I've always had big dogs...German Shepherds and Bulldogs….Dogs that could take off a limb if you crossed 'em. We had a Shepherd named Duke that weighed as much as Jilda and we kept him for over 13 years before he passed on and we both wept as if he were a child. Buddy on the other hand, belonged to my mother-in-law Ruby Phillips and weighed about 10 pounds soaking wet. I had thought many times about smothering him with a pillow when we visited her. He was hyper and he yapped a lot which really got on my nerves. But Ruby loved Buddy and Buddy loved Ruby. He made every step she made. In September (2003) Ruby was working in the yard when she fell and broke her leg and spent the next six weeks in the hospital and in rehab. Jilda and her sister Pat remained by her side at the hospital for most of the time and that left me to tend to Buddy. The first night when I went to let him out to use the bathroom and to feed him, he raced out to where she had fallen. He sat down on the spot where she lay until the paramedics rushed her to the hospital. I tried to coax him in the house with food and treats but he would not budge. He simply sat there and stared in the direction in which they took his mamma. I had to physically pick him up and carry him back in the house. The next day when I returned, it was the same story. I was his only human contact and he did not eat for days. One Saturday, about three weeks later, when I went down there to feed him, I just sat down on the ground beside him. I had a couple of Slim Jim sausages and I broke off and fed him little pieces while sitting with him staring down the road. I know that people passing probably thought I was disturbed, but it seemed like the right thing to do. Slowly he crawled up into my lap and we sat there for a long time.. I walked over to my truck and opened the door and said let's go. Buddy jumped in and he's been with us ever since. Ruby eventually went home but she could tell that things had changed so she told us to keep him but that we had to bring him for visits. These days, Buddy weighs about 10 pounds more than he did a year ago because he ate here and there too. He went to see Ruby every day as log as she was alive. He has calmed down since he came to live with us. He loves to ride in my truck and he especially likes exploring down in old Dora. His favorite trip so far was visiting the old Library. I never really thought I'd care for a little dog, but Ol' Buddy changed my mind.
Life 101 ~ From the Heart of Alabama By Rick Watson
Monday, December 19, 2005
Ol' Buddy Changed My Mind
I've always had big dogs...German Shepherds and Bulldogs….Dogs that could take off a limb if you crossed 'em. We had a Shepherd named Duke that weighed as much as Jilda and we kept him for over 13 years before he passed on and we both wept as if he were a child. Buddy on the other hand, belonged to my mother-in-law Ruby Phillips and weighed about 10 pounds soaking wet. I had thought many times about smothering him with a pillow when we visited her. He was hyper and he yapped a lot which really got on my nerves. But Ruby loved Buddy and Buddy loved Ruby. He made every step she made. In September (2003) Ruby was working in the yard when she fell and broke her leg and spent the next six weeks in the hospital and in rehab. Jilda and her sister Pat remained by her side at the hospital for most of the time and that left me to tend to Buddy. The first night when I went to let him out to use the bathroom and to feed him, he raced out to where she had fallen. He sat down on the spot where she lay until the paramedics rushed her to the hospital. I tried to coax him in the house with food and treats but he would not budge. He simply sat there and stared in the direction in which they took his mamma. I had to physically pick him up and carry him back in the house. The next day when I returned, it was the same story. I was his only human contact and he did not eat for days. One Saturday, about three weeks later, when I went down there to feed him, I just sat down on the ground beside him. I had a couple of Slim Jim sausages and I broke off and fed him little pieces while sitting with him staring down the road. I know that people passing probably thought I was disturbed, but it seemed like the right thing to do. Slowly he crawled up into my lap and we sat there for a long time.. I walked over to my truck and opened the door and said let's go. Buddy jumped in and he's been with us ever since. Ruby eventually went home but she could tell that things had changed so she told us to keep him but that we had to bring him for visits. These days, Buddy weighs about 10 pounds more than he did a year ago because he ate here and there too. He went to see Ruby every day as log as she was alive. He has calmed down since he came to live with us. He loves to ride in my truck and he especially likes exploring down in old Dora. His favorite trip so far was visiting the old Library. I never really thought I'd care for a little dog, but Ol' Buddy changed my mind.
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I remember this post and photo. It made me sad, with a smile.
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