Prince Joey

He snarls and snuffles no more. No more getting lost on his pillow. No more barking at the air. No more lizard alerts. No more I need a girlfriend wails or Cow in the Backyard episodes. Tuesday night I carried Joey up the stairs at bedtime and put him on his pillow in my room. He would have made his way there when he realized I had gone to bed but I saved him the trouble of having to wake up from his nap downstairs and discover that I had gone to bed and then snarl and snuffle and howl about it and waddle his arthritic waddle up the stairs and fuss at me about leaving him on his pillow alone. When I woke up Wednesday morning at 430am he was still on his pillow. I could hear him snoring when I turned the stereo on. He didn't follow me downstairs for coffee,,he rarely did anymore. He preferred to sleep in. When I turned the stereo off as I was leaving for work he wasn't on his pillow. I stuck my head in to check on Maggie,,make sure she was alive and breathing and in one piece before I headed to work,,she was. Went downstairs and checked his pillow,,he wasn't there,,I assumed he was with Maggie. Made sure the water and food bowls were full,,turned off the coffee pot and went to work. Maggie called about 1030. Joey was on the pillows,,not breathing,,,not moving. Not an unexpected event,,he was ancient. So very sad though. He was the first puppy we ever had. So very small at first. He would hide behind the couch pillow. No bigger than a pair of socks with legs. We had been through so much. The hermaphrodite surgery. Nursing school,,he would stand guard over me while I napped for 45 minutes. His girlfriend seeking escapes. The multiple moves and his initial inspection of the new quarters. Him learning to skateboard. The reindeer ears. The bows and tiaras he wore because he loved His Mallory. He protected us from invading possums and lizards. He brought me presents ,,live snakes,,partial squirrels. His last Big Adventure and subsequent trip to Doggie Jail. He loved my Daddy,,would run to be held in those big hands. He lived for days in the sun and was happiest when I grilled sausage or chicken for him while he napped on his big giant pillow. I would move it around the deck with him on it so he was always in the sun. He was truly Prince Joey. A royal in every way possible. Very regal. Very loved. I buried him in the sun. Wrapped in his pillow. Forever warm.