Goodbye Jackie

It was fourteen years ago when Kelly ran into the house one Saturday morning holding Linda's hand and dragging her through the livingroom. "Daddy the lady that comes to mom's store said her puppies are ready for homes." I smiled and said good, I hope she has luck finding them all homes. She looked at me and said, "But they are minature poodles and all black." I reminded her that just the year before we had gotten Molly because she wanted a chihuahua and we really didn't need another dog. Well according to her Molly was my dog and she wanted one of her own and she wanted a black poodle. Again I told her no, we were not going to get another dog.

That evening I spoke with Linda after Kelly hd went to bed and asked her why hadn't she told her no in the beginning. I was informed that she did tell her no, but Kelly told her that her dad loved her and I would let her have the dog. That made me feel about as low as a street curb. Linda smiled and asked me what I was going to do. I told her we did not need another dog, one was enough.

The next morning Kelly asked if we could at least go look at the dogs. I said why did we need to do that if she already knew my answer and there wasn't any use in us going over there for her to hear it again. Well we went with promises of "I won't ask for one, I just want to see her." Arriving at the home the lady who had the pups was standing at the door with it just so happens with the one that Kelly wanted. Funny how those things work out. I looked at the pups and told Kelly that she was right, they were cute, but if we got one Molly would be jealous and feel bad because she would think that another dog may be taking her place. Kelly promised the usual, that she would not neglect Molly and she would teach them to get along together like sisters, she would feed, walk, water and clean up after it if she could just have the poodle. Why is it so hard to tell daughter no?

We went home with the minature poodle and my wallet was $400.00 poorer, but the smile on Kelly's face riding home replaced that loss. I asked her what she was going to name it and she said she did not know yet, but she would think of something.

We got home and Linda started laughing, "Couldn't hold out, could you?" I let her know she pawned the problem off on me and I tried many times to say no, but yes slipped out.

Kelly "introduced" Molly to the the new family member and all Molly could think of was guarding her food dish and all the poodle wanted to do was play with Molly. She reminded me of a black bouncing ball, her paws would no sooner touch the ground than she would bounce right back up again. I told Kelly she should name her Yoyo, Linda said no, it was too close to Yoko and she was never a big fan of hers. Kelly went several days trying to think of a name when one day a friend came to visit her, she was a Laotian friend of Kelly's named Jackie. Her mom had just dropped her off after taking her to the beauty parlour to have her hair cut and a permanant. She had curls on top of curls and jet black hair. After leaving that afternoon Kelly said the the poodle reminding her of her friend named Jackie and decided that would be the name she would give her.

For fourteen years Linda and I fed, bathed, walked, took to the vet and cleaned up after Kelly's Jackie. It was a labor of love. She had managed with her constant jumping and tugging at pant legs and the nightly curling up in a lap to make a place in our hearts and there she stayed.

This morning I went to take Molly and Jackie outside after waking up. Molly was waiting at the door, but Jackie wasn't standing beside her with her tail wagging waiting for the door to open. I just thought she had had one of her accidents and was too ashamed to come to the door. I looked around the house and behind my favorite chair I found her. She looked as if she was sleeping, but I could see that she was not breathing. I reached down and lifted up her still body and laid her in my lap for the last time. I looked down at her stroking her head thinking back to that day Kelly ran into the house fourteen years ago.

She is sleeping under the big crepe myrtle tree in the back yard now. After saying a few words to Linda that Jackie would soon be there I walked back into the house, Molly was on the bed staring out the window as if she was saying her last goodbye to a friend and companion of fourteen years. I looked out the back door as a breeze shook the flowers loose from the crepe myrtle Jackie now rested under and watched them float down to the freshly broken dirt.

Sleep well Jackie, you are loved very much and will be missed.

Later...

Stories posted here are the exclusive property of the Smiling Pig. No other use or reproduction of the content contained here is permissible without written prior consent.

Will Return Soon

Sorry I have not posted in a while, but matters that need my attention have taken priority. I will be back soo with a post. I hope you continue to drop by and again I apologize for my absence.

Later...

Stories posted here are the exclusive property of the Smiling Pig. No other use or reproduction of the content contained here is permissible without written prior consent.