Friday, October 26, 2012

Lucy {Tails}

She was only five weeks old and she had severe separation anxiety.
A tiny, little black and white thing with paws several sizes too big for her and ginormous, floppy ears.  It looked as if someone with a paw-print stamp had stamped her directly on the white fur atop her muzzle.
She was the cutest thing that ever walked the planet.
 
A week into living with Lucy found us out in the yard one day.  She came barreling around the corner, tripping over her too-big feet, ears flying in every direction possible and a toy locked tight between her jaws.  She skidded to a stop in front of me, but refused to let go of the toy to allow me to throw it for her.  {This would turn out to be a preview of all future play times- always chase, never fetch.}  After a few moments of tug-of-war with the toy she turned and ran away with anticipation that I would chase after her, but before taking a step to do so, a strange combination of gasp, groan and giggle emerged from me.  Lucy had found and eaten an 8 inch piece of cotton rope.
I knew this because 3 inches of it was hanging out of her backend.
And that was the beginning of life with Lucy.
 
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The first house that Lucy lived in with us only had one door leading outside- the front door.  This door had a lever style door handle.  Once big enough to reach it, Lucy quickly learned how to let herself into the house, which would have been really great had she also learned to wipe her feet and close the door after her.  Though she was very skilled at getting in, there were only a handful of times she was able to let herself out... but not for a lack of trying.
 
Early one morning I stepped outside for a minute, closing the door behind me and Lucy's separation anxiety hit her full force.  Before I ever made it off the front porch I heard the whining start, followed by paws on the inner door knob.  I turned back around to let her out, but I was too late.  In her frantic attempt to open the door she had inadvertently locked the dead bolt.
It was 6AM.  My keys were inside.  Nobody else was home.  I was in my pajamas.
As I sat there and pondered what to do, Lucy, her eyes fixed on me through the locked front window, was howling in agony over the piece of glass that separated us.  After 30 minutes of this, and trying every window on the house, I finally decided to buck up and walk down the road to the gas station and beg use of their phone {this was pre-cell phones} to call my {then} husband.  As I opened the front gate she let out the shrillest cry yet.  I turned back to find that the tormented animal inside had managed to unlock the window during this last assault upon it.
 
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Lucy's favorite foods....
tuna fish, french fries, tomatoes {of which she preferred to eat from a fork- quite daintily I might add} and anything made of plastic that belonged to her Boy.  This included, but was not limited to, Legos, cars and action figures.
 
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After Trick or Treating every Halloween evening Lucy's Boy and I would sit down at the table and sort through his candy.  One particular Halloween we sorted out all of the chocolate and placed it in its own bowl which we then set on the kitchen counter.  The next afternoon when I came home from work Lucy was not at the door waiting to greet me with her usual bear hug.  As I walked in her head slowly came up over the back of the couch.  She blinked at me with her crazy googly-eyed gaze {she had one black inner eyelid and one white inner eyelid which often made her look somewhat kooky}, ears straight as arrows coming off each side of her head and then slowly lowered herself back down.
I immediately went in search of the disaster.
I found it in the kitchen- a broken glass bowl.  There were pieces of glass all over the floor and not a single piece of chocolate {or a wrapper} was to be found.
 
*********
We had a nightly ritual and Lucy played a big part in it.  Every night after bath and teeth brushing the three of us {Lucy, Lucy's Boy and I} would dance on the bed to Mickey and the gang to get the last of the wiggles out, then the two of them would snuggle down, Lucy at the foot of the bed and her Boy tucked under the covers, for a story.  Once the story was over and kisses given I would leave the room, closing the door behind me.  Every single night Lucy would put her Boy to bed.  She would lay there until he was a sleep, no matter how long it took.  Once he was fast asleep she would quietly paw at his door so she could then come out and spend time with me.
 
*********
I had been single for about 9 months.  Lucy's Boy was spending the weekend with his father and a friend decided I needed a night out.  Because we were going to be out late it was decided that she would spend the night at my house.  My friend was on a diet and taking Metabolife.  Turned out she had left the bottle on the counter.
As we dragged ourselves through the front door at 3AM we came upon Lucy literally running circles around the living room like a greyhound on the track with hare in its sights.
We found the bottle of Metablolife.
The lid had been chewed off and a quarter of it ingested, along with half of the bottle's contents.
 
