Depression Soup
Copyright© 2011 by TC Allen
Chapter 24: Ever After
Our firstborn arrived exactly two months before our first anniversary and Betty May had already decided that if it was a boy his name would be David Lee Hansen Junior and if it was a girl she would be named Martha May Hansen after our two mothers. So being the generous man that I am, I gave her twins, a boy and a girl. Then, a year later came Walter Scott, named after his grandfather.
Betty and I had our disagreements, just like any other married couple. There were times we differed and a few times our differences were quite serious. We kept our personal problems between the two of us and worked them out ourselves. We also found ways to solve those differences without once edging toward divorce. When two people not only love each other, but also respect each other, it is hard to break them apart. We worked to find common solutions and not win arguments. Therein lies one of the foundations to build a strong marriage on. That's why, after all these years we still take pleasure when we hiss each other good night.
Back about the time World War Two ended we lost our dear friend, Dog. His health has slowly failed for a couple of years before it happened. The big old two hundred and some pound beast just seemed to slow down a little more each year. Finally he died peacefully in his sleep one quiet night.
As he grew older he finally reached the point where all he wanted to do was lie on the back porch next to the door where he'd be handy for any stray petting that came his way. It seemed the older he got the friendlier he got. Sometimes the kids would make a game out of all three scratching and rubbing him all over just to hear his moans of pleasure. He became quite a ham after he learned the louder he moaned the longer he'd be paid attention to. He was such a very unique dog.
One morning though, young Walt came running into the house crying, "Old Dog is dead." He stood there crying as the twins rushed out to check. In a moment they slowly came back in, tears running down their faces, "He's dead, Papa," Martha said, "Old Dog is dead. Why? We all loved him, why?"