WAITING FOR MIKE

Mike left the town house on Sunday, July 23, on his Triumph to geocache the two northern tiers of Montana counties, a well-planned four-day trip. We agreed that I could probably manage the dogs better at the farm. So, after he left I loaded the Dakota with provisions, loaded Bess and Nellie, and we came to the farm.

It was a good time with my two friends here at the farm. I'm not sure Nellie realized that Mike had left on his motorcycle. He did not make a point of telling her good-bye. She did know that we had come to the farm without him, of course. Perhaps the fact that we traveled helped her accept the situation. At any rate, she seemed happy enough. Both dogs ate well and exercised. But yesterday I sensed that Nellie was wondering a little about this arrangement that didn't include Mike.

"Mike is coming tomorrow," I told her.. She looked at me and went upstairs to check out the bedrooms for anyone that might have escaped her notice -- maybe Jack, maybe Hallie or maybe Mike.

The three of us -- Bess, Nellie, and me -- were up early this morning and out for our walk. It's smoky all around us -- typical of summer. I don't know the location of the fire(s).

And at 8:20 Mike called from the town house to say he would be leaving shortly (on his Yamaha 250XT). So, I calculated the earliest he could be here and went out on the kitchen porch to wait. I wasn't going to chance missing Nellie's reaction.



"Mike will be here soon," I told her. She perked up her ears and stood beside my chair.



Bess slept on.

Nellie stood beside me. We were both listening. We heard bees and hummingbirds but no motorcycle.

Bess changed positions and slept on.



Nellie became impatient with the wait and dropped to her position of passive complaint with a heavy sigh . . .





while sleepy Bess slept on.

"Maybe I don't understand," Nellie said and moved off the porch.

Bess was clueless.




And then we heard it -- oh joy! Someone was coming -- a motorcycle -- and we know it's Mike. Bess sat up, wondering what all the commotion was about while Nellie raced to the lane.




Such a happy homecoming!

Little Bess has yet to learn the significance. Just wait 'til she figures out she's really Mike's dog. KW