A Boy's Best Friend

I remember the day we choose you.  Out of all your many brothers and sisters, we picked you--the tiniest and laziest.  Oh, you were anything but though.  The day we took you home with us, you were so little. I could hold you in my palm. 

You were the cutest thing I ever saw.  We had moved in recently and we wanted you to make our house a home.  You were my only friend for a little while.  I watched over you like you were my son.  I would stay up late with you, play with you, take you outside when you had to dispose of waste.  I would hold you if you were scared or cold.  Somehow, you always knew when I was upset.  You would come paw me and lay down in my lap.  Your instincts were amazing.

You were so silly, too.  You made raking leaves fun.  You would run as fast as your little legs would take you--ears flopping--and dive bomb into the huge pile of leaves I raked not ten seconds earlier.  You were so playful.  You would walk up to me--rope-in-mouth--and taunt me to play tug-of-war. Or you would have a ball and try to get me to throw it so you could run after.  You were so jolly.

You were so loyal.  Even when we got another dog, you still loved me.  Even though you had every right to hate us.  We weren't trying to make you feel unwanted.  We wanted you to have company.  Either way, you didn't hate us for it and I love you for that. 

I came home for lunch today and you weren't here.  Why? Where did you go?

On my way back to work, I saw you--laying in the middle of a busy road, tongue out and all.  I don't know if I'm sad or if I'm mad at you.  You knew better.  I suppose you were pretty old and I know you were beginning to lose your hearing.  I hope it was painless.  I just wish you would have given me some closure.  I was the first to say "hello" to you; I wanted to be able to tell you goodbye. 

I'll miss you Blaze.

"Puppy" blaze


"Child" Blaze


"Teenage" Blaze


"Adult" Blaze


"Old" Blaze (one month ago)