Seeing a ghost.

When Rourk got home yesterday from work we immediately got ready to go to a friend's house to ring in the new year. One of the last things we do when we walk out the door is let our two dogs, Sergeant and Lady, go out for a bathroom break. Lady was standing in the kitchen, but Sergeant didn't come when I called him, so I asked Rourk if he'd seen him while he was upstairs changing clothes. Rourk said that he had not, but after calling Sergeant a few more times we decided he was probably under a bed somewhere sleeping and may have even heard a few early fireworks and was hiding from them. We went on to our friend's house and didn't give Sergeant's elusiveness a second thought.

Sergeant didn't cross our minds when we got home either. It was well after midnight, we were tired and our top priority was getting Ryan and Lilly in bed without waking them. Unfortunately it wasn't until this morning that I became concerned about Sergeant. I made it downstairs first with Lilly in my arms and Lady right behind me. I let Lady out, and made myself a cup of coffee. Rourk came downstairs a few minutes later and I told him that Sergeant hadn't been out and that I hadn't seen him either. I saw the concern flash across Rourk's face and he went back upstairs to look under beds, in closets and all the other strange places Sergeant may have crawled into. Rourk came back without Sergeant and my heart started beating a little faster. Rourk then put on his coat and took a look in the backyard while I did my best to remember the last time I saw Sergeant. I started getting a bad feeling about all of this when I remember that I took the kids to the grocery yesterday and when we got home they helped me get everything in the house. I know the door was open as we were coming and going and Sergeant had every opportunity to go out it. When Rourk came back inside I told him that it would not surprise me if Sergeant slipped out the backdoor while we were getting the groceries inside.

Rourk and I just stood there in the kitchen looking at each other for a few minutes letting the magnitude of this sink in, finally Rourk said that he hoped that wasn't the case because the temperatures dipped into the 20s last night. I am in tears at this point thinking about Sergeant wander the streets last night looking for a warm place to sleep. I am also thinking that Sergeant is probably dead and I am feeling terribly guilty because I am certain that he went out while we were getting the groceries in the house.

It must have been around 8:30 a.m. when we were standing in the kitchen trying to decide what to do next. We talked about how Sergeant was wearing a collar with our telephone number embroidered on it and a fleece dog jacket and how he would not be mistaken for a stray dog and that someone would call us. Rourk decided to drive around the neighborhood and while he was gone I looked under beds one more time, but when Rourk and I met in the kitchen 30 minutes later we still didn't have our dog.

I made breakfast in silence. Rourk reminisced about taking Sergeant and Lady on hiking trips and commended Sergeant for his years of loyalty. I let the guilt seep in and I teared up again telling Rourk that I knew our time was limited with Sergeant simply because he was almost 15 years old, but I didn't want him to die alone and from exposure to the elements.

After breakfast Rourk and I took some time to ourselves. I cleaned the kitchen and he read the newspaper. I resolved that Sergeant was gone. I just couldn't see how he could have survived the cold last night and since no one had called I was losing hope that he'd be found alive. An hour or so past before Rourk announced that he was going to go take a shower and then go drive around looking for Sergeant again. I supported his decision, but I knew it was Rourk's way of doing all that he could to find his ole friend. He was gone about 40 minutes, but returned empty handed.

Once again we stood in the kitchen comforting ourselves that Sergeant had been healthy, happy and had lived a good life with us. We convinced ourselves that dying from hypothermia would be peaceful and I cried a little more for a pet that had been with us for almost as long as we'd been married. After talking for a few more minutes we busied ourselves with the kids and plans for a late lunch.

I couldn't help but gravitate toward the front door and from time to time I'd take a peak into our yard and across the street in hopes of getting a glimpse of Sergeant. On one of those trips I heard him bark. Yes, him, Sergeant. I screamed out to Rourk to come quick because I couldn't quite make out where the barking was coming from. Then we heard it again and we knew it was from upstairs. We just about knocked each other down as we were climbing the stairs, and opening doors; you can only imagine our surprise when we found him in Lilly's room. It was like seeing a ghost as he flew out the door and down the stairs eager to go outside.

We still aren't sure where he had been hiding or how long he had been in Lilly's room. We are even more bewildered that he stayed hidden while I was in the room getting Lilly ready for bed late last night and that he didn't show himself as we repeatedly called out to him today. We'll never know, but I tell you I've never been so happy to see that dog in my life that's for sure.