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Just a Dog
Contributed by Dave Durland and Ben Cox
From time to time, people tell me, "lighten up, it's just a Dog," or, "that's a lot of money for just a dog." They don't understand the distance traveled, the time spent, or the costs involved for "just a Dog." Some of my proudest moments have come about with "just a dog." Many hours have passed and my only company was "just a dog," but I did not once feel slighted. Some of my saddest moments have been brought about by "just a dog," and in those days of darkness, the gentle touch of "just a dog" gave me comfort and reason to overcome the day.
If you, too, think it's "just a dog," then you will probably understand phases like "just a friend," "just a sunrise," or "just a promise." "Just a dog" brings into my life the very essence of friendship, trust, and pure unbridled joy. "Just a dog" brings out the compassion and patience that make me a better person. Because of "just a Dog" I will rise early, take long walks and look longingly to the future. So for me and folks like me, it's not "just a dog" but an embodiment of all the hopes and dreams of the future, the fond memories of the past, and the pure joy of the moment. "Just a dog" brings out what's good in me and diverts my thoughts away from myself and the worries of the day.
I hope that someday they can understand that it's not "just a dog" but the thing that gives me humanity and keeps me from being "just a man." So the next time you hear the phrase "just a dog." just smile, because they "just don't understand."
A message from the past -- Duncan Copland, Tue, Dec 20, 2005, 19:15:25 PST
Contributed by Bill Cummings
When I took my R&R in Tokyo in 1969, I bought a little book of poetry at the Tachikawa BX to mail home as a sample of how GIs were affected by the war and separation. The name of the book is "Boondock Bards", and it was published by the Pacific Stars and Stripes. The last time I was home to New York, I saw the little book tucked away on a shelf, and brought it back here to Texas. Most of the work was written by grunts, Army, and Marines, but there are selections from the other services, and even a civilian or two. Recently, while I was waiting for my speedy dial-up modem to connect me to the Net, I started looking through the little book and found a poem that is certainly appropriate to our Bulletin Board. The author was most certainly a cop, an Airman First Class, a dog handler, and was stationed at Bien Hoa, date unknown. I haven't seen his name on our roster, but perhaps someone has known him and kept in touch. You can let him know that his poem about his dog can still evoke memories about a time and place we all knew too well, long ago and far away.
"MY PRIDE AND JOY"
A hunk of flesh,
Bones and muscle;
Stands on four,
And'll give anyone a tussle.
Sees when it's dark,
Smells with the wind,
Hears when you can't:
Man's best friend.
Likes a lot of praise,
Craves that lovin';
He's a dedicated troop,
All for the mission.
He'll attack when you say,
Will do what you want,
And attack anyone
Who gives you a taunt.
That's my boy,
That's my dog;
Spends more time on post
Than the top-pilot can log.
All for the team
All for the K-9 Corps,
That's who he's for:
My dog, C-Note.
