A Special Day
5/13/08
My first friend... My VERY first best friend was a blond
cocker spaniel named Sally Ann. Sally Ann was born 4 days after I was in 1953 and she was a gift from my mother's now
deceased sister Juanita who lived in Waco. She was my favorite Aunt because we went there so often... Of course she would
naturally be my favorite. My aunt and my mother were very close.
Sally Ann was my dog even though I am sure that my siblings thought she
was theirs too. But we were special. I loved her and even after Mrs. Yancy ran over her and we buried her in the
back yard of 1701 Astor Place, every family pet that I kept from that point on were related somewhat to Sally Ann. They
were beautiful Cocker Spaniels and I honor my late aunt by loving what she introduced me to.
There was Sandy Ann who looked like Sally Ann and who
was also "MY Dog". She lived to be 13.
Lucky Lee lived 11 years and although he was my daughter's dog we
all loved him. Lucky was the eternal protector and peace-maker between the 2 girl spaniels until it came to food.
Then you had to feed them divided because he wanted it all.
Muffy Marie was really my wife's dog. Muffy lived 11 years and
liked climbing the trees and bushes in the yard.
Now we have Lucky Earl and he thinks he's human. He has the characteristics
and personality of the previous three. We adopted Lucky Earl a day after Muffy died and 2 days before my friend Dennis
Johnson collapsed in front of the convention center. I remember it like it was yesterday.
Lucky Earl can
read minds and sense moods better than any dog (or human) I have ever known. No BS. This puppy is phenomenal.
He belongs to all of us even though my grief-stricken wife bought, feeds, walks and talks to him a LOT. He knows he
is OURS... TRANSLATION: mine. He knows the truth.
