Old Buck Retires

By Loren Moore

Loren and Buck stood on the front porch of his one room cabin and watched the snow coming down. It was Christmas Eve day. Loren was baking a wild goose and making dressing for their supper. He had made a pecan pie yesterday to have with their Christmas Eve supper.

There was already four inches of snow on the ground. "We better bring some more wood in for the fireplace before it all gets covered up, Buck." Loren said.

Buck answered, "Woof," and ran to the woodpile.

Loren handed Buck a piece of firewood, which he took in his mouth, and then loaded up his arms with all he could carry. They went back into the cabin and Loren kicked the door closed with his foot. He carried the wood over to the wood box next to the fireplace and dropped it in. Buck brought his piece over and laid it on top of the rest of the wood.

That night at supper Loren had a big plate of dressing covered with giblet gravy and several pieces of goose. He topped it off with a big slice of pecan pie.

Buck had the rest of the goose and gravy for his supper.

After Loren cleaned up the kitchen part of the cabin, he and Buck walked out on the porch again. The snow was still coming down and there was ten inches of snow on the ground now. "Looks like we’re going to be snowed in for a while, Buck." Buck jumped off into the snow and did his bathroom business.

They walked back inside and Loren put another piece of wood on the fire. Then he sat down in his lazy boy recliner, kicked his boots off and leaned back. His feet were pointed toward the fireplace and the warmth of the fire felt good even through his socks.

Buck lay down on his special little rug next to Loren’s recliner. His head was resting on his front paws and his eyes were closed. Loren could reach down and touch him on the head by just letting his arm fall off the armrest of his chair. Every so often he would scratch Buck's head behind his ears. Buck's eyes wouldn’t open but his ears would twitch.

Loren sat there looking at the 18 by 24 inch photo of Buck hanging on the wall over the fireplace. That photo showed Buck sitting on a log with two green head mallards laying on the log next to him. Loren had taken that photo the last time he and Buck went duck hunting. But that’s a whole nother story for a different time.

It wasn’t long until Loren’s eyes were closed also. His hand was resting on Buck’s head and they were both asleep.

The next morning Don thought he better check on his buddy Loren. It was tough going with all the snow on the ground, but with his four-wheel drive pickup he finally made it to Loren’s cabin. He knocked on the door but he didn’t get any response from inside. He knocked again, this time much louder. Still no response. He tried the doorknob and the door opened. The room was dark and cold. He switched on the overhead light and then he saw them.

Loren was sitting in he recliner and Buck was on his special rug beside Loren. Loren’s hand was resting on Buck’s head.

Loren and Buck had gone on to that happy hunting ground in the sky, and they had gone together.

*****

© Copyright 2004