Outpouring of Love

After Harvey left, I was shocked by the outpouring of love and kindness shown to me by friends and neighbors and starngers. The vet clinic was kind and sent some nice flowers a few days after he passed. Then people started dropping off cards and notes and beer and baking. Every day there was a new card - even from Bianca, the old Italian woman across the street who is not a fan of dogs. I had some cards printed with one of my favorite photos I had ever taken of Harvey. An evening shot from up on Rose Hill. He was happy and smiling and bathed in orange sunlight as the sun sank. I wanted to thank people who were important to us. People who had helped shape Harvey into the wonderfuil dog he became. 

I sent one to the staff of Red Collar thanking them for welcoming us into their business and friends and family. It wasn't always easy - there were disagreements between Harvey and other dogs, he barfed on their patio and peed on the floor of the taproom. They never batted an eye and were always happy to see us again. They gotr all of their staff to write a small note on a card and dropped it off at my house with some of the beer I usually drank there. 

Random people would come by the house and offered their condolences - people I don't even remember meeting. Walking alone I was stopped on the street asking where Harvey was by all kinds of people. We did walk a lot and he was haed to miss. The top picture is from a littler girl named Mia who is a student in a friends daycare class. They would stop by and wave and talk to Harvey as he laid on the front deck. They weren't brave enough to come right up but they always made sure to stop by. 

I shook hands and hugged and cried wityh a lot of different people and it is still happening. I think people can tell when a dog is more than a pet. Harvey was my absolute best friend and they could tell. And they appreciated it. My mother always said "there's a lid for every pot" meaning there is someone out there for everyone. Maybe my lid was a dog. A dog named Harvey.