it's about life, my life, quilts, midwifery, and whatever else occurs to me.

23 June 2008

Sam


Sam has been my friend since 1995, when I adopted her from a shelter at the age of 3. She's 16 now, and about a year and a half ago, her hind legs started to fail. I remember so well her prowess at frisbee catching, how she loved to swim, the many times we went running together, the few times she stole food from the kitchen counter. No squirrel could rest easy with her around, and she just knew that cats were put on Earth for her to chase. More than one person who met her agreed that she could smile.

But the signs are all there; her romping days are long past. She's lost interest in almost everything, and I'm at the point where I don't think I'm doing her a favor by keeping her with me in this life. So tonight she'll keep me company on the bed, although I'll have to pick her up to get her there and she won't like it! And tomorrow, we'll take our last ride together, and if there's a doggy afterlife, she'll be running again.

2 comments:

Anne Easter Smith said...

Apparently, there's a place where all doggie companions romp together while waiting for their owners to join them. Sam will find her legs again and give any greyhound a run for its money! I well remember making the mistake of letting her off leash when Scott and I were dog-sitting for a week. Big mistake! She was gone, and somehow the Barbara Wodehouse-like command "Come!" had no effect whatsoever. Talk about panic! We found her socializing with buddies in the meet-and-greet field. We'll miss Sammy--a smart, gentle animal with human qualities. Thinking of you today, Maryann. Love, Phileas

Anonymous said...

Indeed Sam was a lovely dog, loyal to her mistress Maryann, but friendly and loving to all visitors to the Long household. Squirrels, as noted, did not get the same respect, and many a Fresh Pond squirrel was treed by Sam.

She was generally a very obedient dog, and "Come" normally yielded the intended result, but who could fault her for suffering from the condition of squirrel adduco auditurus esse damnum (squirrel induced hearing loss)? ;-)

All of us who had the pleasure of knowing Sam were enriched by her presence, and she knew she was much loved by Maryann.