Gypsy over the Waterfall – Tales with Tails
“What river is this?” Roman would ask my car full of kids on the drive to our parents house. All the kids would enthusiastically chant as groomed by my brother: “The Greatest River in the World!” Winding through southwest Washington the Lewis River holds many decades of family outing stories.
Gypsy, our golden retriever, loved water. Not hoses or baths of course but rivers, lakes and oceans. Her favorite game being Chase the Splash. As she swam her front paws hit the water giving her endless fountains of joy.
For Washington state Sunset Falls on the Lewis River is a short falls of only about 18 feet. One summer day, while all the kids splashed around above the falls Gypsy followed them to chase all their splashes too.
Sitting on the shore with our toy poodle my lazy daydreaming was abruptly interrupted by 6 people frantically running past me screaming, “Gypsy went over the waterfall! Gypsy went over the waterfall!” I looked up just in time to see her floating past into the forest. I clutched the poodle and listened to them calling Gypsy to shore a few hundred feet away.
Within minutes a very drippy Gypsy pranced back up the shore with all the kids. Relieved, I resumed my post on the rocks and held her leash while all the kids went back out to play. To my surprise poor Gypsy, shaking and drenched, whined and begged to be let back in the water! How dare I interrupt her beloved game?
That river still holds the title in my mind for the Greatest River in the World as it taught me to look at life through a Golden Retriever’s eyes. Falling off the waterfall was all part of the game and the fun for her. As far as I know she may have considered the waterfall the biggest splash to chase ever! Do you have waterfall moments? Can you view them through a soggy, panting, and carefree Golden Retriever filter?
Listen to the narrated version on the Tales with Tails podcast Episode 2. Aired October 16, 2018.
Available on Anchor.fm, Apple Podcasts and your favorite podcast app.
