A Eulogy

Well, I’m Back!

With the holidays and the new job coming up and general hectic time of year, I have not been able to post the Eulogy.

Wyatt was kind enough to post the news of my dog, Kirk’s, passing. Thanks to him and all the blog wishes and cards that I received.

Kirk was a very special dog. He was irreplaceable and probably one of my best friends. That sound stupid to even write but it’s true.

Back in 1996, my daughter Erin and Mrs. Deathlok wanted to get a dog. I wanted nothing to do with it. Of course, I lost that battle. We went to the Cherry Hill Mall (a hotbed of animal breeding) and we looked. I saw a beautiful cream colored Lab. They saw a Dalmatian. I said that they were too hyper and we weren’t getting a Dalmatian. Of course, I lost that battle too.

When we got home we were thinking of names. My daughter, being four at the time, wanted to name him Spotty. . .I won that battle. I suggested Rorschach. . .and lost that battle. My wife’s family has a history of naming their dogs human names (which I hate) so I thought quickly and suggested Kirk (after Vancouver Canuck’s goalie phenom Kirk McLean). And it was done. Kirk (according to his papers, his name is really Kirkus Doggley) was part of the family.

Six Months later, after failing out of Obedience School, I was walking this dog that I was not suppose to have to walk. Erin was on the sidewalk and Kirk and I were in the street. I wanted to show this dog that I was faster than he was and we raced home. A block from the house, Kirk ran between my legs. When the ambulance came to pick me out of the street, a neighbor took Erin and the dog in while I went to get my two broken arms put in a caste.

After all the years (11 ½ of them) Kirk has never gone the bathroom in the house (unless he was sick). His one vice was going into the trash. He could . . . .and would . . .eat anything. He has eaten: 9 raw porkchops, a bag of balloons, a swimcap, half of a lasagna pan of fudge, chicken bones (more than once), a pack of gum (in the pack. . . .it was Teaberry) to name a few things. Cleaning the yard was also a colorful surprise.

No one ever met him that didn’t like him. Even people that don’t like dogs. The guy that DMs our D&D game is afraid of dogs and within two visits was very comfortable with him. They shared diabetes stories.

My family has had many dogs and cats growing up and countless pets. We have had alligators, a veritable plethora of rodents, a venus flytrap, birds, turtles, everything. Kirk will always be with me. With the exception of my cat Mooch, no other animal sticks with me.

Kirk’s ashes will be buried under the tree in the back yard when we get them back.

Good Bye Kirk, I miss you.

(Watching Fireworks on the Pool Deck)

(post op)