When we initially think about love we might think of a family member, spouse, friend – all of the human variety. But love comes in many forms. And not always human. Some of my most precious gifts in life have come from animals.
Growing up, our family pet was an incredible collie named Mike. He was stellar in beauty. Looked just like Lassie – although we never got him to bark the ‘Timmy’s in the well?” code. We bought him as a puppy when I was 6 years old. He was a good natured, fun loving, adorable, fluffy dog. We lived on a small cul-de-sac with a pond in our back yard. Mike would hang out visiting all the neighbors, wagging his tail a million miles an hour to all he met. It didn’t take long for the mailman and paper boy to know him by name. In those days tying up your pet in your yard was not as enforced as it is today – so he had the run of the town. As the local boys got together in the winter to play ice hockey on the pond, Mike would be sliding around chasing the puck. All the kids loved him. When my sister and I wanted to dress him up in my mother’s Carol Brady wig and oversized Nicole Richie sunglasses, he would sit quietly (and humiliated I’m sure) until we got the perfect look. I think he liked to see us giggle. One time when he was in the house too long and had to do his business – he actually pooped in an ashtray. You can’t get more disciplined than that! When he wanted my parents to pet him while they were reading the newspaper, he would stick his long collie schnoz at the paper and poke at it until someone paid attention to him.
Most of the time Mike stayed on our property but once in a while he’d wander off with his doggie friends who lived down the street. One day he was hanging out with some buds and the dog catcher came to sccop them all up. Uh oh. The other dogs took off (like normal teen dogs) but Mike hopped in the front seat with the animal catcher eager to go on a joyride. When we picked him up at the pound, his head hung low in the cage. My parents didn’t punish him because the remorseful look on his face was punishment enough. We hoped he’d never do that again. And you know what? He didn’t. Good boy!!!
Aside from being a local celebrity, Mike was my best friend. Yeah, some might think it’s silly to say an animal is your best friend, but for me he filled that role. (I’m sure countless others can identify….). My junior high years were difficult and rough. I felt alone most of the time. After school I would sit on the grass with him in the backyard next to his special dog house that my father made for him. (I wasn’t the only one who cherished this dog – my whole family loved him so. My father went so far as to put shag carpeting and a little window in his dog house.) I felt safe when I was with Mike. I would share all my dreams and my secrets – some so shameful that he’s the only one I could tell. If I had been picked on during school that day, I would report the days bullying events in detail and how sad I felt. He would sit with me, listen and nuzzle his big long nose in my face. He wasn’t a big licker, but some days when I cried his tongue would cover my face. That would make me laugh. Sometimes he would try to sit his 92 pound body on top of me in order to get as close as he could to me. That dog never let me down, never hurt me and never disappointed me. He was always there for me – loyal and true.
When I think of Mike today, even though he’s long passed, I can still FEEL that love. That four legged gentle beauty helped me get through my worst years. To this day, we’re not sure of the details of his death but my family suspects he was poisoned. There was a mean man down the street that had hit him with a broom and didn’t like him. Mike was healthy one day and found dead in our back yard the next. My family didn’t tell me any of this – my brother in law told me when I was well into my 20’s. My family protected me too. Amazing how the love goes full circle.