It was a dark and stormy night back in '91.
No, really. All references to Snoopy aside, it was November, it was dark, it was pouring freezing rain.
My wife and I were traveling on a very rural road near our (at that time) home in Grantsville, UT. A pickup truck ahead of us hit his brakes hard and skidded to a stop. We stopped, and I ran up to see what the problem was. The driver was stunned, and stammered something about hitting an animal. His windshield was smashed and the right side of the cab roof was caved in. Luckily, there was no passenger sitting on that side and the driver was not seriously injured.
After looking around for a few minutes, we found the 18 month old colt lying in the borrow pit next to the highway. As I called for assistance, my wife, who was a CNA at the time, immediately took charge. After assessing the drivers injuries and determining that they were minor, she looked to the colt.
His injuries were severe. Broken left rear leg and hip. Several broken ribs. Severe cuts and abrasions. Large gash in the abdomen. This poor animal was in pain, and suffering tremendously. I could see no alternative but to put the animal down, and so I started back to our pickup to retrieve my gun.
My wife, however, was having none of that.
With the help of six other motorists, we got the colt loaded into the back of our pickup. My wife rode in back with the colt, doing her best to control the bleeding. I called and arranged to have the vet meet us at the veterinary hospital.
After a cursory examination, the vet declared that the best thing to do would be to put the animal down, My wife, however, was having none of that, either.
We never found out who that colt belonged to, or where it escaped from.
As I sit here, some (shit, has it really been that long?) sixteen years later, looking out the window at Shiva, Destroyer of Worlds, I can’t help but tear up remembering the eight months my wife spent nursing that colt back to health, the trophies he won during his barrel racing career, or all the trail rides he went on 'till my wife hurt her back, endured two back surgeries, and became unable to ride him any more.
If I may be allowed to paraphrase similar sentiments expressed in this thread, I cannot imagine a life without my wife by my side.
A more true and loyal friend no man has ever had.
Lucy