Red and Red

It began in 1963, when we were freshmen in high school and our alphabetically assigned lockers were in close proximity to each other. But the friendship really kicked into full swing in the summer of '66. That would be when Janet and I began our 40+ year friendship with all of the ups and down, twists and turns, and state to state phonecalls and visits.
Janet joined us for the weekend in celebration of Flo's 97th birthday. The three of us got reminiscing about years gone by and some of the funny things that have happened.

Christmas of 1975 was my mom's first Christmas with Ray after their marriage in July. She was in his first wedding as a bridesmaid, and a couple of years after both spouses passed along, they got together and it was a wonderful relationship.
Janet and I and her Irish Setter named Grady went to visit them during the holiday season. We enjoyed their decorations, and the festive drinks as we chatted. Flo showed us the red leather wallet with a $100 bill in it that Ray had given her, among other things. As we sat in the kitchen laughing about how Janet's family English Setter Caesar had followed her to the church, Janet realized that Grady was nowhere to be seen. When she didn't return from the living room for a bit, I went there to check out what was happening. There stood a blushing Janet and I said, "What's up?"

She pointed to the chair cushion and said, "Pick up the cushion."
Under the cushion was the red wallet that she quickly stashed in the chair when she heard footsteps coming into the living room. It had been chewed up and there was no $100 bill. Hearing footsteps and fearing it was Ray, I stashed the mangled red wallet back under the cushion. It was my mom who looked at our faces and said, "What's up?"

I pointed to the chair cushion and said, "Pick up the cushion."
"Uh-oh! That's not good!"
Janet said, "That's not the worst part. The one hundred dollar bill...Grady ate it!!"
"No he didn't. I took it out."
"Whew! I will replace the red wallet before Ray knows it's gone!"

Janet purchased the replacement red wallet, and while she was not home, Grady jumped up and removed it from her dresser...and he ate the second one!!

The third red wallet went directly from Macy's to Flo's house... NONSTOP!

So, the red dog who ate the red wallet was forgiven, but never to be trusted again!
Truth be told...that part [never to be trusted again] really happened when Grady chewed on Janet's leather coat while she was in the store returning something!
He really was a great dog...God rest his soul.