Presents

The other day (probably last Wednesday, June 18, 2008) Linda was vacuuming our Castro-Convertible.
Killian used to sleep on the Castro-Convertible. It had to be modified to suit him; pillows removed, blankets installed, etc.
Linda had folded out the Castro-Convertible, first time in years.
Suddenly a dusty Milkbone appeared.
We used to play the Milkbone game with Killian, if he had finished his supper, which he usually did.
It was more the game than the treat.
I’d hide the Milkbone while Killian sat out of sight, and then shout “All right, you little monkey!”
Killian would run all over in search of the milkbone. Usually he knew where to look; he’d listened while I hid it.
So he usually found it right away.
Then there was the question of whether he’d eat it — usually he did.
But sometimes he didn’t, in which case he had to hide the Milkbone for later consumption.
Often he’d go to the porch door, to bury it out back.
But I’d remove it from his mouth; we didn’t want a Milkbone outside going soggy in the dirt.
Other times he’d hide them inside — like inside the Castro-Convertible.
How many times did we find Milkbones carefully buried under our bed-pillows?
The next day (Thursday, June 19, 2008), Linda was vacuuming our bedroom closet, and there behind her shoes, well out of sight, was a carefully buried Milkbone.

“Linda” is my wife of 40+ years.

“Killian” was our dog; a rescue Irish-Setter. He had lymphatic cancer, and didn’t survive. —He was over 10; we never knew his birthdate. (One of the neatest dogs we’ve ever had.)

A “Castro-Convertible” is a fold-out sofa-bed. The Castro-Convertible Company was sold to Krause's Furniture in 1993. The founders are dead.

A “Milkbone” is a dog-treat. Killian ate only “GravyBones;” gravy flavored miniature Milkbones.

We may get another dog today (Sunday, June 22, 2008), but it won’t be Killian.