Contemplating Lives

It's overcast and hazy this afternoon in Boulder - it's the second day of the Annual Creek Town Festival, and I'm contemplating the lives of loved ones who have passed away.  I just lost two geriatric clients this past week - Lucy Lou, a 14-year-old Portuguese Water Spaniel, and Tugger, a 19-year-old cat.  I've been their pet-sitter for nine years, each.  I walked Lucy on a daily basis, and stayed with her, sporadically, when others couldn't.  I stayed and spent a lot of time with Tugger - he had a thyroid condition, and his owners and I spent countless hours coaxing him to eat his food.  Tugger's brother departed us two years ago, and Tugger took Sasquatch's passing rather hard.  He and I slept together for two weeks, and I awoke whenever he cried for his brother.  I'll miss their furry love, barks, meows, and kisses.
   I also saw a two-year-old obituary for a man that I went to school with.  Now, when I say that I went to school with someone, that generally means all the way from Kindergarten or first grade  all the way through twelfth grade graduation.  I was shocked to learn of this man's death, because he was always friendly, nice, pleasant, helpful and was constantly active outdoors.  Seeing that he passed away at the age of 57 was a shock.  Steve Green, you are, and will be, missed.  I grew up on 50th Street, and you grew up on 48th Street.  I remember catching frogs and tadpoles with you in the creek; making tipis in my yard, building a wicki-up in yours...  You were always smiling, and always pointed out the bright, lighter sides of things when I complained.  Thank you, my friend, even though you left this life two years ago.  Doesn't seem possible.
   As the end of summer comes, and fall begins, Boulder is going to have an increasing problem with black bears.  I spent last night at Finn's house on 4th Street, and saw a sow with two cubs, both in Finn's yard, and in the yard next door.  Luckily the owners had warned me that the bear was in the neighborhood, so it wasn't a great surprise.  We have a whole new group of freshman college students living on Uni Hill, and spread out through the town.  I hope they listened well to their landlords regarding the disposal of trash, and will follow instructions.  Otherwise, we're going to have a nasty incident since the bears' normal food is scarce in the foothills and mountains already.