May 18 2007
a man and his dog
Welcome to Flashback Friday!!
When Hubby was a boy, his parents bought him a gorgeous yellow lab who he named Dusty. Dusty was a dear friend and confidant for Hubby.
As Hubby got older, Dusty had to be left behind at his parents’ house as Hubby went off on life’s various adventures, like college and, well, marrying me. Our first home was a dark, dank, dismal basement apartment and dogs weren’t exactly, um, allowed.
So Dusty lived with Hubby’s parents. But Dusty was still very much Hubby’s dog. Hubby would go and visit him all the time, and did as much as he could to take care of the dog, though of course much of the burden of care was with his parents.
One day, Hubby went to visit Dusty, and Dusty wasn’t there. Hubby’s parents had decided that Dusty was too old and uncomfortable and it was time to put him down. No one ever got permission from Hubby or even mentioned it to him. Hubby had to find out after the fact. He’d never gotten to say goodbye to his dear old friend.
It was very painful for my sweet Hubby.
It’s a sad story, to be sure. But here’s where it hits so close to home:
Now that I’M living with Hubby’s parents, is Hubby gonna come home from work one day and discover that they’ve euthanized ME?
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Oh so sad Brillig! I guess you better stay on their good side . . .
If you’re still there when you’re really old and urinating all over the place, I’d start to worry.
That is really sad that nobody consulted with him. Maybe in their heads, it seemed more reasonable to do it without upsetting him first?
Hahaha. The ‘rents euthanizing Brillig. That’s funny. Then they’d have to take care of your munchkins. They might want to think it through, right?!?!
That’s sad your husband didn’t get to say goodbye. I’m not a dog lover by any means, but I know some people are very, very attached to their pets.
Yeah - on the in laws, I’d definitely be watching my step
Goodness. Poor hubby. That must’ve been terrible for him as a kid.
I feel bad for your hubby! Be careful, you could be next!
note to self: do not act too old or uncomfortable at your in laws’.
Yes, I can see how that fearful thought might sometimes paralyze him! Especially if they don’t euthanize the kids with you!
I adored my childhood pet. She loved me, too. I got her when I was twelve. She was born on my birthday. We were inseparable. When the family would go out of town for even a couple of days, we would leave her home and a neighbor would take care of our pets. I would have NIGHTMARES that she would forget me! Every day, I lived for the moment she ran up to me upon my arrival from school.
When I was sixteen and started driving, I took her with me in the car, and she sat on my lap while her head was out the window enjoying the BREEEEEEEZE.
I got older, had a baby, moved away. The noticable comparison between the love I felt for that doggie (which I was sure was the biggest feeling in the universe!) and the love I now felt for this baby … well let’s just say there was no comparison.
Mom and dad kept the doggie, and I would happily see her when I visited. One day, she zipped out the open door my mom was standing at, as dad was pulling out of the driveway. She ran right under his tire and was killed. Mom and dad were beside themselves with the terrible thought of having to break the news to me. In fact, they chose not to tell me. I was overseas at the time.
One day, while on the phone, I asked how Puppy was (yeah, that was her creative name). Mom said, “oh… well… we haven’t wanted to upset you because you’re so far away… but your dad ran over her… ” I said, “oh.. okay” And that was that.
I mean really, she was just a dog.
Sheila,
I know!! They’re obviously capable of real cruelty!
Butrfly,
After yesterday’s awful house hunt and today’s rotten news from our realtor, I think it’s highly likely that I’ll still be here when I’m old. And who says I’m not already urinating on the carpet?
Kateastrophe,
Oh, I’m sure they’ve got something equally exciting planned for the munchkins.
Annie,
I’m not really a dog-lover myself. But, like you, I empathize with Hubby, who really did love this dog.
Janet,
Haha. As a kid, it was great. It’s in his adulthood that they’ve randomly begun euthanizing loved ones (okay, just the one, but still…)
Believer,
If I go a few days without posting, you’ll know what happened…
exskindiver,
Exactly! And, believe me, I feel pretty darn old and uncomfortable already around here! Scary, isn’t it!
