There are heroes and then there are heroes.
I’m going to take a moment and talk about current events…more specifically, current events in my neck of the woods. Not close enough to hear the sirens, but close enough to be changed. A man with a gun allegedly went on a shooting spree across two towns,
killing four and wounding two. He was eventually killed by police in a final stand off, but not before a FBI K9 dog named Ape was shot and killed by the gunman. Ape was just doing his job. His attack on the suspect was instrumental in the end to the stand off. His death may have saved the lives of bystanders and/or law enforcement officers.
So why does this make me feel so unbelievably angry? Death is bad no matter what. Death is final…whether it comes in a blaze of glory or in the middle of the night while you sleep. It is the one thing we’re all guaranteed. I feel sorrow for the people who lost their lives that day…but I cried for Ape. A lot of people cried for Ape. He didn’t know he wouldn’t make it out. He didn’t know the danger that was before him. He was just doing his job. That’s a hero…a four legged, wet nose having, heart bigger than anything hero.
He’ll be given all the honors that would be bestowed upon a fallen officer. His name will be engraved on a wall of fallen K9 officers at FBI headquarters. His short tow year life will not have been wasted.
So I ask again, why does this hurt so much? Why should a squirrel be this emotional? Why couldn’t they send in a can of tear gas instead of the dog? Why did this have to happen at all? Why?
All in my backyard.
