The Dream

I have recurring dreams about my dogs. Sometimes they are the stars, sometimes just bit players. Most of the time, the images of dogs in my dream are a little mixed up. They never look exactly like any one of the Goldens in my life, but they always have Golden features. It’s October 22, 2012 and I had another vivid dream this morning. As usual, I’m the star of my dream, drifting around some familiar, but unidentifiable location, losing my pants, trying to tee up a golf ball and hit it, but there is no room to swing or some other bizarre, frustrating circumstance. This morning was not any different, finding myself in a historic college dorm or McMenamins type hotel, talking to Chandler and Ross about god knows what (I don’t even watch Friends anymore), ducking into a room to change my clothes and hoping the occupants didn't return to catch me. During all of the strange interactions and weird activities, I was somehow aware that one of my dogs was with me. After changing my clothes in the room that wasn't mine, I walked down a hall and began searching for my dog (he wasn't in the room with me), asking strangers in the hotel, whose face I saw, but didn’t know, if they have seen Devo! At that moment Devo became “the dog” for this episode.Immediately I began earnestly searching for Devo; peeking in rooms and hallways, crawling in cubby holes and through kitchens, seeing strangers, but no dogs. Then I went outside and called his name once. I saw a dog in the distance, camouflaged by tall grass and reeds trotting back and fourth making progress, moving closer to me. He was a thin Golden with a fox’s tail; obviously not Devo. I then turned and began calling Devo’s name loudly exactly like I've called him thousands of times. I could feel my vocal chords performing this familiar call; it was so real. Then I heard him reply! It was his bark – three times. I knew I found him. Then I woke up.

Devo

I slept in today after a long drive yesterday, returning from a visit with family in Salem OR, sleeping in a strange bed and now welcoming my familiar, comfortable home field slumber advantage. It was one of those dreams I have the last two hours in the morning after I get up to pee, pet Easton and slide back into bed. I've had a few dreams in the last couple of years where I vividly call one of my dogs in my sleep. This is the first time one of them has answered. So perfectly accurate was the vocalization of Devo’s reply, he could have been standing next to me. Then a couple of hours ago, I saw the picture below posted on Facebook. It not only motivated me to document the dream, but it’s exactly how I pictured the Rainbow Bridge to look when I arrive. Sunny would be in charge, Lady would be the matriarch, Cosmo making sure everybody was happy and Devo (who was happiest when he had a job to do) would be the messenger – always busy insuring the link between heaven and earth passed through the bridge. If Devo felt the need, he could send the message: “Here we are, here we are”. I hear you my pal, I hear you.