I have been thinking about this today, a story from my history which happened over 9 years ago already. Amazing how time flies away but some things stick and shape us. I used to have a dog named Kelly, Kelly the wonder dog. She was beautiful, a reddish brown with a long face and a slight saddle black to her back. When I first got her I would walk her in a park as a puppy that was filled with fragrant lilacs. She was a great companion for me. I was in a bad relationship and I was on my way out of it. I had a great job as an executive in a company, writing and conducting software training (wild huh?but I did it). The man I lived with convinced me to move with him to this old country house and I reluctantly agreed. This was a perfect way to isolate me away from my friends and family, but I still had Kelly. He hated her and tried to convince me to get rid of her. He was jealous of my bond with her and wanted me to himself. I will never forget the late summer day when I lost her. My parents were over at the house and I was showing them the plants and trees in the yard. It was such an amazing yard. Kelly was in the kennel in the back. He let her out when I did not know. She ran out front and crossed the busy road. I yelled for her and began to run. I remember throwing whatever I had in my hands to the ground. I couldn't get her in time, a car stopped and the man tried to grab her. I screamed her name again and another car came by without even touching his brakes he struck her. I can still see her eyes hold on mine at that last second coming towards me. The soft thud as she hit, the scrape as she was rolled under the car and dragged down the road. When I found her she was already dead. It was the most horrible thing I ever seen. He was angry and blamed the car who hit her. Yes, but really it was him trying to force me to cling to him in my grief, he let her out. It took so long for me to leave, but I hated him from that day on. He would sleep with a loaded shotgun next to the bed and threatened to kill me if I ever left. I did though, I did. Poor Kelly, ghost dog, for so long I hated that lilac city and could not claim my name there. Not anymore though I do not have to be afraid anymore, I can reclaim my name now.