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It’s been said
that a dog really isn’t just a pet, but is rather more like
a little child and a member of the family. If you’re
someone who’s never had a dog of your own, I guess that
might sound a bit silly to you. But, if you are now (or
have ever been) a dog’s person, then I’m sure that it all
makes perfect sense.
I must admit, here
at the outset of this story, that Toby wasn’t actually my
dog. He belonged to my nieces, Jennifer and Lindsey and
their parents, Mark and Donna. So, to be very precise about
it, Toby wasn’t my little son – he was my little nephew and
I was very proud and more than happy to be his Uncle Damon,
too.
I first met our
little friend Toby in the summer of 1990. He was only 8
weeks old when he came to live with Mark and Donna at their
home in Southern California. He sure was a cute little
puppy. Being a Sheltie, he reminded me of a miniature
“Lassie” – the famous Collie star of movies and TV in my
boyhood.
Now, mind you, in
the summer of 1990 there was no Jennifer (she wouldn’t be
born until October 1991) and there was no Lindsey (she
wouldn’t be born until June 1994). So when Toby came to
live with his new family, there was only Mark, Donna and
he. In a way, you could say that Toby was Mark and Donna’s
first child.
I remember well
just how joyful our little friend Toby was when Mark and
Donna brought baby Jennifer home from the hospital where
she’d been born. Now, I’m certainly no mind reader, but
somehow I got the feeling that Toby was so happy because he
now had a new sister who had come home to play with him.
It took a while, of
course, before Jennifer grew big enough to play with Toby.
But that eventually did happen and I recall observing just
how content they were when they played together. Toby was
so very gentle. He never minded when she pulled his tail.
He’d just turn around and lick Jennifer’s pretty little
face.
Then, before we all
knew it, it was June 21, 1994 (the first day of summer and
the longest day of the year) and we all got a brand new
addition to our clan. Her name is Lindsey and I can tell
you that all of us, including our little friend Toby, were
both thrilled and excited to welcome her into our happy
family.
It didn’t take long
until little Lindsey, just like her older sister Jennifer
before her, grew big enough to start crawling around on the
floor and playing with our beloved Toby, too. He was so
delighted to now have two girls to play with. Toby loved to
play, have fun and make people happy more than anything
else.
Time has a way of
passing so fast that sometimes it seems like a blur to the
memory. There were birthdays and Christmases and
Thanksgivings that we all celebrated. Of course, our little
friend Toby was always included in our festivities. He
loved to be around lots of people… the more the merrier, it
seemed to me.
Jennifer and
Lindsey both started going to school and, of necessity, had
to leave little Toby behind. He never appeared to be sad
about this. I think he knew that it was just the way that
life is. But every afternoon, when the girls would get
home, Toby would be there waiting to greet them with
boundless affection.
On June 21, 2002,
we all celebrated Lindsey’s 8th birthday with a
big party in the backyard, by the swimming pool. There were
so many kids there as Lindsey, like Jennifer, has grown to
become very popular with her schoolmates. And right there,
in the midst of all that birthday mirth was our frisky
little friend Toby.
Yes, the first day
of summer had come again. The school year was over and
summer vacation was here at long last. Jennifer and Lindsey
were so pleased to see summer arrive in all its glory. It
meant that 4th of July fireworks were just around
the corner and a family vacation was set to begin a few days
after that.
Whenever Mark,
Donna and the girls would go on vacation, they’d always ask
me to stop by their house every day that they’d be gone to
take care of Toby and Timmy the Cat and Alex the Rabbit.
That was one of the true joys of my life. (Although I love
Timmy and Alex, I must confess that I loved Toby most of
all.)
On Sunday morning,
July 7, my telephone rang. “Hi, Uncle Damon! This is
Donna.” She was calling from her cell phone. They were
already in Barstow and on their way to Lake Havasu,
Arizona. Donna told me that Toby hadn’t been feeling well
and that she had taken him to see
Dr. Mohan, his
veterinarian, the day before.
“I know that it’s
a lot to ask,” she said, “but Toby needs to have his
medicine twice a day. Can you do that for us?” Without
hesitation, I agreed. If our little friend Toby was sick
and needed some extra special, tender loving care, I was
only too happy to oblige. After all, Toby had given us 12
years of never ending cheer.
As Donna had
already given Toby his medicine that morning, and as I had
some other things to do, I decided to wait until early
evening to drive the 13 miles to their house to give Toby
his second dose of medicine. In hindsight, sadly I now wish
that I had gone there much earlier in the day.
When I arrived, I
started jingling my keys as I approached the gate by the
side of the house. Whenever I would do this, Toby would
come flying around the corner from the back patio, where he
liked to take his naps, and start barking a loving greeting
for Uncle Damon. Only that evening, he didn’t come at all.
I let myself in
through the gate and walked toward the back patio. I was
calling him: “Hi, Toby! Uncle Damon’s here!” But he didn’t
respond as he always had before. As I rounded the corner of
the house I saw him lying there, as if peacefully asleep.
But I knew in an instant that our little friend Toby was
gone.
He had a sweet
smile on his beautiful face… the kind of smile I’m sure we
all display when we’re sleeping through a lovely dream. I
thanked God at that moment for having bestowed upon our
family the most precious of all His many gifts… a living
embodiment of unconditional love who went by the name of
Toby.
It occurred to me
then that Toby had known that it was his time to return to
the world of spirit. I also believe that he knew that it
would be too difficult an experience for Jennifer and
Lindsey to find his lifeless little body. Although he was
dying, his love for them kept him alive until they had left
for their vacation.
I’d like to think
that Toby knew that it would be his Uncle Damon who would
find him and would make sure that he was properly taken care
of. This I did my best to do. I lovingly picked him up and
placed him on two folding chairs out on his patio. I then
sat up with him all through the night so that he wouldn’t be
alone.
In the morning, I
placed Toby in my car and I drove him to a
pet crematory where I had to say my last goodbye to this very precious
soul. It was most upsetting, but I’ve vowed that I’ll try
my best not to be sad. I’ll think about all the joy Toby
gave everyone and feel great gratitude that his presence
graced my life.
The girls are still
on vacation as I write this. Of course, I telephoned Mark
immediately after I found Toby. But since there was really
nothing they could do, I offered to tend to Toby’s last
needs and he and Donna, although both saddened beyond words,
decided not to tell the girls until their vacation is over
this Friday.
I know that
Jennifer and Lindsey will be heartbroken when they hear that
Toby is with us no more. It’s only natural to be overcome
by grief. But their parents will try to explain that death
is just a phase of life and that Toby isn’t really gone. We
may not see him or touch him anymore, but he’s all around us
now.
On a lovely hutch
that’s situated just inside the sliding glass doors to
Toby’s patio, I’ve placed the little cedar casket that now
contains Toby’s ashes. Next to it, I’ve placed his
photograph (that I took at Lindsey’s 5th birthday
party) and the little leather collar he wore around his
neck. It’s good to have you home, Toby Boy.
Yes, Toby still
lives! He will live forever in the hearts of all of us who
loved him and whom he loved so well. Just as he did when he
dwelled in his little Sheltie body, Toby will come running
whenever any of us call him. I know I’ll be calling him
often. Just the thought of our little friend Toby makes me
smile from ear to ear.
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