When you’re driving through the middle of nowhere, especially at night, it all starts to look the same. The roads blur together, endless stretches of pavement with no landmarks to guide you. Without GPS, you’d be lost—no clue where you were or where you were going. But then, out of nowhere, something clicks. The landscape shifts from unfamiliar to familiar, and you realize you’ve been here before.

Up ahead, there’s a glow cutting through the darkness—a beacon of light. It’s the Country Store, just outside Snowflake, Arizona. I used to drive this road every morning, watching the sunrise as I headed in to grab my coffee. And every evening, I’d return during the golden hour to pick up a Dr. Pepper. The finest Dr. Pepper you’ll find anywhere, if you ask me. I even got my mail here—50 cents a package. That’s a bargain if you ask me.

But this time, I wasn’t here for coffee, soda, or mail. No, this trip was official business. I was delivering Briggs and Charlie to their new owner, Tom.

At first, everything seemed fine. Then came the hitch…Briggs refused to get into Tom’s truck. He kept trying to climb back into the Doge Van, tail wagging but stubborn as ever. I scratched my head, trying to figure out what was going on, and then it hit me.

“Tom,” I said, “he thinks Charlie is going to be left behind. Let me grab him.”

Sure enough, as soon as I brought Charlie out, Briggs perked up, wagging his tail like mad. Without hesitation, he hopped right into Tom’s truck, ready to hit the road. He wasn’t about to leave his best friend behind. Because that’s what they were—best friends. The kind that stick together, no matter what.

I never did get a picture of old Charlie that day. But something tells me I’ll run into him again a little further down the road. When that happens, maybe I’ll introduce y’all. Until then, I’ll remember this night, the country store, and those two loyal companions who reminded me of the power of friendship.