She was only 6 weeks old, and had been spayed the day before, when we adopted her from Greenville Humane all those years ago. A ball of fur with such sad eyes. The note on the cage said "couldn't handle her any more". I guess she was the last of the litter, and having puppies had been a tiring experience.
She was so small she couldn't get up and down the front step, at first. She slept between us on the bed, and thought we were her personal chew toy. We crated her during the day while we were at work and she delighted in greeting us at the door, crate either intact or collapsed flat, with a grin that was like "ok, next trick?"
We thought maybe she needed a "sissy", so we went back to Greenville Humane and adopted Princess, also known as Boo, and they became partners in crime.
Boo hated travelling, it stressed her and made her sick, whereas Angel loved it, so Angel became her daddy's partner in crime. When the truck was laden with trash in the back, Angel rode in the passenger seat. After "helping daddy" they would stop by McDonald's or Burger King and grab burgers, always bringing one home for her sissy.
When we got the Jeep, she and her daddy went to Lowe's and TSC together and she rode in the front. If we went out places, she rode in the back. One day, she was already in the front seat when I came out of the front door. It was like watching a disappointed child, her eager bounce deflated as she dropped her shoulders and sighed, it was like "oh no, she's coming".
She loved being the center of attention. She had her fan club wherever she went. The fast food drive thrus, many of the cashiers knew her by name.
She did the Paws for the Cause walks in Greenville for 4 or 5 years with her daddy, proudly strutting the route and lapping up all the praise and comments of "oh, what a beautiful dog".
She was obstinate.
She drove me crazy when my mobility got poor. She wouldn't come to me when I called, if she was out in the yard and wanted to stay out. If I tottered towards her, she'd let me get maybe one step away, then would walk 3 or 4 away from me and look at me as if to say "ok, I like this game".
The UPS man had no worries coming by her when he delivered my AVON packages, and when my friend Dimple and her family would come to clean for me, she'd lap up all the attention and grin at the camera.
She was a definite character.
Considering she was 14 and a half, she had lived a long and good life. Recently she had started having issues with one back leg, and becoming very picky about eating, then this past week she had gotten listless and her breathing had become laboured. Yesterday she wouldn't eat or drink.
This morning, we took her to Simpsonville Animal Hospital, and Dr Keller and her team helped her cross the rainbow bridge.
As we came out, in tears, it was pelting down. Even the Heavens were crying, it seemed.
She will be missed by us all, her doggie and feline family, and her mummy and daddy. Our beautiful girl.
No comments:
Post a Comment