Walks with my Friend follows two dogs, fearful Abby and confident Reba, as they take their daily walks. Abby explains how Reba helped her become more confident. Walks with My Friend was inspired by the friendship between my dog and a dog from the neighbourhood.
Walks with my Friend
I like going for walks with my friend Reba. I wait patiently while Reba’s leash is clipped on, give her a quick kiss and then off we go.
Walking beside my friend makes me feel big, makes me feel important, makes me feel loved.
Woof. Woof. Woof.
Who’s— Who’s that?
A brown dog charges at us. “Hey, who’s the new kid? What’s her name?”
He’s so big. I put my tail between my legs. Will he bite me? I hide in the tall grass.
Reba’s head is high. “Hi, Buster.” Reba’s tail is fanned out. “This is my friend Abby and we’re going for a walk.” She stands between Buster and me.
I climb out of the grass, fan out my tail and walk beside my friend.
Bang. Crash. Bang. Bang.
What’s—. What’s that?
A large truck barrels down the road right—right at me. I freeze. I can’t move a paw. I can barely breathe.
Reba nudges me to the side of the road. She stands there with her tail fanned out and her head held high. She stands beside me until the truck drives by.
Every day I tell my human, “Now. Now. We need to go now. We need to take Reba for a walk.”
Now when we meet Buster I keep my tail fanned out. I meet his eyes and say, “Hi, Buster. How are you today?”
And when we meet a crash-bang truck I’ve learned to hop to the side of the road and give it room to drive away.
But—. But… One day, Reba tells me. “I have some bad news. I’m moving away.”
We howl together for a while because we’re sad. Then Reba gives me a kiss and says, “I’m so proud of you. You’re a good dog. You’re a brave dog. You’re a good friend.”
“I am?”
Reba looks me in the eyes. “You’re a good dog. You’re a brave dog. You’re a good friend.”
Her words go into my ears and reach my heart. “I am a good dog. I am a brave dog. I am a good friend.”
Now I go for walks without Reba but I’ll never forget the lessons she taught me. I keep my tail fanned out. I keep my head held high. I am a good dog. I am a brave dog. I am a good friend to Buster.
Photo by Byron
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Brainwork is hard work, possibly just as challenging as "real" work. I typically need a break around 2 or 3 PM, and I've noticed that mixing fun, especially with others, alongside work can leave me feeling even more exhausted. Next week looks to be filled with social activities, and I'm worried that I won’t be able to accomplish everything I want. I was eager to start working today, but the power went out. Plans ruined. However, I’ve learned to lower my expectations rather than force myself to push through. After all, I'm more than just a pen—I'm a human being. I hope you have a fun week!
