DOG LOVER

My son and I were having a conversation one day about the life of a dog. He said as he stroked the head of his poodle, "I wish he could live forever." If you aren't a dog lover, you won't understand. I was looking for a special picture one day when I found an album full of "Simon". Simon was a black and tan, long haired miniature dachshund. He came into my life quite by accident. My sister decided our parents needed a dog. She thought she needed one too. So she bought Little Runt, and my precious little Simon, who remained nameless for 24 hours. My sister took the little nameless puppy to my parents house, and they rebelled. Neither of them wanted this nameless little puppy, with the big brown eyes and floppy ears. My sister called me, after this little puppy had spent the night in her garage. She pleaded, "what am I going to do? I can't handle two puppies. I never dreamed Mom and Dad wouldn't want him." I was recovering from a fall. I had fallen down a flight of stairs, broke my sacrum (tailbone) and jammed my ilium (one of the bones of the pelvis) I was in horrible pain, I didn't need a nameless, floppy eared puppy either. I could barely take care of myself, let alone this puppy. Without my consent, she dumped him on me. He had puppy breath! When she brought him over, he wasn't big enough to climb the stairs from the foyer into the kitchen. By the time she left, about an hour later, the nameless, floppy eared brown-eyed puppy had a name. Simon. Not only did he have a name, but he already had my heart. For the next few years, everywhere I went, Simon was at my side. He couldn't stand to be out of my sight. The only time we were separated was when I left for work. He waited at the door for my return. When I cut the grass, he insisted on sitting on my lap on the riding lawn mower. I used to tell my children, "now don't let Simon outside while I'm cutting the grass. He could get hurt." I should have just taken him with me, because as soon as I had made about one trip around the yard, I would look up and see those little ears flapping as he ran down the hill towards me. I stopped the lawn mower, he jumped up on my lap. Three hours later, Simon and I put the lawn mower in the shed. He's one puppy who should have lived forever. I can still close my eyes and see those big brown eyes, his floppy ears and silky black coat. Am I still upset with my sister? Are you kidding, she gave me the biggest gift of love, wrapped into that little Dachshund body! I still miss that little guy today!