Hiking the rail-trail in honor of Killian

—“Volunteer for a what?” I asked a lady hiking Lehigh Valley RailTrail.
“Volunteer” was emblazoned on her teeshirt.
“Monroe-County Parks Department,” she said.
“So you guys are probably responsible for this rail-trail,” I said.
“Yes, and isn’t it beautiful?”
“I used to call that area over there ‘the cathedral-of-trees’,” I said, pointing to where the old railroad grade passed through overhanging woods.
“Me and Killian walked this trail many times, and I just lost Killian.
“I’m sorry,” she said.
“He’s in here, I said. “Up by the mile-marker.”
“Did he run away?”
“No, cancer,” I said.
And he loved hiking this trail. He’d bark the whole way here, and we were six-seven miles away. He knew where we were going.
“Silliest, craziest, neatest Irish-Setter I ever had. The dog that made my socializing possible. I wouldn’t be talking to you if not for Killian.
He’d pull me toward you, then lean into you wanting to be petted. A ‘people-dog’.”
“So how old was he?”
“11,” I said.
“So you gave him 11 good years,” she said.
“NOPE! Only two,” I said. “He was rescue.”
I had to leave — I was tearing up.
“That’s okay,” she said. “I understand.”
“Wildest, craziest, neatest Irish-Setter I ever had,” I mumbled.