Nose: A Dog, Man's Best Friend

A few years back I found myself standing along the east bank of the Catawba river near Belmont, North Carolina. It was a chilly December morning and a light mist was in the air that soon turned into a cold drizzle. I took shelter under the railroad trestle and watched the rain come down. I had packed a lunch in a brown paper bag which consisted of a turkey sandwich, some carrot sticks and an apple. I found a nice dry spot and started munching on the carrot sticks when I noticed a skinny brown dog standing in the reeds by the riverbank eyeing me carefully. He was a mutt with perhaps a terrier ancestry. I whistled softly and his head cocked to the side and his ears popped up like a couple of flags at a carnival shooting gallery. I motioned for him to come closer which he did carefully, not trusting the biped, but at the same time sniffing a morsel and hoping to partake of my generosity.
"Come on my friend, help me break my fast." I said to  him not too loud.
He gradually built up his courage and creeped a little closer. I tossed him a piece of my turkey sandwich. He stopped, his black rubber nostrils flared,cautiously sniffing the morsel as if i might be out to poison him.
"Go ahead and eat it old boy, it sure is in no position to eat you!"
He finally snatched it up and jumped back away from me as if I, the giver, would somehow attempt to wrest it from his jaws. Who knows what goes on in the mind of a savage creature. I imagine that it is similar to what goes on in the mind of a non-savage as we like to think of ourselves. I can't say for sure. I am no Jack London that can somehow penetrate into the recess' of a dog's mind.

After swallowing the morsel the beast turned its attention back to the source of his nourishment. His hollow dark eyes pleaded with the source for more. As I am by nature fond of these beasts I could not deny him. Soon, the dog was sitting in front of me wagging his tail, my best friend, as if it had never harbored a suspicious thout about me. I started to call him "Nose" because of his large, black, wet snout which seemed to be too big for his head. It was the caricature of his being. Nose, was obviously homeless. His rusty coat was matted and he seemed to be in want of everything a creature of this world should have by right of birth. It wasn't long before I realized that I had given the poor creature my whole sandwich, and I sat staring glumly at the remainder of my carrots and apple that would serve as my part of this wonderful lunch down by the river. Nose sat on his haunches, an inquisitive look on his his face as if he wanted to ask "well old boy, how about it? Is there any more where that came from?"
I tossed him a carrot and his nose went into action, but there was no surprise when i found him looking at me again with what I perceived to be a doleful expression. The carrot remained where it landed. Perhaps a rabbit found it later...I do not know its fate.
"Sorry Nose, old buddy...but I am fresh out."
I guess that nose finally realized that I was not kidding and he took a seat beside me, his head in the direction of the river which was now being pelted by a freezing rain. He seemed to be staring off into the eternal...I don't know, but I do know that at this moment of his life he was content. My turkey sandwich sticking to his ribs. I promised him that I would be back tomorrow with more. I had to leave. I stood up and tried skimming my apple core across the water...no soap. I started to walk back toward my truck and Nose followed me, but when I began to scramble up the river bank he stopped and watched me climb to the top. He did not follow...as if his fate were entwined with the river. I stole a glance over my shoulder and could see him looking after me, watching...wondering...He started as if he were going to attempt the bank, but stopped again and turned his head toward the river. The last glimpse I had of him was of his regal form sitting on his haunches and looking after me perhaps wondering if I would return.

 

I promised Nose that I would return, and indeed, I kept my promise. The next day I was back at the river. It was still cold and overcast, but at least the rain had stopped. I had packed two turkey sandwiches this time, one for me and one for my new friend. When I returned to the same spot I had taken my lunch the day before I called out hoping to see Nose. I whistled a few times, but there was no response, only the wind rustling the reeds. I walked along the shoreline for a ways...calling out....whistling....nothing. I climbed the embankment and found myself walking along the railroad tracks. That is when I saw it...A rusty brown speck laying on the tracks. It was Nose...I walked up to him...He was clean as if he had just fallen asleep. His head was turned up toward the sky as if he had seen the infinite...the heaven that this noble soul deserved. I felt sad, and carried his body back to the river where we had enjoyed a lunch together only the day before. I placed the turkey sandwich down next to him. It made me feel better anyway. I had kept my promise.  At least I remember him...and always will, even if our paths crossed for only a brief time...by the river.