Lulu. Buzz.
Spots. Stripes.
That’s
the dead pet roll call for the past decade – all since my son was born. We still have Daisy, a sweet English Bulldog
with some good bark left in her. But we
lost our most recent pet while on a family vacation and it always saddens me to
tell my kids another living creature no longer resides with us.
Stripes
was a fish who lived about 15 months, outliving Spots, another fish, by about
6 months. The kids wanted fish. I never cared for fish. I only knew about goldfish that die after a
week. It amazed me to see Stripes live
so long, though so short compared to humans.
I hated
cleaning out his bowl. I started out
cleaning it once a week, then every other week, then once a month, and then every
five weeks – or longer. Ironically he
died a few days after I cleaned his bowl.
Maybe living in squalor was better for the little guy and I screwed up
by freshening up his house. Perhaps he
had a broken heart, waiting for his family to return from its vacation. Who knows?
What do
you do with a dead pet? We cremated our
pugs, Lulu and Buzz, and sprinkled the ashes at a pet cemetery. Actually, I
think I have some of Buzz’s ashes in a garage.
Spots
died last January. My sons and I tried
to dig up the ice-cold sand by a local beach and we were able to lower him in a
box about a foot deep. He’s so close to
the water, but not quite swimming in it.
I
remember when my childhood pet, a rabbit, died.
I biked him over to a park that I played baseball at and tried to bury him
under home plate. But the ground of
winter was too cold to pierce. So I left
him on the plate – in a box. I imagine
he ended up in the landfill somewhere.
The
whole burial thing – for humans – seems like a waste. The land should be used for the living. I can’t recall the last time I visited
relatives in the graveyard. I have their
memories, photos, and for some, videos.
That’s how they stay alive and relevant – by thinking of them, talking
about them, and living out their best advice.
Stripes,
wherever you end up, thanks for being a loyal pet. You were no dog, but you had a special way
about you.
When we
got word that Stripes was sideways we didn’t dare tell the kids until we got
home. Why ruin a vacation over something
you can’t do anything for?
As the
moment approached and my wife broke the news to the kids, they paused to say
they were sorry to see him go, but in the same breath came requests for a
replacement pet. They entertained all
kinds of creatures, including a fish and another dog. As long as they don’t say cat, we’ll be fine.
Kids are
resilient. They have a lot of love to
give and if Stripes isn’t there to receive it, they are ready to move on and
give it to another pet.
Maybe
we’ll consult a new book from Dr. Seuss, What Pet Should I Get? Never heard of it? The long-lost manuscript was uncovered by his
widow, Audrey Geisel, and will be released July 28 from Random House. By the way, don’t forget to celebrate his
birthday – and National Education Association Read Across America Day -- on March
2nd.
When a
pet falls it makes you think of all the pets that came before. For me, there was Crackers, Dusty, Patty, and
Tyrone – parakeets. There were rabbits,
goldfish, turtles and my first dog, Brandy, a basset hound that didn’t become
mine until I was 26.
No doubt there will be new pets – one pretty soon – and more deaths to come – and in between, great memories of the creatures we share our lives with. Hug your pet tonight – or clean its bowl. It’s the least you can do. Goodbye, Stripes.
No doubt there will be new pets – one pretty soon – and more deaths to come – and in between, great memories of the creatures we share our lives with. Hug your pet tonight – or clean its bowl. It’s the least you can do. Goodbye, Stripes.
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