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In her older years Lucy became over protective.  There were times when she would come face to face with a stranger and suddenly turn into Cujo.  She strongly felt it was her duty to protect her people.
Unless, that is, we needed protecting from a cat.
I have never heard a noise come out of an animal like that.  A cat only had to take one step towards her and Lucy would shriek like a teenage girl being murdered in a low budget horror movie and hide behind us, shaking so hard her canines would rattle in her head.
 
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One day, after work, I entered the front door to find Lucy sitting proud and pretty in the center of a sea of oats... not a thread of the living room carpet to be seen.
Seemed I had left a brand new container of oatmeal out on the counter.
 
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Every year on Christmas morning, Lucy would be the first into the living room.  We would find her sniffing through all of the stockings looking for hers, knowing that Santa would have left a stuffed rabbit for her.
It was the one time out of the year that we didn't worry she would get into something she shouldn't.
All Lucy cared about on Christmas morning was finding her new rabbit.
 
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Lucy was a wonderful companion.
She was a happy constant in our lives and very loyal {sometimes to a fault}.
We could always count on her to make us laugh, to console us when we were sad and to provide us with a mess to clean up.  But all of those messes were worth the love that she brought into our lives.
Especially mine.
 
 
I love you, Lucy.
RIP
January 1998 - October 2012
 
 


18 comments:

Wes In St Croix said...

Thank you, that was beautiful.
Wes in Croix

Celeste Kemmerer said...

I'm so sorry you lost your beautiful Lucy. My own Lucy is getting old also and I know I'm going to have to say "Good-bye" to her very soon.

Tracie~MyPetiteMaison said...

Hi Alisa,
My thoughts and heart are with you. I laughed at reading Lucy's favorite foods, especially the fork part! Just be kind to yourself and don't hurry things and I know you'll always remember the love, love, love she gave freely to you.

This is a beautiful tribute post to Lucy.
~Tracie

LuLu Kellogg said...

Sending you love Alisa.

This was such a beautiful tribute to your beloved Lucy.

LuLu~*xoxo

Monica said...

Dear one! You are in my thoughts, heart and prayers- I so understand your pain. (((BIG HUGS))) and much love to you!
xoxo

Margaret said...

I'm so sorry Alisa, what a beautiful tribute to dear sweet Lucy, sending you big hugs
Mx

Jillayne said...

Oh Alisa... I laughed and I cried...
What a joy she must have been and really always will be to you; a true friend.
The heartbreak of losing a pet is as gigantic as was their love for us, and sometimes I think that the understanding of what we meant to them is what makes losing them so hard.
I hope she does rest in peace, and that you will find your own peace in this in time.

The Junque Seeker said...

What a treasure she must have been, and what beautiful memories she gave you. It's heartbreaking to lose these four-legged "kids," but it's apparent your time together was wonderful for both of you.

Photocat said...

Ooohhhh, sad... sad. Animals can leave such big holes in our hearts. Even if they were a pain like Lucy was. I am sorry she died, and would in the same sentence send you to Cesar, the dogwhisperer before you get a new dog. Not that a new dog would fill the hole Lucy left... Just sayin.
Maybe Lucy will be waiting for my Amy when we send Amy to cat heaven in a couple of weeks probably... She has masses that came back after a severe operation. We don't want to put her through that one again. It will comfort us to know that she might meet Lucy. They will relate I am sure!

Heather Ales said...

Oh Alisa, your tribute to Lucy is beautiful! I laughed and cried. My heart is with you and I'm sorry you had to say goodbye to such a good friend.

Charlene said...

Oh Alisa I am soooooooo sorry to hear you lost your sweet Lucy. That is a pain that knocks you to your feet. The heartbeat at your feet. Sending hugs & healing prayers your way.
Charlene

Marianne said...

Oh, I am so sorry about poor old Lucy. But it sounds as if she had a great life and enriched your life too.
What a beautiful post,so funny and with only a touch of sadness.
Well written.
Be well while you get used to living without Lucy.

Anonymous said...

I love your story about Lucy <3. So sorry that she has passed. *Prayers and hugs for your and your family*

Lorrie said...

These are the sweetest anecdotes. I laughed, I sighed. I'm sorry for your loss.

Unknown said...

What a lovely ode to Lucy. I'm so sorry to hear of her passing. Sounds like she kept you quite busy. Lucky for her that she had such a patient owner- who didn't give up on her when she was up to no good.

Hugs!Sandy

kandeland said...

just getting over here now, and sad to read this...what a sweet puppy face...hang in there Alisa...
xo

Robin Thomas said...

I just now felt strong enough to read this.

I loved your stories, your writing and your Lucy.

I feel that I miss her too.

She was lucky to have you Alisa.

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