佚名/Anonymous
She came into my life when I was eight years old. My dad found her at work. She was stray and starving. He took one look at her, and said,“Seems like you could use a good home.”He opened up the door to his pickup and she jumped in. Her tail wagged all the way.
I was still at school when dad arrived home with the puppy. Mom and dad fed her and gave her a bath. This would be my first pet.
I had always wanted a dog. My parents told me when I was old enough and responsible, I could have one, well, I guess they figured the time was right.
I hopped off the bus, not knowing what waited inside for me. I walked through the door, and to my surprise, a white and black puppy with a red bow stuck to her head greeted me with many puppy kisses. A very special friendship was born that day.
Now she needed a name. My older brother laughed at her and said her tail was deformed. She didn’t wag her tail back and forth.but went in a circle. He motioned his finger around his ear, and said,“She’s squirrelly.”Thus my puppy, Squirrelly, got her name.
She was a smart dog. I taught her to play hide and seek. We would play for hours, spending our days learning and growing together.
Eleven years we were together, best of friends. Arthritis and old age set in on her. My parents knew what had to be done, but they stood back and let me find and make the decision myself.
She was suffering so much and the medicine didn’t seem to help anymore. She could barely walk. I looked into those deep brown eyes and realized it was time to let her go.
I carried her into the vet’s office, placed her on the table. Squirrelly leaned her head forward, gave a lick to my hand. As if to say she understood and stayed strong. Her tail was wagging in that circle as it always did.
The vet gave her a sedative first, for the final shot was given on her front paw, and that was painful. She first went to sleep, but her tail still wagged. Then the vet asked before giving the final shot,“Are you sure?”With a heavy heart and tear filled eyes, I nodded yes.