C-Teri,
Your story is sad, though. At least they had the decency to be worried about your feelings. Hubby’s parents knew how he felt about this dog, but even so they never asked his opinion or even told him what was up. They just up and murdered the poor thing one day. At least Puppy’s death was an accident, not a calculated decision… I think maybe that was the hardest part of the whole thing. You’re right, it’s just a dog. And hubby gets that, of course. But it was the way that the whole thing was handled. Truth be told, Hubby probably would have suggested having the dog put down. It was just hard that he was never consulted and, as I say, never able to say goodbye.
Has anyone ever told you that your husband is hot?
Lol. Come on, I had to say it. Someone ALWAYS says it when you post a pic of your dishy hubby.
Yes, Brill, it was terribly wrong of them. Terribly, terribly wrong. Perhaps, though, they thought they were sparing his feelings in removing the burden on him to have to make that decision?
You know, like the kids deciding to pull the plug on mom so that dad won’t have to live out the rest of his days knowing he killed his wife?
My son was in love with his dog when he was about six years old. His father just took her to the pound because she was too much trouble. Now THAT is fucked up!
Gina,
Haha. You’re right. Someone always says it, though I’m not sure this picture actually shows how delightfully delicious he is.
But, well, the DOG looks good, doesn’the?
Teri,
Oh my gosh! What your ex did is HORRIBLY messed up!! Way, WAY worse than this. And how did he explain it to the kid, who must have been heart broken? I suspect that he left you to do the explaining. Grrrrrrr….
ha ha ha!
That’s kind of harsh!
When I was little, I had a parakeet named Jicabob. While I was on vacation, my mom let it go because she hated it.
Why must parents traumatize kids like this (even if they are adults)?
Parents are just sometimes idiotic. They are only human.
I wish this thing, small by comparison, were the only heart-breaking thing my boy experienced in his little lifetime. But he’s a great kid, and has much strength and character.
well…I guess they might….if you’re getting too old and crippled and miserable. Or perhaps if you forget to remove your rollers before bed!!
Poor dusty.
And yes - your husband does look like quite the catch - and that’s obviously because you know how to keep a man happy!! (lol)
This reminds me that I’d better look into the fate of my husband’s pets, check for mysterious disappearances, that kind of thing. Like doggy, like daughter-in-law, I always say…
have you been annoying or given them reason to want to “off” you? watch your back…check the perimeter, and be careful!
ps..thanks for linking me, it warms my heart
Super Des,
That is so crazy! Poor Jicabob (of COURSE that was his name)! I wonder if I’ll discover one of these days, much to my children’s dismay, that I too will do horrid things to their pets? Maybe it’s a rite of passage that all children need to go through?
C-Teri,
Well, yeah. I guess losing a pet isn’t the worst thing that can happen to a kid, is it? He does sound like he’s turned out great.
Rebecca,
HAHAHAHA! That’s right! I’ll have to watch my rollers! (for the rest of you: If, by chance, you haven’t read Rebecca’s post yet today, GO READ IT AND YOU TOO WILL DIE LAUGHING!!!!) And oh yeah, I know how to keep my man happy, thanks to your splendid advice today. LOL!
Her Bad Mother!
Hi and welcome!!! And do you really always say that? Cuz I totally say it all the time. Yikes! I should ask what happened to all the other pets too? What if the saying, “like goldfish, like daughter-in-law” is also true???
Ba Doozie,
I married their son. Do they need any other reason? (I’m kidding–you should know that we all actually get along REMARKABLY well. Still, I bet Dusty thought he was doing just fine too…)
Don’t piss ‘em off and don’t drink anything that you didn’t serve yourself!
Well, if they try to lure you into the car with talk of “ice cream” or “pedicures” beware!
Thanks for stopping by & commenting the other day! I’m almost embarassed that I haven’t been by before this. I see your comments and your mysterious eyes at so many of the blogs I frequent. I was bound to like you too!
Heartbreaking.
I have had to put down two of our dogs in the fast few years. Both were retired racing Greyhounds, and euthanizing them was the only humane thing we could have done when they each got sick in their time.
They should have called him and told him they were going to do it.
That was really sad.
But your last comment made me laugh. I’d watch my back if I were you.
Oh, the horror!
Pets quickly become part of the family so that must have been so hard for hubby!
I know as schizoid as our beloved dog Buzz can be I’m going to loose it when he’s gone
Awww, poor Dusty and little Hubby!
Watch your back, girl.