12 Minutes
The parks of my childhood are gone. Most of the people that I grew up with are also gone. Houses that I used to run around in belonging to deceased family members are no longer, and even though I often dream of those houses, nothing will ever bring them back. Out of all of these losses that every adult must conquer, I think the loss of my childhood dog was the second most painful event to ever ensue. The death of my grandmother comes in first place on the adult misery totem poll. See, when you grow up an only child, your pet becomes your sibling and best friend, and when they disappear, a void fills up your once energetic house. I often dream of him, my dog, and in those fantasies we’re often walking around the neighborhood. To commemorate his memory, I often walk our once usual route, pretending that he’s with me, and I think he is.