Enzo Arrives at the Bridge

  

 

When Lucky came to the Bridge, he gave me heartbreaking news, Enzo, a renowned business owner, blogger, and champion family dog, who had his own mountain, and two adoring parents, was soon to arrive.

It was Enzo's wish to have a garage where he could practice his favorite activity, fixing cars, and all his friends could grab a cup of Joe, sit around, and regale one another with stories. Enzo's friends came together quickly and built his garage in record time.

We put a giant "Welcome Enzo" sign over the garage and waited for our friend to arrive. After the third day, his friends grew restless and asked me to keep him. "Oh nothing," Enzo, who had cancer, and in January, was given just a few days to live, said. "I'm going tomorrow, and I am going to be with my parents one more day. "

Well, I couldn't deny the great Enzo one more day with his parents. I told the group to prepare for his arrival tomorrow.

The sun rose and set with no Enzo. I flew back down to see him, and he said he would be coming tomorrow; he wanted one more day with his parents.

"That's what he said yesterday!" Hattie said. "If I wear this dress one more day, I will be a fright."

"He was in sorry shape when I left," Lucky told us. "I don't know how he is still mortal. I am sure we will see him tomorrow."

A week later, we were still waiting. We had to replace the banner twice and work hard to keep the garage spotless. I checked with Enzo every day, and he said he would be arriving tomorrow. But he still didn't cross over.

I told the others to be patient. If we could stay with our parents for the extra time, we would do it. I know Enzo was metering out his heartbeats, breathing slowly, and doing all he could to stay with his parents. I knew he would be sent to us someday; all dogs do.

A month later, I was rethinking my position. Enzo, against all odds, had not arrived. I remembered the legend of the dog who never crossed over, just spent years roaming the world. I thought it was a myth, but Enzo had me thinking otherwise.

This morning, I woke up to banging in the garage. I rolled over to see Enzo working on a car. "You came!" I barked excitedly.

"I have a list of repairs I have to make and customers waiting. I am sorry I took so long; I had to settle my affairs."  It didn't surprise me that Enzo was allowed to bypass the swearing-in process. He has always been an angel on earth. "Before I arrived, I fixed the escalator to the Bridge. It will save angels from having to climb," he said. That was perfect Enzo. Even when he arrived at the Bridge, he put others first. He tried hiding his sadness over parting with his parents. I know he will never truly leave Enzo's mountain, and part of him will always be running up the hills hurrying through the trees and dancing on the breeze.

 I should have known Enzo was not the legend of the dog who never went to the Bridge because Enzo is a legend on his own: Loyal friend, beloved son to his parents, top engineer, crafter of tales, king of the mountain. There will never be another Enzo in his parents' hearts. That pup will have mighty big paws to fill, but between Enzo's guidance and his parents' love, whoever the future owner of the mountain is, it will become a legend on its own.

But for now, I pulled up a chair, grabbed a cuppa Joe, and with old friends, we talked about past days as Enzo worked on his cars, his tails happily wagging, listening to his friends.