And Then There Was One

So while my best friend and housemate Kenneth wrote a beautiful piece about Peety, I thought I might give it a shot as well because it helps me too to work through these things on paper, even virtual paper.

So Monday for me, started off like other sick days. I dealt with the office and made sure as best as I could that things would function “normally”. As is often the case when I am home I fed breakfast to the goofy goober Peety and our curmudgeon Chipdog, and the day began.

Peety bounced into my life two and a half years ago, one summer afternoon at the County of Santa Clara SPCA. Chipdog wasn’t so sure, but I think Peety won the human hearts almost instantly. And so our journey began.

Peety didn’t walk or run through life he bounced. In the evening when I came home, I often found him and Chipdog in the garage, and Peety would always be hopping. I began to say “who’s hoppy to see me?” What joy that hopping gave.

There were beach trips, too few. Lots of licking. Secret snuggles on my bed. And hours of loving.

This afternoon was my first afternoon coming home, to no Hoppy Dog. There had been so many tears last night that I really didn’t think there were more, and yet, turning the key in the door and opening it to an empty entry hall with no Hoppy Dog, triggered yet another flood.

I know in my heart Peety will always live, and I have been down this road before with Aroshka, but it all happened so quickly. If he had been visibly sick maybe it would have been easier… but there he went his bouncy self, off to another adventure, never to return to Del Vale Avenue and bring his brand of joy to our days.

I will miss you always Hoppy Dog.

And then there was one.