I open the door. I wait to hear her feet
thumping the ground and hercollar jingling.
I wait to see her big tongue hanging out as
sheruns toward me and I wait to see her slip
as she reaches the hard,slippery linoleum
floor. I wait to crouch down with open arms
asshe jumps into them, licking my face as I
fall backwards.

Iclose the door and wait. Nothing. I call
her. Still, nothing. Nothumping. No
jingling. Just, nothing.

I ask my parents whereshe is. They sit me
down and tell me she was hit by a car and
didnot make it.

My heart stops. For a moment I am still,not
saying a word. As I think about how I will
never see heragain. I can't think of anything
else to do but cry hysterically. Asmy mom
brings me into her arms I cry and I cry. I
just cannotbelieve she is gone.

I understand it is a part of life but it isso
soon, so unexpected. She was there but now
she is justgone.

I don't want to forget her but it hurts too
much tothink about her.

I miss waiting to hear her feet thumping the
ground and her collar jingling. I miss
waiting to see her bigtongue hanging out
as she runs toward me and I miss waiting to
see her slip as she reaches the hard, slippery
linoleum floor. Imiss waiting to crouch
down with open arms as she jumpsinto
them, licking my face as I fall backwards.
But most of all Imiss the way she cheered
me up when I was feeling down, like a
friend who was always there.