subject line: My Life Publications.