Mourning Pets and Celebrating Unsung Heroes

Saturday was a sad, sad day. Francis, my friend’s dog, passed away on September 9. We had a visit the previous Wednesday as Lynn had shoulder surgery and I went by to see what if anything she might need. Poor Francis. Hearing gone, sight gone, control of his bodily functions a hit or miss situation, they only thing he had left was his sense of smell, that and the fact that he knew Lynn and Bill’s touch thus he knew they were there with him; his human parents. Seventeen years of wonderful life, being loved, loving, being spoiled rotten and spoiling back, over peacefully Saturday afternoon. We discussed his situation the day I went by. Euthanasia seemed to be in the very near future but Francis chose to go the way he wanted and when he wanted, not leaving that horrible decision up to those he loved. Francis will always be remembered by his friendly greetings, never ending curiosity, his capacity to love and his Texas bandanas. All that knew him will miss him; his human parents most of all.
Another September 11th has come and gone. There is nothing to say here that has not already been said. There were a few remembrances in the area. Firefighters saluted fallen brothers; relatives mourned again. Someone placed flowers at the base of the flagpole at North Augusta Public Safety and that flag was flown at half-mast. A rehash of events permeated the television, blame strewn across all areas of government and three presidential administrations. Suffice it to say we were all at fault. We were too complacent and I dare say too full of ourselves to think it would ever happen here or that some nations would tire of our interference. Now we know better; now we must be more vigilant.
Today it dawned on me how we take people for granted, especially those that serve us everyday. Take my mail carrier for instance. He is here everyday, a smile on his face, a job well done. He spoils us and as a result, on his days off we are incensed that our mail arrives anywhere from noon to 4:30 P.M. because he always is here by 11:30 a.m. We leave him cookies in the mailbox at Christmas; who knows if he actually eats them, I probably wouldn’t not knowing if the house they came from was clean, but even though he is paid well, cookies are little compensation for a job so well done. Then there is the city employee who rides around every month in the golf cart reading our meters. One hundred degree weather and he is still out there doing his job while we are cocooned in our air-conditioned spaces. Or those really nice folks that show up almost every Monday in my neighborhood to haul off limbs, cast off materials, recycle and trash. They never fail to smile or wave when they see you. And what about the person that sweeps the streets or the people that make sure our water pipes are working or keep our parks and roadsides so lovely? What about all those unsung heroes out there that make our everyday lives function like a well-oiled machine? Well this Lil Old Sad Lady says thanks guys for doing such great job; I appreciate every one of you.
Note: the Lil Old Sad Lady is an inside joke of sorts. One reader of my column wrote to the editor to say the picture accompanying my column made me look like a sad old lady. She responded by taking another photo of me for the column; I made a joke.