FAREWELLS: Tilden is my sister's neighbor's dog. Tilden's family is moving to Israel soon and the children of my sister's bucolic family are going to miss Tilden terribly. Of course, they'll miss his owner's family too, but that's not as good a story to tell. Tilden's family went away this weekend, so he spent the shabbat at my sister's house as a final farewell sleepover. A little about Tilden. Tilden is a ten year old Yellow Labrador Retriever. Labs are great dogs, but even among this fine breed, Tilden stands out. You see, Tilden was a service dog in training at one point. Tilden's family adopted him after he flunked out of school for being too nice. So he's an impeccably mannered beast with an unusually sweet disposition. The kids, especially those that are roughly his height, talk to him like he's in on the secret and he never dissapoints them. It's easy to forget how strong this magnificient animal is he is because he is so gentle; but as I walked him and marvelled at his ability to pee on every vertical surface in a two block radius, he easily dragged me along as if I were a plaything. Of course, being around so many kids, Tilden learned to be a shnorrer, and waits patiently under the table at mealtime for any foodstuff to enter his domain. When it does, WOOF! its gone. Fare thee well, Tilden, and may the streets of Hashmonaim, IL, be paved with huge fire hydrants and large boned cats.