Echo

I run through the woods exploring, looking at the squirrel that just scampered down the tree to greet me, and then just as quickly scurries off. I chase him a bit until it disappears into some leaves. Funny how fast they are for being so little. I’m a lot bigger and I think I can run very fast but they always leave me behind.

As I look around some more I see a rabbit hopping to another one. They must be pals although each one is clearly looking out for its own food to eat. Must be nice to have another friend that is the same. 

Just then I hear my friend call my name, Echo. I think he called me that because when he first got me at the dog pound I barked every time he said something.  Now I hear him yelling my name loudly but not meanly. Echo! He is the kindest man in the world I think. He takes me on long walks in the woods like today where I run off and explore and he wanders and thinks on his own. He’s a good friend. 

Sometimes I think he thinks he is taking me on a walk but I know that I’m the one who is taking him on a walk. If it weren’t for me nuzzling at the door to go out he would stay in most of the day and tap tap tap on that machine with a screen. 

But eventually, he does hear me, he sees me, and he opens the door and we go out back through the yard and into the woods. I hear him sigh loudly as we enter the forest. It’s as if he is really breathing now, taking in big gulps of fresh air instead of the conditioned air inside. He needed this and I knew it, plus I needed it too. We’re a good pair.

I keep looking around as I run back towards him. I see him wandering aimlessly calling my name but never worrying. He is confident that I would never leave him, never keep running and not come back to him. I feel the same way about him. He will always look for me and walk home with me. 

He doesn’t really take me home, we walk there together. There is no taking, there is just enjoying the adventure out and then walking home for the life we have there together.

All of a sudden we both see an eagle flying high in the sky. We stop and listen quietly and just watch. He has a look of awe on his face but I’m not jealous. It’s the look he gives me multiple times a day when I run to him and sit by his feet as he works. Or the times I jump on the couch beside him as we watch television. 

Today after seeing the eagle for a moment he takes out his phone to take pictures, zooming in and out, getting some video as well. Then he turns from pointing the phone camera at the sky and starts taking pictures and videos of me. He knows I love to perform and I run around in circles and jump up and bark and he laughs and smiles as I do all of this. Later as we sit together on the porch tonight he will show me the pictures and videos of the eagle and of me. He will talk about how we saw the eagle and how we took the pictures. He will smile and tell me that these are some of the best pictures we have ever taken, especially the ones of me.

He will laugh as I bark saying yes and he will rub my head and tell me he loves me. I will bark in response and nod my head and he will hug me and then get a treat for me and one for himself. 

Sometimes he almost seems to know what I am thinking. Almost. It’s as if he hears me and gets me. Just like he’s in my head, maybe I’m in his head too. Echo.