Jakey arrives at Rainbow Bridge in Style

 

I have sadly seen thousands of dogs cross the Bridge, but no one did it like Jakey.

The Shih Tzu, who lived as a mortal dog for more than 16 years, has finally run out of heartbeats after a challenging year. His parents decided to take on all his pain and to suffer themselves, freeing him of that burden, and send him to the Bridge, where he would be reunited with his best friend, Dory.

I didn't see Jakey rise out of the water, but considering how he arrived, that must have been a sight, like a whale breaching the ocean and delighting sight-seers with his appearance.

I usually only know when a soul is crossing when I see them, but the sound announced his arrival from the horn in the RV he had driven to the mortal side.

At first, the Bridge needed to be wider to accommodate the RV, and I had forgotten about Bridge magic. When the RN approached, the Bridge suddenly widened, and Jakey triumphantly drove across one paw on the steering wheel and a second waving to the dogs awaiting him.

There was a second problem. Bloggerville sits on top of a cliff; even with Bridge magic, it would never be wide enough to fit the vehicle. Jakey drove the RV toward the cliff, hit a button, and sprouted wings, lifting it high until it settled on Hobo's Landing, where I awaited to give him the Angel Oath.

I did quickly, knowing his beloved sister Dodo was anxiously waiting for the reunion. When I finished, the two ran at one another and gave me a long hug. One of our older residents asked why Jakey drove an RV to the Bridge.

"My parents drove one like this," he explained. "They used to drive us all over the west coast, and we all saw the most beautiful places. I don't think we were ever happier than when we were barreling down the highway, windows open, wind in our hair, with the whole world ahead of us, living a life of endless possibility. Now that we are immortal, we can still get that sensation."

Dory happily climbed on board, as did all the pets their parents had before them. There was still room, and Jakey asked if anyone else wanted to go, and I leaped on board.

I wasn't sure where we were going, but the real fun is getting there with friends.