Red's Wrap
Happiness. It's relative.
Swirl’s Chewed Things: Kisses
Hello. I am Swirl’s mom.
Swirl asked me to tell you that his last chewed thing was a Hersey’s chocolate kiss. He had three of them, one right after another, white chocolate with dark chocolate stripes. He chewed each and then licked his lips.
He asked me to tell you he was confused about the vet giving him chocolate kisses because we always said chocolate was bad for him. I had to read the label on the glass jar out loud. “No dog should go to heaven without tasting chocolate.”
He told me to make sure to tell people he wasn’t sad or afraid. He said he was just done as a dog on this earth. That maybe he could be a dog someplace else – in our dreams or in the shadow cast by the streetlight so late at night.
He lay still on the vet’s blanket like he belonged there. I told him it was all good. Everything was good. And I kissed his beautiful face.
And then he was gone.
He wanted you all to know his life had been good. All good. All the chewed things and places and people. So many of them.
A bountiful life, that’s what he told me to say. Heavenly.
Swirl’s last night on this earth
10 Comments on “Swirl’s Chewed Things: Kisses”
Leave a Reply
Recent Comments
 | Deb on Living in the Death Wish |
 | Ann on Living in the Death Wish |
 | MaryG on The Searing Comfort of Layla |
 | Nancy Bauer-King on Brevity is Beautiful |
 | joviald3f8e0e214 on Brevity is Beautiful |
Snow Door | wisconsinacademy.org
Listen to Jan read her essay “Billy” presented on WUWM’s Lake Effect
Jan’s essay “At the Breakfast Bar” on WUWM Lake Effect
Jan’s essay “The Parish Hall,” on WUWM Lake Effect
“Fury Cannot Touch Me,” Modern Love, NYT, 9/29/11
Oh, Swirl. I am so sorry but so happy to think of all the things he can chew at the Rainbow Bridge. What a good boy.
He was an amazingly good boy.
<3
What a beautiful piece about Swirl.
<3 <3 when this started out with swirl eating the chocolate I was worried and then when I read why, I understood. I am so sorry that swirl no longer lives with you but know that he does live in your hearts forever, and when I go, I would love to have someone give me a chocolate kiss for the last earthly thing that I taste because I know it will be a gift of love.
Awww… so sorry, Jan… we’ll all miss hearing about Swirl and his choice chewing challenges… 🙁
Oh Jan I am so sorry. I feel like I knew Swirl. And he was a good boy!
I’m imagining Swirl is a dog someplace else–in a world where chocolate is good for dogs.
Oh Jan… thank you for letting us know. I am so very sorry. Swirl was a dog to be remembered. What a gift.
I will always remember Swirl. He was so well read from his selection of books to chew. He preferred cash to credit cards. He often wondered why Alexander Hamilton hadn’t been president since he tasted so good on a $10 bill. May his heavenly sledding be blessed.