By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector
I have heard that a dog is a “man’s best friend” for most of my life.
As a child growing up, dogs were not my best friends. I didn’t like dogs and dogs didn’t like me, as evidenced by being bitten several times by “man’s best friend.” Dogs were a part of God’s creation that I thought I could do without.
When I became an adult, I tolerated dogs and could be around them, but never had a desire to own one. Finally, our kids, Joanna and Daniel, prevailed and talked Mom and Dad (mainly me because Joyce was okay with it) into allowing them to have a dog. I did so, grudgingly, with the stipulation it would be an outside dog. No dogs in my house, I proclaimed.
Smoky lasted with us for a year or so before he became a safety issue (to others). He didn’t like people other than us (and probably didn’t like me, but at least he didn’t bite me).
This is Conway, the “grand-dog” of B&R editor Lonnie Wilkey.
So, the Wilkeys have been dog free ever since, well almost. When our son Daniel lived in Austin a few years, he adopted Conway, a Catahoula breed. Or, it may have been that Conway adopted Daniel. Regardless, Conway was one of the best things that happened to Daniel while he was away from home. They needed each other.
After Daniel moved back to Tennessee, he lived with us for a brief time. So did Conway. I said Conway could stay, but he would be an outside dog. Conway had other plans. In his mind, he was an inside dog. End of story. I lost that battle before it even started. I then said he had to stay in Daniel’s bedroom and couldn’t roam the house. That lasted until Conway basically broke down the bedroom door. Despite being ready to send him back to Austin (with or without Daniel), I finally got used to having him around and Conway found a place in my heart.
Daniel later moved out and eventually married and Conway went along, of course. When he married our daughter-in-law Jill, her dog Lily also became a “member of the family.” So, guess who gets called on to “dog sit” when they go out of town? Over the years Conway and Lily have been frequent guests, much to the dismay of Joyce’s cats.
Conway and I grew closer over the years. It probably helped that he could always depend on me to “accidentally” drop people food in his presence. He loved cheeseburgers and hot dogs more than I do.
When Daniel acquired Conway, he didn’t know how old he was but he was not a young dog. Seven years have passed since Conway joined the family and he had to be put to sleep last week due to cancer.
I never thought I would grieve for any animal, especially a dog, but I confess that I did so when we lost Conway. Conway taught me a thing or two about loyalty and unconditional love. Conway, for the most part was gentle and never bothered anyone, unless they came on his “turf” and he felt the need to protect “his people.” He loved his family and we all loved him.
I never really understood what “man’s best friend” meant until Conway came along. Now I know. He will be missed. B&R
