About eight years ago this guy became part of our household.

I know it’s a chair but, it is my blog, if I want to call it a guy, I can.  That is one of the neat things about having my very own blog.

He took up residence in the Living Room, and we were paired together.  At first the relationship was cordial but very casual, I still worked for a living, and Sharyl and I still had an active social life.  Our time together was limited to a Sunday afternoon nap or maybe a couple hours 2 or 3 evenings a week while I watched TV or visited with Sharyl or guests in our home.  Not much time to really get acquainted.

In the fall of ’08 some new guys moved into our Living Room.  Sharyl didn’t think my guy played well with the new occupants, so he was ushered into to the den, his old living room buddies retired and moved to the lake.

The den, in our home, has always been kind of “my room”, maybe a man cave before that was a word.  He and I spent more one on one time after that move, but the relationship was still casual and carefree.  We normally read the paper or watched a ballgame or some of the other stuff on TV, seldom did we engage in serious conversation or thought.

That winter troubled times came to our home.  Our relationship suddenly became very close and very personal.  For the next 4 ½ years we spent countless hours together a lot of those hours it was just the two of us.  He was always willing to listen; he never offered advise, he just listened, sometimes that is just what I needed.  On those occasions when I shed tears (yes grown men cry) he always had my back.

I believe one year of a dog’s life is considered equal to seven human years, I don’t think figures have been established for recliners, but my experience leads me to believe that number is about one recliner year to ten human years especially those that carry the load this guy carried.

The years and the workload had taken a toll; it was a tough call but I decided it was time to say good-bye.  I couldn’t just dump him; this week I took him to one of those places that will find him a new home.  I asked them to try and find someone weighing 140 or so and is only home a few hours a day.  Maybe with those conditions he can enjoy a few more years.

I will miss him.  Those very personal and private times we shared will remain with me forever, however I think it might be good to distance myself a little bit from those memories,

This week this guy moved into that favorite corner of my den.

We are just starting to get acquainted.  The relationship is still very casual but so far I am comfortable with him and he seems to be comfortable with me.  I hope our time can be limited to a few hours a week and spent watching a ballgame, reading the paper or just in idle conversation.  If there are tears I pray the majority of them are tears of joy.

Please consider a donation to your comfort level to the cancer research organization of your choice.

Please include me in your prayers.

Good Night and God Bless.

Dave