The park was bustling with activity, not so easy for the old woman walking her dog.
She would sit for a while at the next seat. Her dog was just a pup, quite small, but thankfully well behaved, despite being navigated through the jostling crowds streaming along the paths. She hadn’t had him long, but already, he had become a wonderful companion. Her daughter had convinced her to get him.
She spotted a bench with a small girl sitting at one end. She smiled down at the girl as she settled, getting the dog to sit by her feet. She was aware of the girl’s sad face. She looked lonely.
The old woman said, “No mummy looking after you?”
The girl brightened a little. “No. Just my big sister.” She pointed. “That’s her on top of the climbing frame. She’s good at climbing.”
The woman nodded. “I can see that.” She looked into the child’s eyes. “If you don’t mind me saying so, you look rather sad.”
The girl nodded, saying, “Lucy died last week.”
The woman hid her surprise and asked casually, “Lucy?”
“Yes. Lucy, my cat. Well, not just mine, she belonged to the whole family, but I loved her more than anybody.”
“And that made you feel very unhappy, I’m sure.”
“Oh! I felt a lot better about it when I found out what happens, you know, after.”
“After?”
“You know, what happens after. Yes. It was all explained to me. I suppose it’s because I’m grown up enough now to be told about things.”
The lady bent to stroke her dog.
The girl watched with interest, she asked, “What’s it called?”
“He’s called Toby. I’m sure he’d like to know what happens after.”
“You don’t know?”
“I probably do, but my memory’s not as good as it was. Perhaps you could tell me?”
The girl straightened, obviously happy to tell the other what she knew. “Daddy explained about the happy pet’s place; where they all go to live.”
“Heaven, do you mean?”
She shook her head. “No. It’s a special entrance.”
“I see. Go on.”
“They’re all very happy there. Daddy says it’s very big because all the pets go there; cats, dogs, birds, rabbits, mice, you know, all of them.”
The old lady smiled and said, “Yes, it sounds wonderful!”
“Oh! It is. Daddy says at the happy pet place all the animals are happy. He said they miss their owners, of course, but apart from that, they have heaps of places they can run around in, lots of food and the weather is always nice. Then, when the time comes, their owners collect them and the gates open, and you go in.”
Just then, her sister called.
“We have to go now,” the girl said. “We live over there,” she explained, by pointing past the play area. She looked down. “Bye Toby,” she said, and ran off.
The old woman stroked her dog again and said, “so many different ideas about what’ll become of us.” She watched the girl and her sister running home and whispered, “I think I like that version.”