[ SHOWGSD-L ] Re: A boy and his dog
- From: charangsd@xxxxxxx
- To: uwish@xxxxxxxxxx, showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Fri, 18 Nov 2005 16:44:13 -0500
Barb,
What a beautiful story! I believe all of us that love this breed so much, can
relate to your story. I can't stop crying.
Angie Martin
-----Original Message-----
From: Barbara Galasso <uwish@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Fri, 18 Nov 2005 16:10:09 -0500
Subject: [ SHOWGSD-L ] A boy and his dog
A Boy and His Dog
by
Barbara J. Galasso
As far back as I can remember, we always had German Shepherds when I was
growing up. There was always one to share my bed with or to steal my
baseball cap and and one to throw a frisbee to. I can remember dad and
I would take them hunting and fishing with us even though dad would
remind me this was not what this breed was bred to do, but they loved to
come with us anyway, even if they did alert the deer that we were
there. They wanted to chase rather than stop and point to show us where
the deer were. No sir, there was nothing quiet about taking a German
Shepherd with you when you went hunting. I guess that's why we never
had a head of a deer mounted over our fireplace.
We lived on a farm with many acres and never felt the need to lock the
doors. I remember the old door in the kitchen that led out to the back
yard. It seemed dad never did get it to shut all the way, because the
dogs use to let themselves in and out all the time.
Every several years, mom and dad would raise a new litter of pups and
would let me choose a male pup to keep for myself. And as each of those
pups would age and get old and die, the next one I would keep I would
always mangage to call that one the same name too......."Shep". I know
not very originial, but "Shep" is what they would be called. Each
"Shep" would come with me to all of my baseball practices and games.
The challenge was to make him sit and stay and not to chase each flying
ball I'd hit. Every where I went, "Shep" was always two feet in front
of me leading the way. He allowed my friends to play with me, but
strangers were forbidden to get too close.
Grandma and grandpa used to come and visit us a lot back in those days
and Sunday dinner was always a treat because mom would make her famous
pot roast. Grandpa would get so tired after eating such a big meal,
he'd go lay down on the sofa and catch himself a little nap. Dad would
always bring his finger to his lips and say, "shhhh.........don't
disturb grandpa, let him sleep, he's old and he tires easily". "Ok
dad", I'd say and out the backdoor "Shep" and I would run and play in
the old barn.
When I went off to college, I'd come back home every week-end and
couldn't wait to take "Shep" with me for walks down by the swimming and
fishing hole. We'd sit under the old oak tree and he'd roll over to let
me rub his belly and I'd share stories with him as he laid his head on
my lap and all was well because life was simple and good. A few years
went by, and I graduated school and I married my college sweetheart.
We'd come over to visit at the farm and "Shep" would run out to the car
to greet us with a loud bark and a wag of his tail.
When we had a son of our own, he would look forward to going to grandma
and grandpa's house as I did as a child so he could run outside to play
with "Shep". "Shep" would give him a big wet sloppy kiss and knock him
off his feet at that time. A few years went by and my son now had more
spring in his step, whereas, "Old Shep", (that's what we called him
now), was finding it harder to keep up with him because arthritis robbed
him of his youthful gait and agility.
We'd still come to the farm every Sunday for pot roast dinner, only now
it was my dad who would take a nap afterwards and I'd find myself
bringing my finger to my lips and saying to my son, "Shhhhh, I'd say,
don't disturb grandpa, let him sleep, he's old and tires easily. "Ok
daddy he'd say, because like me at that age, I was more interested in
what and where "Shep" was anyway.
On one of these Sunday gatherings while eating at the table, my son was
fidgeting in his chair and wasn't interested in eating all of his
dinner. The conversation was flowing smoothly, and I didn't really pay
too much attention to him. He watched as "Old Shep" pushed his nose
against the back door and with his arthritic body had to lean on it a
little harder for it to open. Looks like, that old creaky door never
did get fixed after all these years. The dishes were washed and mom
said, "time for dessert everybody". We all gathered around the table,
except I noticed my son didn't come to the table. I called out his
name, "Sammy, where are you". He didn't answer me. So I said to
myself. "I know where he is." " He's out playing with "Old Shep", I'll
bet you". So I excused myself from the table and went out the kitchen
door. "Sammy", I called again. Still no answer.
I went around the side of the barn and thought there was only one place
they could be. They had to be down by the swimming and fishing hole. I
called out his name again. "Come on Sammy, grandma's got dessert on the
table". "You better hurry up inside before it's all gone", I teased
him. When I came around the bend, I saw my son with "Old Shep" sitting
in the spot under the old oak tree I too used to sit with all the
"Sheps" before him. A smile escaped my lips as a flood of memories came
back to steal my heart seeing my son had a love of animals as his father
and grandfather before him. "Hey son", I began to say until he cut my
words off by bringing his little finger up to his lips and
said................."shhhhhh, dad, don't disturb Old Shep", let him
sleep, he's old and tires easily". With that, a silent gasp escaped my
throat and a single tear rolled down my cheek and I sat and took my
place along side my son and said," yes, my boy let Old Shep sleep now".
"Dessert will have to wait for today", my voice quivering as I wrapped
my arm around Sammy's shoulder. My son's young face filled with the
innocence of childhood, turned to look up at me and said smiling, "I
always loved Old Shep better than any dessert anyway". A gentle breeze
caressed our cheeks and a single leaf zig zagged it's way off the old
oak tree and floated to it's final resting place on the part of the
chest where Old Shep's heart used to beat.
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============================================================================
POST is Copyrighted 2005. All material remains the property of the original
author and of GSD Communication, Inc. NO REPRODUCTIONS or FORWARDS of any kind
are permitted without prior permission of the original author AND of the
Showgsd-l Management. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
ALL PERSONS ARE ON NOTICE THAT THE FORWARDING, REPRODUCTION OR USE IN ANY
MANNER OF ANY MATERIAL WHICH APPEARS ON SHOWGSD-L WITHOUT THE EXPRESS
PERMISSION OF ALL PARTIES TO THE POST AND THE LIST MANAGEMENT IS EXPRESSLY
FORBIDDEN, AND IS A VIOLATION OF LAW. VIOLATORS OF THIS PROHIBITION WILL BE
PROSECUTED.
For assistance, please contact the List Management at admin@xxxxxxxxxxxx
VISIT OUR WEBSITE - http://www.showgsd.org
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