Ranger's Party

 

"Geordie, check the balloons; Lily, make sure the cake is frosted. Tiara, have everyone gather in a group; Max, get ready to play your trumpet  because Ranger is coming."

Ranger's angel friends had promised his mom they would give him a hero's reception when he arrived at the Bridge. Tommy was at the grill cooking steaks; the Golden Girls were planning a dance in celebration; AJ readied the silent fireworks that would hail Ranger's arrival.

Most important was Tango because he had the stopwatch, which contained all of the memories Ranger had lost in his final few months.

His mom began to notice the signs of dementia in Ranger earlier this year and hoped the progress of the disease would be slow. Still, the illness took away Ranger's mind like a rat eating a large pizza, slowly and methodically. Like all such diseases, it seemed to advance slowly than all at once,

The memories dementia sufferers lose go to the Bridge and are kept by their primary angel. The memories are uploaded to the closed pocket watch automatically and are only released when the soul who created them arrives, then the watch is opened, and full memory is reinstalled.

River's job as bailiff is to greet dogs when they first crawl out of the River of Life; I suggested that Tango give her the pocket watch, but Tango refused. The angel said they would go with River. It was highly inappropriate, but sometimes judges need to set a precedent, and I did so Tango could go with River.

They walked down to the water to wait. Ranger would be confused upon emerging but will notice all his pain and illness have gone, and he will feel whole again.

It was important to time the opening of the watch exactly when Ranger emerged because he wouldn't recognize his family and friends and may flee in fright in danger of wandering the River bank between the two worlds.

My faith in Tango was rewarded when the pup opened the watch at the exact moment, and Ranger's memories hit him like two waves, one that studied his boat and the second containing the knowledge that he had left his mom almost capsizing him. He hoped he could still tell his mom he loved her before he departed.  

That is why we had planned this spectacular party, so Ranger would not dwell on his passing. River and Tango hurried him up Enzo's escalator, and I quickly gave him the Angel Oath. Tommy slapped a steak in front of him, Tashi served him a pie, Hobo gave Ranger his first bone beer, Lily showed him the four-layered cake taller than her, Max served him a side of fresh squirrel, and Geordie appointed himself head waiter,  We all did our best to keep sorrow at bay,

Sadly we have gotten good at it.

Tango and Ranger joined their mom's other dogs when the party concluded. They are rebuilding her broken heart. Hurricane Ian can't do the structural damage that is accomplished by the departure of a beloved dog,

It will be an arduous task since the amount of pain a survivor feels equals the amount of love they share, which means it is enormous.

But, the pack of Wild Ones has done it before, and now that Ranger is with them, with a mind full of memories, I know he can do it again.

Poetry Thursday

Welcome to poetry Thursday hosted by our friends Angel Sammys and Teddys Pawetaton Here is our inspiration followed by our poem 

Puff, the hurting dragon, had a toothache.

And went to a fro looking for someone with a dental degree

Little Jackie paper loved dentistry

And brought him drills and floss wax and other  oral stuff, oh.

Puff, the hurting dragon, had a toothache.

But no dentist would see him because he was fourteen foot three

Puff, the magic dragon, let out a cry

He needed someone to pull his tooth, and no dental coverage had he

They met one another at a museum, and Puff let out a wail

Jackie said he could help Puff, and he would not fail

ff. He had a bag with dental tools; when he went out, it always came.

Puff put his head down, and Jackie wiggled a tooth, causing Puff to cry loudly.

Puff, the hurting dragon, had a toothache.

But no dentist would see him because he was fourteen foot three

Puff, the magic dragon, let out a cry

He needed someone to pull his tooth, and no dental coverage had he

A dragon lives forever, but toothaches can be stopped

And Jackie used all his tools including a fourteen-foot rope

\Jackie pulled out the tooth, and it hurt no more

And Puff the Mighty Dragon, he ceased his painful roar

Puff thanked Jackie and wagged his scaly tail

Knocking two Volvos parked in from of the hail

Without his troublesome tooth, Puff could be brave

And he opened his treasure chest hidden in his cave

He paid for Jackie’s dental degree, and he went to Yale

And now Jackie is a dragon dentist for dragons with scaly tails.

