The Long Walk Home - A Tribute to Codie

                                  The Long Walk Home

For every dog, a time comes when they pass on to the Great Oak. They are but an angelic presence given to us for too short of a time. Allowed into our lives to teach us the things we may otherwise overlook. Such things as loving those closest to us, always being there for the people you care about, and regular exercise is vital to a healthy life.

Whenever a Sanctuary dog dies they pass to the place beyond the shed. They await for a Sentinel to guide them to the Great Oak where the dog will stay for the rest of their days. This is the only time a Sentinel is allowed in the place beyond the shed, and we must stay on the path the Great Oak lays before us or else be lost to the darkness which surrounds the path. The path is ever-changing and shifting, no two dogs will walk the same path home to the Great Oak.

Usually, the dogs go into the place beyond the shed and when they return they meet with a Sentinel, to tell us of their adventures so we may write them down and add it to the legends and tales we have come to know. But for a dog who is on their final journey, for a dog who will not be coming back, a Sentinel accompanies them to talk of their days at Sanctuary, with their keepers, and to write down all they say so we may give their keepers one final goodbye from their beloved dogs. This story is such an account.

It was a solemn day when Codie, an old yellow lab, passed away. From the arms of his family to the place beyond the shed. The first thing I did when I got to Sanctuary was go straight to the shed. So I could greet Codie and begin my last walk with him.

I pushed my way through the old, cramped shed to find myself in the dark forest. Cold and rotting trees surrounded me. I went to the shed and found the same illuminated path I had traveled many times before waiting for me. Next to it was Codie, an 11-year-old yellow lab whose eyes sparkled like the bright side of the moon and whose mouth was filled with his blue leash. The same leash his owner would walk him in on every morning.

Over the past year, Codie and I had many talks, he was made a counselor about 3 dog years ago. He was wise, calm, and sweet. Everything an old lab should be. During the hard times Codie would lift our spirits with a lick or a joke, and during the good times, he would dance with joy.

I greeted my old friend as I did every morning, “Hi Cody”. He wagged his tail and gave a strong “Woof” one much stronger than any I had heard in a long while. I smiled at him and asked, “It’s our last walk buddy, would you like for me to hold the leash or do you want it?” I beheld a sight rarely seen as Codie offered his leash to me to hold saying, “I think it is best you lead the way, besides I’ve got a lot to say and can’t have a leash twisting my tongue.” I continued to smile and nodded at him as I took the leash from his mouth and we started walking along the blue path that dimly glowed in the dark forest.

Codie looked at me while we were walking and asked: “Do you remember when the last Sentinel joined Sanctuary?” I laughed, “The one you told Rad to run up to and say there was something wrong with the shed as you had Bailey open the gate to the play yard? Yes, I do.” Codie laughed as well, “I liked her she was very sweet to me.” I patted Codie’s head and paused a moment before saying “What was your favorite moment? At Sanctuary I mean.” Codie took a moment before responding, as he usually did, but eventually said “It’s hard to say. The mornings when I would greet all the dogs and Sentinels, playing ball of course, but I think I would have to say my favorite of all was going home at the end of the day with my keeper. I will miss her greatly, will you tell her that for me?” I nodded, a tear slowly rolling down my cheek. “Of course I will Codie.” He thanked me and we made it to our first checkpoint.

“Here we are?” I said but the checkpoint seemed to be missing something, typically there was a statue of a sentinel there but it was missing. The pedestal it stood on was there but the statue itself was gone. I shrugged it off, after all, no two walks are the same. The checkpoints are always a small field, typically grass but it’s not unheard of for there to be flowers or bushes if the dog was particularly fond of them. On each side of the field, where the path connects to it, there stands one statue. A statue of a sentinel who guards the field. Though they were missing, along with the statue is a concrete slab with water, and whatever else we may need on our walk. 

  “All right Codie,” I said turning to him, “it’s the first stop, are you ready for your treats?” Codie’s tail began to wag as he barked in excitement. I laughed, took off his leash, walked over where a bowl of treats sat, several milk bones for Codie. I tossed one to him and he snatched it out of the air. Next, I asked him to lay down and he did so quickly, with no pain and in return he got another bone. We continued like this for some time doing tricks and throwing treats. I gave Codie a bigger bone to gnaw on for a little bit before we continued our walk. Codie looked up from his bone and said: “Do you remember my first day at Sanctuary?” I sat back and thought about it “I do, it was a Tuesday and you had come in right before Pebbles the Great Dane came in for her first time. She must have been your first friend at Sanctuary?” Codie nodded, “She was!” He barked. I patted Codie on the head “You are a good dog Codie, are you ready to keep going?” Codie got up, leaving the remnants of his last bone behind as I put his leash back on him.

