"The Yellow Ball"
![Picture](/uploads/2/8/6/8/28680319/5400316.jpg?879)
By: Dr. James R. Ross
Mellie and Sidney came from “down under” to live on
our small farm.
Two very active Blue Heeler pups that played continuously
and loved to run.
They were the happiest when herding the deer
and chasing the ball.
The ball was yellow with a bell in the middle
which rang when it bounced.
A hole in the side made a whistle
as it sailed through the air.
One long throw bounced and bounced before rolling
under the fence.
It came to rest on the white strip in the middle
of the asphalt lane.
Mellie could not go under so she went up and over the fence
as Heelers will do.
She proudly retrieved the waiting yellow prize, but
never to return.
We buried Mellie in the middle of the peach orchard,
and placed a stone.
Sidney seemed to forget her sadness
by chasing the ball.
The throws were long and often but
away from the asphalt strip.
Returns were swift to make sure of having
another quick throw.
She would chase the ball until she fell on her side,
panting, tongue out to the ground.
She was totally happy, but seemed to be saying,
“Enough for now, maybe later.”
Months and years past as months
and years do.
The throws became less frequent
and not so far.
The return was a walk and many times
only half the way.
She would lie in the grass, ball at her side, saying,
“That is enough.”
Her nails were worn short by the constant chase,
but grew longer with fewer throws.
The ball well worn, the bell was gone and it no longer
whistled with each throw.
The lawnmower had removed a large yellow piece, however the injury
did not diminish her love for the ball.
One crisp February morning we found the ball
outside Sidney’s little house.
A bounce of the ball had always enlisted a response, recently ever so slowly.
But not this morning nor would it ever again.
We buried Sidney next to Mellie in the peach orchard, the tattered
yellow ball between them.
This wonderful toy had cost the life of one,
and was the joy in life for the other.
The new ball was exactly the same except being red.
A bell in the middle rattled as it bounced, and the
hole whistled when it was thrown.
All this was an immediate joy in the life of Alice,
the new Heeler pup.
Mellie and Sidney came from “down under” to live on
our small farm.
Two very active Blue Heeler pups that played continuously
and loved to run.
They were the happiest when herding the deer
and chasing the ball.
The ball was yellow with a bell in the middle
which rang when it bounced.
A hole in the side made a whistle
as it sailed through the air.
One long throw bounced and bounced before rolling
under the fence.
It came to rest on the white strip in the middle
of the asphalt lane.
Mellie could not go under so she went up and over the fence
as Heelers will do.
She proudly retrieved the waiting yellow prize, but
never to return.
We buried Mellie in the middle of the peach orchard,
and placed a stone.
Sidney seemed to forget her sadness
by chasing the ball.
The throws were long and often but
away from the asphalt strip.
Returns were swift to make sure of having
another quick throw.
She would chase the ball until she fell on her side,
panting, tongue out to the ground.
She was totally happy, but seemed to be saying,
“Enough for now, maybe later.”
Months and years past as months
and years do.
The throws became less frequent
and not so far.
The return was a walk and many times
only half the way.
She would lie in the grass, ball at her side, saying,
“That is enough.”
Her nails were worn short by the constant chase,
but grew longer with fewer throws.
The ball well worn, the bell was gone and it no longer
whistled with each throw.
The lawnmower had removed a large yellow piece, however the injury
did not diminish her love for the ball.
One crisp February morning we found the ball
outside Sidney’s little house.
A bounce of the ball had always enlisted a response, recently ever so slowly.
But not this morning nor would it ever again.
We buried Sidney next to Mellie in the peach orchard, the tattered
yellow ball between them.
This wonderful toy had cost the life of one,
and was the joy in life for the other.
The new ball was exactly the same except being red.
A bell in the middle rattled as it bounced, and the
hole whistled when it was thrown.
All this was an immediate joy in the life of Alice,
the new Heeler pup.