Wordless Wednesday

 

Beat This Caption

 

Harriet, how could you, and with my brother no less?

Monday Question

 

Saturday night our dad was in bed reading. The lights were out and he was reading on his phone, which was set to dark mode so it was very dark. He felt a paw on his hand, the nails sticking into his palm, and the pads. He thought I wanted something so he turned on the light on the phone and I was snuggled deep under the covers. He wonders which angel came to visit him.

 

Do your parents have a ghost story.

The Ruby Rose Report: September 25, 2022

 

My parents did not mind the little bird pecking on our window glass. To them, it was just a thing that happened. But even at a young age, I knew better. The bird was pecking with a purpose.

 

I went to the window and inquired what the bird wanted. “My name is Clarence Sparrow, fowl attorney, and I represent the birds who live in the fern trees in your yard. Last night one of our group was eating on the grass when your cat viciously attacked and killed it.”

 

I was very sorry to learn of the bird’s demise, but I explained that I was the only pet in the household and wouldn’t hurt one, especially since I seldom go out.

 

“It’s that darn cat who lives under your steps,” Sparrow accused.

 

River warned me about Ugly Joan, our southern border. But I had not smelled tail or butt of her.

 

Sparrow continued: “We demand the immediate removal of the cat, also fresh bird feed every day and not the cheap supermarket stuff that we spit out and causes weeds to grow under the feeder. The same thing happens in our bellies. 

 

“If you do not agree to our demands, we will not let your angel siblings borrow bird bodies to visit the mortal side, and we will fly into the windows, causing a loud smack leaving a blood and feather stain.”

 

This bird was serious.

 

I took a nap and summoned Foley. She said she would meet with our downstairs tenant and the birds. I listened from the kitchen grate. That is when I learned that ugly Jona had moved to mousier pastures, and her son Cantankerous Chris was now living under our stars.

 

He lived up to his name. 

 

First, he mistook Sparrow for lunch and tried to swipe the bird into his mouth. 

 

Then he refused to stop eating the birds. I had to stop listening when mommy called me to sit with her. 

 

The negotiations went on for hours. That night Foley visited me and reported that they had settled. The Angels could still use the bird buddies as long as Chris let out a warning meow before attacking,

 

“But what about the birds smashing into the window if we don’t serve the best food?” I asked and was told by Foley those were mortal problems.

 

It took several persuasive dream visits by Pocket, who was on my side because tiny dogs must stay together to get my parents to buy the expensive bird food.

 

I barked at my parents whenever the feeder got low so we were not feather bombed. But one morning, a rogue squirrel raided the stash, and the feeder was bare.

 

The birds had loaded a fat Robin into a slingshot and were preparing to fire it at our living room window. I begged them to stop and said they couldn’t hurt the little bird. They told me birds never die; they graduate into new bodies.

 

So why were they so upset at Cantankerous Chris if the eaten got a new body?

 

I needed more time to ask when the birds began firing their volunteers and unwanted eggs at the windows, creating a defining bang and an unholy mess. 

 

That darn cat had got us into a war with Angry Birds, and now we were under attack. 

 

It is going to be up to me to keep the peace.

 

Thank God I am Ruby Rose, the baby boss. 

 

I hope the birds respect my authority. 

 

Friendly Fill-ins

My good firneds Ellen of 15andmeowing and Lorianne of Four-Legged Furballs, provide Friendly Fill-in questions.

This is the first time that me, Ruby Rose, has answered the questions. Wish me luck. My answers are in bold.

Here are this weeks questions:
1. Pee pads should come with instructions..
2. And just like that the stuffie I had been chewing on exploded and spread fully across the room

 3. I get funny looks from others when I do this

 

 
4. I once tried to be good an entire day and I failed.