These final walks vary from dog to dog. Some are very talkative the entire time, some will hardly say a word. Codie struck just the right mix between the two. We told stories of his first days at Sanctuary; when he became friends with Bella, when he helped Fonzie get unstuck from under the play structure, and of course playing ball. We made it to our second checkpoint. A similar bright green field of grass populated the area, with a line of trees tightly packed around the field making a dense wall not even a tennis ball could fit through. Again the statues meant to watch the area were missing with no trace to be found.

I looked over and saw several tennis balls in a bowl and whispered a thank you, the tennis balls always get so slobbery it’s nice to have a backup or two. I took Codie’s leash off and then picked up a ball getting ready to throw it as Codie ran off. Together we played, bouncing the ball off the trees, throwing it high in the air for Codie, and even rolling it to the jubilant dog. Playing as if he was a puppy again. Panting he dropped the last ball in the bowl, all three slobbery and dirty. He began to lap water from the pond before laying down to cool off, saying, “Some of my favorite days were in the summer. When the pools would come out and we would play in the water and with the tennis balls. Or when you and the other Sentinels would bring out the hose and play tag with us.” I began scratching behind his ear, “They were good days Codie. Like the time we got Ella to jump into the pool from the top step of the play steps?” Codie chimed in “Or when the ball got stuck in the fence and she couldn’t get it out?” we both laughed as we walked to the last checkpoint and reminisced about all the jokes, and chaos Codie took part in and manufactured.

Codie stopped a little way before the last checkpoint, looking at me with his big brown eyes he said, “I’m starting to get tired, can we take a rest for a moment?” I shook my head, “We’re almost there, let us get to the next spot and we can stay for as long as you’d like.” He lazily nodded his head, trying to stay awake. We got to the last checkpoint and the field of grass was dull, no statues to be found, a small pool of water next to us and a few very fluffy blankets and a pillow begging to be used.

 I grabbed the blankets and pillows arranging them for Codie to lay down, and no sooner did I lay the first one down did he plop on it and begin to sleep. I quietly finished putting everything in place around him and took off his leash. I kept a pillow for me to sit on. While he slept I stroked his side and recited two stories. The first is the founder’s stories, the struggle between the lion and the wolf over the place beyond the shed. The second the three dogs who found the Great Oak, one of which came to Sanctuary in his later days, and taught us the ways of the place beyond the shed. He was the first dog we ever recorded. Codie was like him in many ways. Willing to sacrifice for others, a great leader, a dog who could teach anyone who would listen.

After I recited the stories to Codie I began to hum the song of the moon, I cannot sing it and come to think of it, I don’t think any human can. After quite some time Codie awoke and stretched all of his legs, one at a time. But he was ready to go on the last part of our walk together.

“What will happen to Rad?” Codie asked I shrugged my shoulders, “I do not know. We’ve never had a dog from the place beyond the shed before, she will go through her training like every other puppy and live as all the other dogs do. Where she was born doesn’t matter to us. We will treat her like every other dog at Sanctuary.” Codie nodded, “What about the council what will happen to my seat?” I grinned, “The council will meet once I return and go over candidates to take your seat. If you have any recommendations I’m sure the council would like to hear them?” Codie nodded, “Just one, Bailey. The shep.” I thought about it for a moment before saying “I’m sure Bailey would be a great council member.”

We had almost arrived at the clearing of the great Oak when Codie stopped moving completely. He was frozen, he looked up at me and shook his head, “I can’t do it. I can’t go to the Oak.” I dropped the leash and went over to hug him, “Why not?” Codie continued to shake his head, “I can’t leave my keeper or Sanctuary behind!” I began to pat his head to reassure him and I said “Everything will be ok, I will tell your keeper all that we have done here today. Every last word, and as for Sanctuary, well I think it’s still in pretty good paws. The Great Oak isn’t goodbye Codie. All the dogs from Sanctuary will meet you there one day, and your keeper will not be far away. You have my word, ok?” I took off his leash and we walked the last leg of his final journey side by side.  

We made it to the clearing of the Great Oak, and down near the ground was a familiar face, “Dexter, old friend” I yelled waving to him, Dexter gave a hearty “woof” before stepping down off of his branch to greet Codie. I took a step back. Dexter greeted Codie and in the Great Oak, I saw all the dogs who had passed through Sanctuary, including the founders. Dexter asked Codie, “Are you ready?” Codie nodded, looking back at me, “I think I am.” I hugged both of them before Codie walked with Dexter up onto a branch and together all the dogs and wolves of the Great Oak erupted into the song of the moon.

I waved goodbye to them all and placed Codie’s leash at the foot of the Oak, Codie had completed his long walk home.