Missing Gladys

I am bummed out, blue, depressed, dis-spirited, and teary.  I've had to say "good-bye" to a lot of beloved pets and buddies in my almost 60 years of life - but yesterday's good-bye was very hard.  Gladys was a pretty girl.  She came when called, and ate out of my hand.  She was soft and silky to the touch.  If you wanted company, she was happy to stay nearby; and if you didn't want to be bothered, she'd go her own way.  She was happy to sit in your lap, if wanted, or to go explore the garden, if not.  I've been taking care of Gladys for the past five years, and she was an adult at my first visit.  I really don't know quite how old she was.
   I guess the real reasons I'm sad are two-fold: she is the first critter that has passed away while in my care as a pet-sitter, and, since she was always happy to see me, I will miss her greetings.  This past week, she was the first to go inside each evening and the last to come outside and stretch in the morning.  She didn't have much of an appetite, and even when I brought her some of her favorite things to eat, she wasn't very interested.  She seemed to be moving a bit slower than usual.  Monday evening she had already put herself to bed when I arrived to close up for the day - I looked at her and told her I hoped she'd feel better in the morning.  When I arrived yesterday morning, the other girls came running out, but not Gladys.  I called her name - but got no response.  So I hesitantly opened Gladys' favorite nesting box, and found her body.
   She produced a heck of a lot of eggs over the years.  She was the oldest chicken in the flock.  She loved her humans - especially those of us who gave her special treats.  She was comfortable in your arms, or sitting in you lap.  She was a good companion.  I buried her deep in the garden yesterday - had to get the pick-ax out to break up the ground so I could bury her.  She will make good compost, and I'm sure the tomatoes next year will be excellent....
   But I still miss Gladys, the Rhode Island Red.