Penny's Memorial

Mariah brought her to us.

The woman she belonged to

bought her for breeding purposes .

She drove all the way from CO to AL

 with the 6 week old puppy

shut up in a garbage can.

Mariah stole her out of the car at a rest stop.

She met me at the door with her.

"oh, no", I said, "we have too many animals."

"okay", said Mariah,

"hold her a minute and I'll find her a home"

I picked her up,

all blonde and frightened

 and big as my hand.

"Put the phone down"I said.

and she was ours.

or we were hers.

She was so scared at first.

She bit everyone who got near her.

A blanket thrown on the floor

 would send her into hysterical barking.

But Tom took her everywhere he went,

carried her in his jacket

and she learned

to be petted

to wag her nub of a tail

to love us all

but to worship Tom

as the center of her universe.

She made every step he made.

When he had to leave her,

she perched on the back of the couch

listening for his steps.

She still bit him when he tried to groom her

or put medicine in her ears

or get her out of the car.

She was always her own dog

never did tricks

wouldnt' come to anyone but Tom

but she did love a party

never sat on the floor

always in a lap

slept next to Tom

and put her paw on him possessively

when I tried to wake him up.

when we knew the time had come

to say goodbye

Tom wouldn't let the vet tech take her

and she bit him one last time

when the needle went in

but she forgave him

and licked his hand

looked into his eyes

and left us.

She went everywhere with Tom

and he went with her as far as he could.