Bailey’s brother Brutus preceded him to the Bridge by eight months. A few years before that their brother Hans made his final journey. That made more members of the Boxer Brigade at the Bridge than at their Mom’s house.
This is part of the reason I neglected to single out Bailey for recognition. As soon as he crossed he disappeared with his two brothers. We would hear rumors of an urgent project the Boxer trio were undertaking, but there were no details.
Earlier this week I found an exhausted Bailey lying on the river bank. I assembled all my ovarian fortitude to perform one of my most difficult duties: to apologize. When I arrived at his side, he looked at me and smiled. “Hi Foley, I want to apologize for not being around since I arrived,” he said. I sighed in relief. If Bailey was going to apologize there was no reason for both of us to do it. “Hans, Brutus and I have been working on a special project,” Bailey continued. “We found some new Boxers for our Mom!”
This was fabulous news. I see so many parents still suffering from an ending, which is always sad. It fills my soul with joy when I learn of a parent who is experiencing the elation of a new beginning.
The Boxer Brigade interviewed thousands of potential dogs looking for the perfect pup. Hans chose one, Brutus chose another one, and they left it up to Bailey to decide. There was only one choice he could make.
The three brothers then bombarded their mom’s dreams. It was going to a strenuous task to convince their mom to agree to their plan because Bailey had decided her pack needed two new dogs. That was a lot for a parent to shoulder.
But their mom knew, when the notion of getting two dogs came to her, that it had to be her boys who planted the idea.
Shortly after the concept was introduced the two beautiful boxer pups the trio selected, Atlas and Bosco, joined Thor and Lola making the Boxer a pack of four again for the first time in five years.
Their mom was certainly lucky finding t two dogs who were vetted so thoroughly by her angels. Within three days of entering the Boxer house, Atlas and Bosco were already using the doggy door like they knew why it was there. They also knew all the games Thor and Lola enjoyed. The fit into the pack seamlessly.
While I was talking with Bailey, Hans and Brutus joined us. I congratulated them on finding the perfect pups for their mom. Then I watched the three of them take off, happily running through the hills and valleys, laughing all the way, knowing they had fulfilled their duty and made their mom happy again.
They did the same for me, because I love beginnings, and the new Boxer duo are quite a beginning indeed.
