My Ode to Missy

I adopted her at a rescue event at a local Petsmart

It was in the hottest month of August, 2001.

She was lying down, calm, looking a little lost

Amid a brace of barking crazy. little dogs.

I asked about her.  We met.

A mix between whippet and Labrador.

Long legged, slim, coming mid-thigh in height

She was what could be called a tan and white mongrel.

Around nine months to a year old.

A mutt.

I fell in love.

I hoped my husband would accept

The newest in our menagerie.

She needed reassurance and love.

In addition, boundaries were necessary

Plus, those necessary lessons in manners

That dogs so desperately need.

We formed a bond of friendship:

Owner to dog, Pack leader to pack member

After she learned and knew

This was her permanent family.

It took six months.

To finally relax and stop worrying.

She was our girls’ dog during their teen years.

Missy put up with Santa hats on her head,

reindeer antlers during Christmas time.

Pictures were taken

Memories were made

We would make up nicknames for her.

Mine was Mishugunna an old word

Meaning crazy or silly.

One nickname got so silly

We would hysterically laugh

As we tried to add to it.

Missy Von Whipp Lichtenstein the First.

Also known as the famous model

Miss Maybelline

Due to the black encircling her eyes.

She always wore makeup.

Fireworks beyond her comprehension

Thunder booming during storms

Would send her shivering in fright

To a couch or at a desk

I ended up with a dog close to me.

Our couch potato chose one

 to make herself comfortable on

We called it Missy’s couch

I lofted a blanket over it for her to lie on.

The first day in our house

One of our cats walked up,

Rubbed across Missy’s legs.

Missy took off whining;

Scared out of her wits

She later made good friends

with Nanny Cat

So many memories

Such fun times

Dog parks, walks in the neighborhood,

Playing with her girls,

Spending time with her family.

This is still Missy to us.

Unfortunately, all good things come to an end

One weekend she would not eat, not even special treats.

I knew we would end up at the vet.

Examinations and X-rays taken

We were given sad news.

Kidney and liver disease had crept

into our loyal friend

We chose to let her go

Before the hurting and pain

became all her reality.

We stayed saying love tidbits

Through to the very end.

 A sympathy card full

of condolences from the vet staff

arrived with a pawprint.

Another arrived from our groomer

telling us she would be missed.

Her cremated remains are in a box

On a bookshelf in my library

Along with a red collar

license still attached

A ceramic pawprint rests on top

Written by K. Soto  1/17/2019