CENTENNIAL – The Nichalsons don’t expect you to believe something beyond the laws of physics is at work on their backyard patio.But they do want you to know that the image that has now appeared on their grill cover certainly does look a lot like their old dog Fletcher. Here’s the story. Fletcher was the couple’s chocolate Lab. When he was 13, a vet told them the dog needed to be put to sleep. “We had to pick a day, because he was really starting to suffer,” said Peggy. “We were just so sad about having to do that.” Then a few days ago, something happened that caused both Peggy and Steve to start thinking about their old pooch. “We were getting set to grill,” said Steve. “[Peggy] came running in and told me there was something amazing out there.”

Steve went outside to look at the grill cover, and that’s when he saw it as well. “It really looks like a Lab,” he remembered thinking. “I see a very old Lab,” added Peggy. Here are a few things to consider when trying to make up your mind on the issue. The family did place Fletcher’s ashes in the backyard shortly after he died. The grill is under an area of the porch where condensation has clearly and repeatedly fallen down onto the grill, and its cover, below.

“You can see the drip marks,” said Peggy. And right beside the image is something that looks a lot like a fish jumping out of water. “I’m a fly fisherman and I used to take Fletcher with me. He loved it. He would just sit there and stare just like that,” said Steve. Is it a forgery? Perhaps. Is it coincidence. Very likely. But is it also a sign of something else? Who knows?

Yep, my dog’s favorite place is near the Weber grill too. I’m not sure why.