I was ten years old when we got Checkers, an eight week old mixed
terrier. Checkers was there as I took
the journey from boy to man.
Like most kids, I had a vivid imagination. One day I pretended I was in Alaska and had a dog
sled, which was really my red wagon. I took
some hamburger from the refrigerator, put the leash on Checkers, and tied the
end of it to the wagon’s handle.
After I was seated in the wagon, I tossed a chunk of meat
about 20 feet in front of Checkers and yelled, “Mush!”
Checkers bolted so suddenly that the wagon tipped over spilling
me out on the driveway and I scraped my knee.
I was bleeding so I had to go inside and get a bandage. My mother was very upset about my injury and
her missing hamburger. I was sent to my
room right after dinner.
One day I was leaving for school and Checkers ran out of the
house as soon as I opened the door. I
knew from experience I wouldn’t be able to catch him so I decided to take my
bike and just head on to school.
As I got near the first turn Checkers spotted me and decided
to follow me. I didn’t have time to return
home. When I got to school, I told
Checkers to wait for me, and I went inside to my classroom, which was on the
first floor.
It was spring, so windows were open. As class started, I saw Checkers at a window;
a moment later, he jumped into the classroom and came over to me. It brought the class to a complete halt. The
startled teacher took us to the principal’s office. My mother was called, and that night it
wasn’t just Checkers that was in the dog house.
Over the years we had many more adventures, like the time we
were in the garage and a large rat came running towards me. Before the rat could reach me, Checkers
grabbed it at the neck, and with several sharp jerks of his head broke its neck
and killed it. I gratefully gave
Checkers an extra can of dog food that night.
Unfortunately, when I was twenty, my father’s job took us to
another city. I was told we’d have to
find a home for Checkers because the apartment we were moving to didn’t allow
pets. I was heartbroken. My parents moved, and I stayed behind hoping to
find a home for Checkers while we tried to sell the house. Then I
received notice I was being called up on active duty with the National Guard in
just two weeks. I asked everyone I knew
if they could take Checkers, and finally a girl I knew volunteered. However, a day before I was scheduled to
leave, she changed her mind.
Faced with no alternative, I took Checkers to the Humane
Society. They told me it was unlikely a
ten year old dog would be adopted, so he would be put to sleep. With tears streaming down my cheeks, I gave
Checkers one last hug and said “Good-bye”.
When I got home, I called up a girlfriend and told her what
happened. I got off the phone, and ten
minutes later she called back and said she talked her mother into taking
Checkers. My heart leaped for joy as I
quickly said good-bye and telephoned the Humane Society to let them know I was
coming back to get my dog. They informed
me I was too late. They had just put him
down. That was my first hard lesson in
life, and to this day I still feel the pain when I think about it.
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