Dreaming of Murphy

I had the oddest dream last night about Murphy. There was some kind of ceremony or event at Guiding Eyes, and we went there to see Murphy and his owner, who were attending. But when we got there, they kept telling us that this dog that looked very much like an English springer spaniel was Murphy. Even his owner was with this other dog. Meanwhile, we kept trying to explain to people that Murphy is a black Lab and this dog wasn't even a Lab! In my dream, my husband kept repeating, "I would remember if Murphy had spots!"

Weird, huh? Why I dreamed about Murphy last night, I don't know. Perhaps it was because we (Andrew and I) had gone to a puppy playdate at our regional coordinator's house that afternoon for a dog fix .. it is a fun sight to see eight Lab pups of varying ages and a 6-year-old boy racing around delightedly in the snow! It did make me miss having a dog around, although logically, one would think I should have dreamed about Nettie instead.

Maybe it was because, I have to admit, I have been feeling somewhat melancholy lately about Murphy. When we met his owner at graduation, he was very friendly and said repeatedly that he would keep in touch. We got a very long, nice letter in August, but since then, have not heard a word, even though he said in the letter, for instance, that he would send us the article his hometown paper did about them.

I don't expect him to keep up constant contact, but I had really been hoping for a Christmas card or some word just to assure us that Murphy is doing well. I know that I'd probably hear if he wasn't, and I feel somewhat selfish for even voicing this. We sent Murphy's owner a holiday card and I hope that he doesn't think we overstepped bounds. As I said, I feel somewhat selfish for even mentioning it. I know plenty of raisers who never have heard anything from the dog's owner again after graduation, and that is totally the owner's prerogative. We raisers know these dogs aren't ours, and we're doing this because we want to, not because we expect something at the end. (at least I hope that's why we are.)

But it's also hard when you did have a lot invested, and you do wonder how the dogs are. I think if his owner didn't wish to keep in touch, I just wish he wouldn't have said he wanted to. Every now and then, my son even asks when Murphy's family will write... Of course, I dont' know what's going on in his life, and he may have something going on that's just left him too busy or unable to drop a line. I was tempted to call his local newspaper and just order a reprint of the story myself, but he lives in a small town and I'm half afraid they'd tell him some crazy woman from Maine wanted to get the story about him!