W. Curt Vincent
Editor
Luckey had only one thing on his mind all day long: to spend part of the evening relaxing on the porch.
Luckey wasn’t his real name. It was Kennedy Willoughby — both are old family names. But Luckey became his name along the way to serve as a reminder that he had seemed to survive many of life’s challenges, and come out on the positive side in the process.
As he relaxed on the front porch that evening, the sun had begun to set, the humidity had begun to wane and there was enough of a soothing breeze to tussle his hair. He was beginning to have trouble keeping his eyes open, and his thoughts began to wander.
Its first destination wasn’t far away. It was just last summer when he was once again relaxing on this porch. As he was enjoying some incoming lightning off in the distance, another movement in the corner of his eye got his attention. He quickly turned his head to the left and focused, all in the same moment.
Staring back at him, from just 10 feet away, was an opossum with both fear and hunger in his eyes.
Luckey first thought to let out a low grrrrrrrr in an effort to show strength. It didn’t work. The opossum actually took two or three steps toward him.
So Luckey started barking just like the big dog across the street, hoping this sound would hit its mark. It did, the opossum immediately turned tail and took off, submerging itself into the storm sewer.
Luckey had won.
A smile formed on Luckey’s lip’s as he relaxed on the porch. But he wasn’t finished remembering.
This time, his mind took him back a few years, when he was out on a walk through the woods up north. It was early spring and things were making their renewal — including the bear who was on the path 50 yards ahead. It wasn’t very big, but it wasn’t a cub, either.
Maybe this was where Luckey had first thought to bark like a big dog when he was threatened, because he let out a loud one right then. But the bear wasn’t impressed and it quickly stood straight up. It was bigger than Luckey had thought, so his legs immediately got to work getting him way.
He counted this one as a draw.
Soon, Luckey had fallen asleep there on the porch, and it was a sound sleep. He had no idea exactly how long he’d been there, but at some point he realized the porch light had come on and the front door was being opened. It made his head pop up and he looked to the right while trying to focus his old eyes.
“C’mon, Luckey … c’mon in. It’s late.”
Luckey let out a huge yawn and stood up — giving himself time to get his legs under him good.
“I’ve got ice cream.”
That got Luckey’s attention, and he immediately got his four paws moving lickety-split into the house.
He had lived a good dog’s life.
W. Curt Vincent can be reached at 910-506-3023 or cvincent@laurinburgexch.wpenginepowered.com.