A Rainbow Bridge Story

My Capricious Delight

As Capri, the Afghan Hound, strolled along enjoying the beautiful fields and wonderful shade trees, she realized she felt better than she ever had before. Everything also looked much brighter and clearer than it had in years. “My goodness” she thought. “I feel like a young puppy again!” She was amazed by the beauty of her surroundings and the peacefulness she felt inside.

All of a sudden she heard a familiar voice.

“Hey, Capri you’re late,” exclaimed Kashmere.

“Kashmere, my old friend, I haven’t seen you in ages. What do you mean, late? I’m not late. Late for what?” Capri replied.

“Oh yes you are late! We’ve been waiting on you here. I wanted you on our team to play fetch. You are a great fetcher and we needed you.” Kashmere retorted back. “Do you know how many games you could have made a difference in?”

“I said I’m NOT late...what in the world are you talking about?” was Capri’s reply. She couldn’t understand why her old friend would be so insulting about her timing.

“Well” Kashmere replied, “You were supposed to be here exactly 14 1/2 years, 3 hours, 2 minutes and 45 seconds ago!”

“What are you talking about? And hey, didn’t you get hit by a car?” asked Capri. “Everyone was talking about it you know?” “Pretty gruesome I heard.”

Kashmere’s face became contorted. She looked at Capri and asked, “Do you know where you are?”

“Well, as a matter of fact, no, I was just wondering about that!” Capri said with a curious look on her face. “It is really beautiful here, and I feel so at peace and comfortable. Something I have never felt before.”

“I didn’t think you had a clue! Did you ever wonder how come a dog of your age feels so good? How a dog with cataracts could see so well?” Kashmere smartly replied.

“What is your point my old friend?” Now Capri was curious and confused at the same time.

“How do you think my mangled legs have straightened out so? Did you hear how many of my bones were broken by that car? Look at me...I am the picture of health!” Kashmere was proud to reply.

“Well,” replied Capri, “I was wondering about that. I thought maybe it was only a rumor I heard and that maybe you had been sent to a new home. Everyone knew how difficult you could be.”

“Hey, I was sent to a new home alright. This one. That car did me in. And let me tell you, it is the greatest place to be! None of us here want for anything. Anything that is, except for our special humans” Kashmere now had a hint of longingness in her eyes. She was thinking of her special human that she missed very much. “Capri this is where we wait...we wait for our special humans to cross over the Rainbow Bridge. Look...it is just over there.

“Wow!” exclaimed Capri. “This is really it? I can’t believe it. I made it here. When is my special human coming to get me?”

Kashmere replied, “We don’t know the answer to that question my dear friend.” But I can tell you this. Our wait will be comfortable and enjoyable. We want for nothing here.

As Capri looked around she began to have lots of questions about her new surroundings. “What is that?” Capri asked her old friend.

“Oh, that is the “Goat Dog” yard replied Kashmere. “Those dogs are the ones that didn’t listen to their owners and chased and killed goats in their lifetime. They never realized that what they did would eventually have consequences.” Those goats in that luscious green field with trees that forever have leaves for them to eat are waiting for their owners to come. In the meantime, the dogs that took their lives on earth are there and will be forever chased by the ones they harmed. One must pay for the injustices that have been done on earth.”

“Oh my,” said Capri. “I’m so glad my owner kept me from doing things like that! I can’t imagine the humiliation of being chased by a goat!”

Kashmere just nodded and replied, “There are all sorts of places here like that for bad dogs. We must pay our dues for the bad things we did. There are places here for chicken killers, cat killers...you name it, it’s here!”

Pointing to another area, nosy little Capri asked, “Who are those animals over there?” She had so many questions to ask and was curious about all of her new surroundings.

Kashmere smiled and said, “Oh those animals are the ones that were unwanted by their humans on earth. They will get to go to people who couldn’t have pets before...you know...like the humans whose companions forbade them to have pets...those who wanted pets but were unable to pay for their care...no animal goes without love here! It is a wonderful thing. Someone will come for them and they won’t have to spend eternity alone.”

All of a sudden Kashmere got the grandest smile on her face. “Oh and just wait until you get to meet the big boss...he is the main man behind the golden gates after you cross the
Rainbow Bridge...he is really nice, you’ll like him. Sometimes he will come and sit with us, bringing us our favorite treats. He talks with us and gives us pats. When he pats you, you are just overwhelmed with love. He loves all of his animals very much and you can just feel it when he is here. A very gentle man he is. We all enjoy his company very much. You will never experience a touch quite like his.”

Suddenly Capri was overwhelmed with emotion and seemed to realize what was going on. She realized that she had a purpose in life. She turned to her old friend Kashmere and said, “No, my dear friend, I am not late in my arrival here. I now realize that I have had a job to do on earth. A very important job. More important than a ball game with my dear friends.” Capri now had a very serious look on her face. “That job was to teach my human owner compassion and to respect life. She needed to learn that a little hard work can bring a lot of love and joy into your life. Heck, if she hadn’t have saved me, she wouldn’t have learned that lesson! My life would have been without meaning. I had to teach her unconditional love for the smallest and sickest of animals. It sure was a struggle for me, I didn’t know if she’d pull me out of it sometimes, but hey, it was well worth it!” Now Capri was beaming with joy...the joy and pride of having a purpose in life.

All of a sudden Buddy, a Golden Retriever, suddenly stopped in his tracks. He had a glow in his eyes that nobody had seen before. He stood erect. His ears were upright. His tail had a wag in it that nobody had ever seen before. All of a sudden he ran as fast as he could.

“What is going on?” asked Capri.

“Shhhhh”, said Kashmere in a whispering voice, “That is Buddy’s special human. They have come for him and the two are going to cross over the bridge together.”

There was a joyous tear in everyone’s eye. All of the animals stood for a moment in silence out of respect...respect for the love of a human and their animal and of having an animal get to meet their special human and cross the Rainbow Bridge and be together forever. It is a reverent response that each one gets in this beautiful waiting place.

After watching Buddy and his owner crossed the bridge together everything resumed as it had been before. All games were being played, grass eaten, frolicking just for the enjoyment of it...naptime whenever and just for the fun of it...everything that is, but with a brighter light within each animal. The light that left each one knowing that their special human would be coming for them and they could cross the Rainbow Bridge together and never be apart again.

The photo is of Capri at 10 months old. This is a partial true story. The story is about Calisso Capricious Delight, a puppy that I bred that unfortunately was born with her intestines out. A puppy that some breeders would have not considered saving. A puppy that some veterinarians told me they wouldn’t have tried to save. This puppy after having her intestines put back in came up with septicemia, a blood infection that is serious. I carried her under my shirt for 4 1/2 weeks fighting for her life. This puppy lived for 14 1/2 years. She was the dominate force in the household. No one could over rule her. She dictated when it was time to eat, time for treats and when nap time was. She loved to nap with her head upside down on her favorite chair. When she met my soon to be husband’s then 6 year old Shepherd (and Capri was 10) she made sure that the Shepherd understood that she COULDN’T play in the house and the Shepherd obeyed! At her 14 1/2 years she still ran up and down the stairs to sleep with us and be by our side. I had her put to sleep in my arms after her kidneys and liver quit working. She is cremated and her remains are in a brass urn and with me today. She was very special to me and I hope to cross the bridge with her by my side. I still miss my Capricious Delight.