Good Bye My Friend

Sometime around 1600 hours this afternoon my dog died. I was out working in the garage when my Bride burst in hollering that "Alex is out back and I think he is dead!" I went out there and sure enough he was. It was not unexpected, he was 13 years old after all and that is positively ancient for a large Golden Retriever. I had to put my female retriever, Aerial Valkyrie, down almost a year ago at age 12. I have only had one other dog pass away at home and that was when I was nine. I wasn't with her either when the time came. I still feel bad about that. All my other dogs I have been able to hold as they were euthenized. I think I like that better. Aerial Valkyrie passed on a trip back to Texas last year. She became very sick and we took her to the vet who confirmed it was time to let her go. It was easy and quiet. I am so sad that I was not with my Alexander Augustus when he passed. He has journeyed through life with me since my Senior year at Texas Tech. My Bride and I got him within 2 months of our Wedding. I remember putting this little fuzzy puppy with gigantic paws in my back pack during class, he always went everywhere with me. He grew giant even by large dog standards. When he finally finished growing he was a good 3 feet tall at the shoulder and just over a hundred pounds, no fat on him. A fine looking dog. When he was 3 years old in Pensacola Florida we studded him out. He sired 11 fine pups. He always had a very uncomfortable habit of sneaking into our bedroom when my Bride and I were conducting "intimate negotiations". I would get this feeling, look over and there he would be...Staring. It was as if he was just sitting there...judging me... evaluating my technique. Come to think of it, that was pretty irritating. When he was 6 years old he took a cotton mouth bite in the face while protecting my unsuspecting Bride. The girl dog, Aerial, had rousted the snake out and pissed it off while my Bride was nearby doing yard work. She inadvertantly went into harms way when she tried to see what Aerial was playing with. Alex did what any good dog would do, he put himself between her and the danger. Shortly after he developed a thyroid problem and slowed down considerably. I am pretty sure it was the snake bite that did it. No more true friend could ever be had. When I was in Sub School during the winter of 96' in Groton CT he served as the warmest comforter on those cold nights. In Hawai'i he would frolic in the Ocean, chasing birds and sea turtles. I always worried he would get eaten by a shark. As the children came he was the duty pillow, walker, baby cleaner, floor vacuum, toy taster, jungle gym and nanny. Even as age took it's toll on him and arthritis set in, he was still the very soul of gentleness. Aerial Valkyrie always had an edgy, kinda mean streak in her. I always attributed that to being female. She was also a wonderful friend, and an outstanding gun dog. Much better than Alex, that is until 3 months of quarantine in Hawai'i ruined 'em. By the time we left the Islands, the only birds they would retrieve came in a KFC boneless strips value meal. Alex had the gun dog instinct but not the spirit. Out in the field he would rather just eat wild flowers or role in a pile of poop rather than pay attention to the hunt. All that was important to him was being with family. I think a good gun dog has gotta have a little mean in 'em and Alex didn't have a scrap of mean anywhere in him. By the time we moved to Virginia he was in his twilight years and was just content to be a lazy old house dog. I owed it to him to be with him when he died. Instead, I was not there. The family went about our self centered business with out so much a though as my most loyal and trusted friend went outside and found himself a spot to die....alone. Alexander Augustus I will miss you deeply, we all will. You were a joy to this family and your passing leaves a painful hole. God speed my friend. You traveled life's road with me you were always there when I needed you and I am so sorry I was not there for you, to hold you as you moved on. Vaya con Dios mi Amigo!

TO THE TYRANT NEVER YIELD