Missing Man's Best Friend

There's this spot in my house, right by the front door. Every morning the sun will shine through the screen door and create a pattern of light on the floor, and every morning that spot is the warmest part of the whole house. For the past eighteen years, I have been able to walk downstairs in the morning and see a dog sitting in that spot, basically sunbathing. All of our family dogs have done it. For the past couple years, though, the dog I've seen sunbathing every morning is Duke. Ah, Duke, my favorite four legged furry friend, with big brown eyes and a lazy, yet playful personality. My favorite thing to do is to sit with him in his little sun spot, and usually, he will lay his head on my knee and I'll pet his back, and his fur will be warm from being in the sun for so long. And even though he cannot tell me, I know he loves it.

However, for the past six months, I've been at school, unable to sit with him in his sun spot, unable to play with him, and unable to feed him under the kitchen table (even though I'm not supposed to... sorry mom). For all you dog lovers out there, you know exactly what I am talking about. It might not be the same exact situation as mine, but you know the bond you share with your pet. It's basically a friendship. And in a friendship, you remember the little moments that make your relationship what it is... you also miss your friends when they're not around. That is a reality I know all too well.

At school, there's a pet store where you can sit with a puppy and play with them and pet them and love on them until your twenty minutes is up. I go just about every weekend, and I gush like crazy over those puppies. I want nothing more than for each and every one of them to find loving homes, and when I play with those puppies, all I can think about is my boy, Duke. I think about him sitting at home in his little bed on the steps, without me there to pet him. I love all dogs, but the connection I have with my own dog is unlike any other.

Whenever I leave to go back to school, my family always tells me that he seems sad when I'm gone. Always. It breaks my heart because I hate being away from my Duke, but I know that when I come home, he is always there waiting for me. I cannot wait to walk in the door and see his tail wag crazy with excitement. And even though he cannot tell me, I know he loves me just as much as I love him.